Ideas of optimizing specific objectives were applied to the problem of allocating computer assisted instruction (CAI) time among students in an elementary school. Then, using computer simulation methodology, it was found that simply increasing the total amount of CAI time used could probably improve overall student progress more than any practical allocation strategy. In order to do this, a contest was devised to motivate the students to miss fewer lessons and voluntarily take extra lessons. The CAI program's automatic adjustment of difficulty level allows for a unique kind of academic contest where students of different ability levels have an equal chance of success. The use of the contests appeared to be successful in meeting objectives for system use as well as in generating a great deal of enthusiasm on the part of students. Explicit consideration of overall objectives, use of computer simulation methodology in time allocation, and the use of motivational games in CAI are all potentially applicable in a wide range of CAI settings. (VT)