Our society is committed to the principle of education

            for all of its members.  This means that large numbers of

            individuals from diverse social backgrounds must be educated

            simultaneously.  Few educators would quarrel with the desire

            to improve instruction and curriculum through the design of

            individualized programs.  The existence of the computer makes

            possible the design of programs tailored to individual needs,

            without sacrificing the democratic principle of universal

            education.  While we cannot ignore the fact that the computer

            offers us undreamt of possibilities, we must also realize

            that the objectives are ambiguous.  As Oettinger (1969)

            points out, there is a lack of an empirically validated

            theory of teaching, to say nothing of a universally accepted

            philosophy of education.  The nature, objectives, and

            limitations of the use of computers in education are

            problematic issues which must be considered.

                 The most significant application of computer technology

            in education is computer-aided instruction (CAI).  This is a

            development which has the potential to restructure the

            learning environment itself.  CAI promises to create special

            programs for each individual student which recognize his

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            particular needs and allow him to learn at his own pace.   A

            learning situation is created with CAI in which the student

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            1. Mowshowitz, "The Conquest of Will"(Reading:Addison-Wesley
            Publishing Company, 1976), p.  107.



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            interacts (or is guided by) a computer through a course of

            study aimed at achieving certain instructional goals.

            Individualized instruction will facilitate continuous

            monitoring of a student's progress: diagnosis of problems,

            suggestions for improvement, and evaluation of performance.

            Such arrangements are expected to improve efficiency in the

            acquisition of Will"(Reading:Addison-Wesley Publishing

            Company, 1976), p.  107.] A learning situation is created

            with CAI in which the student interacts (or is guided by) a

            computer through a course of study aimed at achieving certain

            instructional goals.  Individualized instruction will

            facilitate continuous monitoring of a student's progress:

            diagnosis of problems, suggestions for improvement, and

            evaluation of performance.  Such arrangements are expected to

            improve efficiency in the acquisition of rom teachers,

            printed materials, and other non-computer sources.  In this

            type of system, the student sits at a terminal and practices

            procedures illustrating concepts introduced by the computer

            program.  Such systems allow the student to progress at his

            own speed, and learning is facilitated because the computer

            can quickly supply correct answers as feedback to student

            mistakes.  Typical areas in which drill and practice systems

            are used include such areas as mathematics, statistics,

            languages, reading, spelling, etc., where substantial memory







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                             2
            work is required.

                 A second and more sophisticated level of interaction

            between a student and a CAI computer program is found in the

            tutorial approach.  Here, new concepts are presented and

            skills in using them developed.  When the student masters one

            concept, a new concept is presented.