Zambia faces many challenges common to low- and middle-income countries as it seeks to improve its education system, including low literacy rates for young Zambians and low public expenditure on education. In the past 20 years, Zambia's school system has expanded to reach more children in rural areas, primarily through community schools, which are…

Rather than presenting a cookbook recipe for how to evaluate computer assisted instruction (CAI), a number of queries relevant to the evaluation of CAI are presented and explicated. (1) Is it possible that CAI offers opportunities to reach cognitive instructional objectives to which users of conventional methods do not aspire? (2) Is it reasonable…

PLATO and TICCIT, two systems of computer-assisted instruction, are analyzed with a view to determining their educational effectiveness. This report presents an overview of how this will be accomplished, in full awareness that the concept of "effectiveness" has been subject to diverse interpretation. To avoid misunderstandings, the…

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created quality assurance guidelines that help technology trainers and educators manage and organize training programs. This article briefly outlines program design principles, emphasizing needs analysis and outcome evaluation, performance documentation, and process management. ISO 9000…

The Comprehensive Achievement Monitoring (CAM) program revolves around a series of tests regularly administered to students with immediate feedback to students and teachers. (Author/MLF)

Describes the procedures, results, and conclusions of a study which involved (1) the development of computer programs for use in an introductory college chemistry course, (2) an evaluation of the programs, (3) an analysis of the extent to which the programs provided for individual differences, and (4) a description and evaluation of the…

The current interest in an educational technology that stresses adaptation to individual student differences has resulted in such individualized systems as Individually Prescribed Instruction (IPI) and Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI). However, such systems are not the answer to an avoidance of standardization of students. No one has yet…

Presents behavioral objectives for accounting students and an outcomes assessment plan with five steps: (1) identification and definition of student competencies; (2) selection of valid instruments; (3) integration of assessment and instruction; (4) determination of levels of assessment; and (5) attribution of improvements to the program. (SK)

Presents the methodology and findings of an experimental project to determine the viability of computer assisted as opposed to more traditional methods of instruction for teaching one phase of automotive troubleshooting. (Editor)

The readings presented here are an analysis of selected factors underlying the process of individualized learning. The book is organized topically and moves from theoretical considerations toward an analysis of important educational components. The readings come from a cross section of experts representing the areas of learning theory, individual…

Four colleagues at Idaho State University describe how they used the DACUM (Developing A Curriculum) process to figure out what microcomputer competencies vocational educators need. Competencies include developing a personal plan for microcomputer competency; integrating computer-based instruction (CBI) into the vocational curriculum; planning,…

Critical reasoning has been recognized as a valuable educational goal since the end of the nineteenth century. However, the educational programs to reach this goal have changed dramatically during the twentieth century and moved to a dialogic approach. The shift to dialogism in programs to promote critical reasoning brings challenges concerning…

Some special problems associated with evaluating intelligent computer-assisted instruction (ICAI) programs are addressed. This paper intends to describe alternative approaches to the assessment and improvement of such applications and to provide examples of efforts undertaken and shortfalls. Issues discussed stem chiefly from the technical demands…

Use of educational technology does not necessarily ensure educational quality unless objectives, curriculum, and the notion of competency are clearly defined. This article explores the importance of identifying competency, which is composed of domain-specific facts, knowledge, and cognitive skills. Recognition of the competency paradigm enables…