Show r. r n aW t- t Programmed Instruction Dates Up-Dates BOin Bain Schools By D. D Gary Gy Jon Jons Uintah School DI District hc ht process r cess ef of facilitating learning As class dass enrollments have increased and the knowledge explosion has expanded ex ex- expanded it has been been- beena a tremendous tremendous tremendous dous challenge to educators to develop new methods and pro pro- through the education process One of the most effective procedures procedures procedures pro pro- found to help meet the individual needs of students has been programmed Instruction Material is developed that will lead to a predetermined predetermine object object- ive STUDENTS respond to a a very small portion of the material fram frames s or steps steps steps' and are reinforced reinforced reinforced rein rein- forced for a correct answer by success They continue through I the program at the rate that I they are capable of achieving Programs can can be designed for any specific purpose and achie achievement level lever and for any course and level of Instruction Students are able to progress at the rate which they are capable of achie achie- vin ving EVERY STUDENT in a classroom classroom class class- room can be working on a different different dif dif- ferent level of the program This enables each student to gain success success and work on m material at the level of his current acHe achie There are two basic types of programming the skinnerian and tin tho crowder In the skinnerian skinnerian skin skin- type of programs Units contain ordered sequence of stimulus items responses afe ae are reinforced with immediate results re ye- suits the student moves in small steps and makes few errors errors er and the student moves from wh what he knows directly to what he is supposed to learn f from om the e program IN THE crowder type of program program pro pro- gram the learner is given some some of the same same elements but in ind indifferent indifferent d different f rent forr J The learner may maybe maybe maybe be led to tu sub he makes an error or to large glens steps s when he responds correctly The basic elements of f this type of program are a unit of material Is presented the material material mat mat- erial is' is followed by bya a a multiple Choice question f the Students Student's choice of answer anwer will determine the material materia he be will see see next Large steps steps' are re given in in incases cases smaller of correct answers answers' steps via a a new new approach re fe reo snIt Salt from incorrect answers answers in the The nIe units often appe appear appear r form forth of scrambled texts In appi applying ing behavior theory to to toa a program a program must know what behavior is to be produced give reinforcement of the response to be learned learned- reduce threat or punishment as asa asa as' as asa a use use positive positive rein rein rein-f forcemeat make sure s tat t re re is given given enough enough 1 r times ete in the e unit to maintain the desired response I of for lor It is apparent that the effectiveness effect effect- of any program Will de depend l de-l pend upon the skill of the pr programmer pro programmer grammer that writes the pro- pro gram A poorly written pro gram will usually result in the student not achieving the appropriate objectives TEACHING l ti l Were r m ln used to present programs but a programmed text Is much less expensive and produces the same results as the more elaborate elaborate ela cia borate teaching machine The use of the programmed unit is only one phase of the instructional process and arid must be used with the guidance guidal of a teaches to supply additional ex experiences that each child should have THE ADVANTAGE of being able to have students on d different dif dif- ferent levels with little supervision super supervision vision allows time for the teacher teach teach- er to work Independently with Ismall small groups and individual students In the Uintah Uintah School District we are using programmed materials materials materials mat mat- in such subject areas as math social studies English and reading The basic education education tion course of the adult education education tion program has has' also aiso used programmed programmed programmed pro pro- instruction THE RESULTS of these programs programs pro pro- grams have proved to be effective effective ef ef- and beneficial to those involved The most extensive use of programmed learning has been in the area rea of read read- ing Reading is of course the key to all educational programs |