We are on the verge of a major revolution in the methods of

          learning.  This revolution in the way the people learn will be

          based on the growing technology of the digital computer.  As

          computers come to play a more pivotal role in society, emphasis

          will be placed on them in the educational process.  We call the

          use of computers in the educational process Computer-Assisted

          Instruction (CAI).  CAI consists of using the computer in lieu of

          the teacher to present the lesson.  In the the sense that CAI

          allows for the replacement of a human by a machine, it has become

          an issue of considerable importance.


            The introduction of the computer as a learning and teaching

          device has created a number of advantages benefitting both

          student and teacher.  One major advantage of computers is that

          they make learning an active process, where students play a

          constant thinking role.  This contrasts with the passive learning

          environment of large lecture classes where students struggle to

          take notes.  Another advantage of computers is that they allow

          for individualization.  Each student working at a computer

          terminal has a unique interactive experience based on the

          student's past performances or other information.  This allows

          students to learn at their own pace which is impossible in the

          lecture situation.  They can review material at their own

          discretion and can be given remedial or more advanced material as

          appropriate.  A third advantage is that the cost of computers is

          diminishing rapidly.  It is estimated that for equivalent power,

          computers decrease in cost by about 30% each year.  In recent



                                        - 1 -










          years the most dramatic decreases have occurred in computer

          memory.  There are two reasons for this decrease.  First, we are

          becoming more skillful in using the rapidly advancing technology

          in this area.  New techniques are appearing frequently and many

          of these are successful.  The second factor accounting for

          reduced costs is the mass production of components.[1]


            Along with the student, the teacher is also finding that the

          computer can be a useful tool in the instructional process.

          Traditionally, the role of the teacher includes conveying

          information to students through lecture and demonstration.

          Ordinarily, the professor will rely on the blackboard, verbal

          explanations, and prior computations to cover topics of

          importance.  The advent of computers, especially those with

          on-line access, has made it possible to enrich such explanations

          by bringing the computer into the classroom.  In subjects such as

          mathematics, engineering, and physics, where computations must be

          made and the results displayed, computers can prove to be of

          invaluable assistance.  With computers, the instructor can use

          programs to describe procedures and to execute mathematical

          computations.  The results of these computations will then be

          displayed on a cathode-ray-tube screen in front of the class.

          Because the computer can display the results of calculations

          immediately, the professor is able to demonstrate situations


          ----------

          1. Alfred M. Bork, Learning With Computers{Bedford,
                             ________ ____ _________
          Massachusetts: Digital Press, 1981},p. 2.



                                        - 2 -










          whose complexity would have caused them to be avoided

          previously.[2]


            There are three major categories of computer participation in

          the instructional process: performance uses, managemen