The "symbol systems approach" to the study of computers in education that is outlined avoids the pitfalls of past media research--particularly research on the effects of television on children's learning and knowledge--and asserts that media can be usefully distinguished in terms of the symbol systems they present and the kinds of…

Factors contributing to the uniqueness of educational software are analyzed from contextual and textual perspectives. Contextual (or external) technological, economic, and social factors are examined briefly, and are identified as the dominant factors in the future evolution of educational software. Feedback and interactiveness, two significant…

Discussion of research on computer-aided instruction (CAI) focuses on a set of questions and hypotheses that form the basis for research on the effectiveness of CAI. Four factors are highlighted: (1) the medium (including interactive videodisc); (2) the environment; (3) student characteristics; and (4) topic of instruction. (38 references) (LRW)

Proposes a framework to help course developers design criteria for optimal media deployment. The merits of radio, television, audio, video, and print are briefly compared with computer-based media and analyzed in light of six types of media characteristics: symbol system, access, controllability, student reactivity, interactivity, and adaptivity.…