Markets and Models for Large-Scale Courseware Development

Computer-aided instruction (CAI) has not achieved widespread use, even though experimental results have been promising, because of a complex of technical, economic, and social factors. The problems these factors produce might be overcome if a major "market success" could be achieved with CAI systems. One potentially high-volume market, having probably a lower resistance to profound innovation than other sectors of education, is the junior college. To achieve a market success which would catalyze public and private investment to sustain the growth and dissemination of CAI requires technical solutions in the areas of hardware, software, and courseware. Courseware is a term designating the applications programs for CAI systems and associated textual, audio-visual, and other materials of instruction. Two different approaches to the production of courseware and their underlying philosophies are discussed and contrasted. The extent to which these different models of courseware design and development might lead toward the goal of mass dissemination is highlighted.