Computer assisted instruction in the elementary school

Computers as we know them today had their infancy in the late 1940\u27s. Since that time computer technology and its concomitant applications in everyday life have expanded at nearly geometric proportions. Today the technology is advanced to about the same state that black and white television had reached in the late 1950\u27s. Concurrent to the early development of the computer were two major trends in education: an awareness among educators for the need of individualized instruction and renewed interest in programmed learning. Thus a natural confluence of a budding technology and educational objectives occurred, resulting in computer assisted instruction. Introduction of the computer into the classroom has not always yielded many of the expected benefits; however, technological advancements such as the microcomputer hold new promise for educators. If we are to fully benefit from the use of the computer we must understand the successes and failures of past computer assisted instruction efforts. Ultimately, the successful use of computers in education will hinge on the development of appropriate computer curriculum