Intended as an action guide, this book focuses on the issues, concepts, and facts relevant to the educator who wants to consider using computers to accomplish learning objectives. A short history of computers emphasizing microcomputers and their use in education is followed by a discussion of current educational uses which includes a more detailed look at some representative applications in preschool, elementary, high school, and college settings. The essentials of selecting the best computer or computers for specific applications are outlined, and some suggestions are offered for equipment purchasing and software selection. An introduction to PILOT, BASIC, and LOGO programming languages describes their general characteristics and offers a tutorial designed to allow users to write simple programs and to read and understand many educational programs. A section on types of educational applications introduces, explains, and provides examples of the major ways in which computers are used in educational settings, e.g., computer assisted instruction, computer managed instruction, and applications in assessment and evaluation, including individual program planning. The final section describes other information sources, including books, magazines and journals, and computer databases. (LMM)