A Decade of Computer-Assisted Instruction

Abstract

Although “the jury is still out” in terms of deciding on the relative merits of computer-assisted instruction in teaching economics, many college economics departments consider CAI to be sufficiently effective to justify its continued use. This article by Paden, Dalgaard and Barr describes the PLATO system used at the University of Illinois, and reports on the results of experiments with CAI over a three-year period. The authors conclude that their “study management system facilited learning.” Readers will be interested in comparing this study with the research reported by Chizmar, Hiebert and McCarney in their article in this issue, and perhaps with other studies of CAI reported in earlier issues of the JEE.