The Educational Research Department at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg) attempts to go beyond conventional use of a computer laboratory by offering services to further the educational knowledge of its students. Laboratory staff members demonstrate methods needed to accomplish educational tasks for program requirements as they offer appropriate help to novice and experienced users. This set of papers reviews approaches used at the laboratory. An overview is provided by J. C. Fortune and A. L. Packard. "Computer-Based Laboratory (Mini-Courses Aiding Students in Statistical and Research Methods" (C. J. Rogers) describes how these brief courses are used to familiarize students with options available to them. "Opportunity for Educational Support: Open Laboratory and Mini-Courses" (M. W. Cumbow) describes the physical layout, hardware, software, and courses of the educational research laboratory. "In Support of the Research Education of Graduate Students: Free Tutorials" (J. List) describes the free tutorials in software use provided at the Educational Research Computer Laboratory in the areas of: (1) word processing; (2) statistics; (3) mainframe communications; (4) spreadsheets; (5) graphics; and (6) database management. (SLD)