The uses of computers in the classroom are discussed, and the implications of these uses in an information-based society are addressed. Three types of computer applications are examined: learning about computers and their relation to society, including computer programming; learning through computers, which includes drill-and-practice, diagnostic testing, and tutorial programs; and learning with computers, which is using the computer as a tool of instruction and creating an environment where learning may occur. Some fear that in the rush to include computers and computer literacy in the school curriculum, the teaching of reading, writing, and mathematics will be put aside. Another issue is that access to computers in schools may differ along socioeconomic lines. The proportion of elementary and secondary schools having microcomputers for instruction is increasing in the 1980s. However, southern elementary schools are less likely to have a microcomputer than elementary schools outside the South. Colleges and universities are moving to include computer training for teachers at both preservice and inservice levels. Nationally, several states now have teacher certification in the area of computer education. To address the problems of inadequate software, district, state, and national level efforts are underway. (SW)