ABSTRACT
Two groups of individuals share a vision that computers can provide excellent instruction for large numbers of students. The first of these groups we call developers of computer-assisted instruction (CAI). The second group we call developers of intelligent tutoring systems (ITS). The aim of CAI programs is to address existing needs of particular groups of students. The CAI developer wants to produce the program that has the best chance of teaching effectively and applies to this end all available experience and expertise. The differing aims, constraints, and instructional models imply the following substantial differences between CAI and ITS programs. Developers of ITS are usually researchers in psychology or computer science, and have extensive experience in both fields. CAI programs are generally algorithmic in structure with user input often determining branching. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
