A specialized instructional laboratory will be constructed to support a new computer course for non-computer science majors. The course will teach students with a background as users of productivity tools such as Microsoft: Office 97 how to program in that environment. Students will learn how to construct stand-alone applications as well as applications that can run on the Internet and on local Intranets. The laboratory will consist of thirty networked stations connected to the instructor's console by a device (the Tech Commander) that will enable her to see and interact with each student station from the console. This will also allow the instructor to take over any workstation interact with it and broadcast it for class discussion. The proposed course and laboratory will produce a new group of subject area specialists who will be able to create applications usually requiring professional programmers or computer consultants. This will affect productivity in the workplace by bringing high level technology to a much wider group of people. It will also affect the careers of the students taking it by virtue of their increased knowledge and skill
