The Effectiveness of CAI.

This paper reviews the empirical research that has been done with computer assisted instruction (CAI) in an attempt to gain an overview that will allow the effectiveness of CAI to be evaluated. In the review, the area of CAI is divided into four basic modes: drill and practice, problem solving, tutorial, and simulation. Each mode is defined, and relevant research is discussed. A further section discusses research in applications involving a combination of the four basic modes. Briefly, the conclusions of the review were that CAI can be an effective instructional tool, that students generally learn more rapidly but retain less with CAI than with traditional methods, that CAI is more effective for low ability students than for middle and high ability students, and that both students and teachers are highly enthusiastic towards CAI as a means of instruction. (WDR)