A Comparison of Linear and Branching Techniques of Programed Instruction in Plane Geometry

Abstract

THE RAPIDLY growing interest in automated instructional materials brings into focus the need for systematic research to evaluate various pro graming techniques. The programed materials in the current teaching machines and programed texts ordinarily present information to the stu dent in the form of completion or multiple-choice questions. The student responds to the question, and then the answer is revealed. He next moves to further information which builds upon the pre ceding knowledge. This procedure implements cer tain psychological principles to facilitate learn ing. These are the following: (1) the learning task is organized into small, sequential steps; (2) the student is kept active by continually responding to the information contained in the program; (3) he can proceed at his own rate; and (4) he gets continual feedback by being told if each response is right or wrong. While there is general agreement about the psychological basis of programing, considerable disagreement exists as to what specific program ing techniques can produce the desired learning most effectively. One group asserts that learning is facilitated with a small step, linear program by keeping errors to a minimum so that correct responses will be reinforced. Another group asserts that learning is facilitated through rein forcement in a branch program by including explanatory material when errors occur. Two basic positions relative to programing techniques have evolved. One position has been advanced by the psychologist, B. F. Skinner of Harvard Uni versity. The other position has been championed by the psychologist, Norman A. Crowder. These two theoretical positions present con trasting views on three experimentally manipula tive variables. These variables are (1) size of step, (2) form of step, and (3) sequence of steps. Skinner's position favors small steps with com pletion type questions in which students construct the answer. The order of steps is linear in which all students follow the same sequence. Skinner's method is outlined in his article in Science2 and is illustrated by the linear program used in Holland and Skinner's text, The Analysis of Behavior? Crowder's position favors the use of larger steps in the form of multiple-choice questions. The sequence to be followed depends upon the student's answers, and therefore a branching pro gram is needed. An article outlining Crowder's position is presented in the 1959 Proceedings of the Invitational Conference on Testing Problems.4 An example of this type of programing in a scrambled text format is Crowder and Martin's book Adventures in Algebra? The purpose of this study was to gather evi dence on the relative effectiveness of these two basic types of programs using subject matter from high school plane geometry. Specifically, do these two basic types of programs produce sig nificantly different results in achievement, reten tion or attitude toward programed instruction when used by students on different ability levels?