Microcomputer software: Design and development principles

This article surveys principles for the design and development of microcomputer-based instructional software. A set of design guidelines based upon existing research are outlined. Three approaches to authdring software are examined: general purpose programming languages, author languages, and authoring sys-tems. The tradeoffs in using these three approaches are outlined. The implica-tions of research in automated instructional development systems and intelligent tutoring systems are discussed. The design and development of a Computer Based Instruction (CBI) program is something of an enigma. Unlike more familiar media such as print, overheads, slides or even video, what comes out doesn’t at all resemble what goes in; screen displays usually don’t look like the program that generates them. Even for some-one who knows how to program, instructional software (i.e., courseware) is perplexing because it is not sufficient for the program to run properly-it must also teach. The requirement that courseware be instructionally effective as well as com-putationally correct adds a new element to software development which is often missed by those who approach CBI from a computer science or data processing perspective. On the other hand, the development of courseware is inherently a programming task-a point sometimes overlooked by educators. This presents somewhat of a dilemma: it takes a strong blend of educational and computer skills to create good (effective) CBI courseware. Luckily, these skills do not have to reside in the same person, or for that matter, in a person at all. Many approaches to the development of courseware involve authoring teams consisting of a content expert, instructional designer