Computer aided instruction in undergraduate physiology: solar cell helps

A report is given of the development of a computer-aided-instruction (CAI) system for laboratory practical exercises for students of a first course in physiology. Muscle contraction recording from relatively small experimental animals, such as frogs and rats, is a problem when one tries to introduce CAI into laboratory experiments. An appropriate converter is needed for small mechanical movement registration and computer processing. The authors describe their solution to the problem and the CAI software they have written. The software is menu-driven and has been used successfully for a number of laboratory exercises.<>