Toward More Effective Microcomputer Courseware through Application of Systematic Instructional Design Methods

Abstract

After several years of microcomputer use in school classrooms, there are indications that this technology has so far been less effective than expected in helping to resolve the instructional problems it was hoped it would address. It is proposed that many microcomputer courseware materials have been insufficient to the task, and that methods used to develop courseware are the source of many of the problems and limitations. Increased use of systematic instructional design methods are suggested to help improve the overall quality and usefulness of courseware. While systematic methods are currently in common use in business, industry and military training settings, they have had limited accepttance in education because of certain characteristics and constraints of the educational environment. Some ways of making instructional design more practical for educational development are suggested, and potential contributions of this approach to improving courseware are described.