Pedagogy is the most important general aspect of any instructional project. Principles of pedagogy help the teacher select the most appropriate methods to achieve a specific instructional objective. Instructional software must use proven and effective instructional techniques that address the needs of the audience.

Course designers must address general pedagogical issues such as appropriateness of the computer, appropriateness of the methodology, student practice, lesson length, and mastery level. Where possible, educational software should adapt to the learner's skills and knowledge.

Educational software should motivate the user. Use of the computer alone does not guarantee motivated users. Interaction is a valuable tool to keep the users' interest, and to reinforce learning content.

The media used in the course should be appropriate for the content. For instance, video clips should illustrate processes and images visual and/or spatial concepts.

If the software is interactive, students should be able to control the program in several ways, such as by determining pace, navigating randomly, or bookmarking places in the program.