Describes an analysis of the possibilities open to the designer of class teaching materials based on the use of a microcomputer. Program design and use are related to the facilities the computer offers, aspects of teaching to which they contribute, and to the problems of making materials easy to use. (Author/CHC)

This review of videodisc technology and its potential for use in conjunction with microcomputers in the development of interactive instructional systems includes: a brief discussion of the background and current state-of-the-art of videodisc technology; a review of videodisc formats and the costs and advantages of particular formats in the…

This paper describes SEF.ASSISTANT, a special software shell for authoring languages to be used in the development of courseware serving computer based education (CBE). The capabilities of SEF.ASSISTANT are identified: (1) it will generate programs written in the IBM SEF.PC authoring language; (2) it is compatible with external standard software…

Perhaps the most significant development in microcomputer technology over the last two years has been the development of desktop publishing techniques. This technology promises to offer some significant advantages to institutions developing instructional materials in less developed countries, particularly in terms of control, cost effectiveness,…

A discussion of microcomputer applications in elementary and secondary school social studies is accompanied by a list of publications and a checklist to aid educators in evaluating programs for microcomputers. Six instructional uses of the microcomputer are drill and practice, tutorial, demonstration, simulation, instructional games, and computer…

The future of educational research with the videodisc is discussed in relation to: (1) recent and planned hardware developments, and (2) research areas where videodisc technology may be appropriate. Examples of some of the different configurations possible among videodisc players, microcomputers, touch screens, and printers are provided. The…

This paper discusses the systematic approach to the integration of microcomputers into all phases of instruction that was implemented in the Los Angeles Unified School District in 1984 under the Computer Education Foundation Program (CEFP). It begins with a brief description of the school district to provide a context for the reader. The current…

This paper addresses the numerous ways that computers may be used to enhance the teaching of accounting and business topics. It focuses on the pedagogical use of spreadsheet software to improve the conceptual coverage of accounting principles and practice, increase student understanding by involvement in the solution process, and reduce the amount…

The University of Maryland's Center for Instructional Development and Evaluation has developed interactive video material for the Navy Medical Department to teach Navy medical corpsmen appropriate response procedures for each of seven emergency medical conditions: angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke,…

An important advance in computer assisted instruction (CAI) is the development of authoring systems that allow teachers to write software without the need for direct use of a higher level language. The primary advantage of authoring systems is that they provide teachers with the means to write CAI in plain English rather than using a computer…

This paper argues that formative evaluation of instruction, which is generally agreed to be critical for instruction in any medium, is even more crucial when the instruction is to be delivered by interactive technologies such as computers, interactive video, hypermedia, or the various forms of interactive multimedia systems. It begins by…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which a sophisticated computer assisted instruction (CAI) system could be implemented on the type of microcomputer system currently found in the schools. A method was devised for comparing CAI languages and was used to rank five common CAI languages. The highest ranked language, NATAL,…

A brief discussion of the need to define social studies is followed by methods for developing selection criteria for microcomputer programs in the social studies, a model for lesson development on a microcomputer, and evaluation criteria. The need for educators to carefully state what should be learned is emphasized in terms of controlling the…

The use of different types of media for distance education, and the examination and evaluation of a computer-based distance training program in Thailand are the focus of this paper. After a discussion of the characteristics and types of media-based distance education--including print-based, audio-based, video-based, and computer-based…

A learning module on the applications of microcomputers in instruction, which was developed for preservice and inservice teacher education at Queen's University at Kingston, was implemented within an existing introductory educational media course. An instructional development model (Dick and Carey, 1978) was used to identify instructional goals;…