The first of four major sections in this report presents an overview of the background and evolution of computer applications to learning and teaching. It begins with the early attempts toward "automated teaching" of the 1920s, and the "teaching machines" of B. F. Skinner of the 1940s through the 1960s. It then traces the development of computer assisted instruction (CAI) that began in the 1960s with the PLATO project, through to the emergence of microcomputer-based CAI. The second section describes the entry of microcomputers into the homes and schools of North America. Distinctions are made between learning about computers, learning with computers, using computers as educational tools, and using computers with specific student populations. The results of three surveys of computer use in elementary and secondary schools are cited. Section three notes the response of faculties of education to the challenge of preparing practicing teachers and student teachers in the intricacies of applying computer technology in their classrooms. The final section describes the facilities, courses, and programs that have been developed at the University of Victoria. Included in this section is a brief description of the IBM/University of Victoria Cooperative Project. (Author/THC)