It is becoming a commonly held belief among members of the

          teaching profession and the general public that "microcomputers

          will improve the instructional effectiveness of schools.

          According to Time magazine, which accorded the personal computer

          the distinction of "Man of the Year" in its January 3, 1983

          issue, 68% of registered voters think the microcomputer will
                                                              1
          improve the quality of their children's education.


               Computer Aided Instruction (CAI) has not revolutionized the

          learning process per se, but it has provided a tool for more

          effective education.  It has provided a new channel for improving

          the system.  This is particularly true in the area of special

          education, where physical and mental disabilities have

          traditionally blocked the learning process.


               Critics say that this wave of popularity is slightly

          premature partly because there is still relatively little

          research documenting its effectiveness, especially in primary and

          ----------

          1. George G. Bear, "Microcomputers and School Effectiveness",
          Educational Technology, January 1984, p.11.



                                        - 2 -










          elementary schools, and partly because teachers remain

          untrained.  In addition, too much of the software being marketed

          has been designed by corporations rather than educators and so it

          often stresses attractiveness over effectiveness.





          2 General Classroom Effectiveness
          _________________________________



               Most members of the education establishment will agree that

          effective learning at the elementary level requires frequent

          drill, constant feedback and individualized remedial

          instruction.  Computers have proven to be an ideal medium for

          these essentials.  Not only can they be a tool for repetition,

          they can be programmed to raise or lower the difficulty of the

          lesson according to the ability of the student.  When mastery of

          a particular objective is reached, the computer will

          automatically move on to the next level.


               Teachers have not been replaced as they must constantly

          monitor progress and individualize pace.  Some software is

          designed to monitor student progress but few educators will

          disagree that constant teacher management is necessary to ensure

          that students are consistently moving forward in their learning
                                                                     2
          and not progressing too quickly without full comprehension.

          Effective management of CAI is instrumental to effective

          ----------

          2. Bear, p.14



                                        - 3