Programed Instruction for Teaching History

Abstract

I mmediately after B. F. Skinner devised programed instruction for use with teaching machines in 1954, many segments of the educational community shouted foul. They envisioned machines replacing teachers and literally dehumanizing the educational process. Although this initial negative reaction has disappeared, too few teachers have asked Can programed instruction assist in making my teaching more effective? Even fewer have experimented with programed materials as a teaching aid which might be more effective than movies, maps or other common audio-visual processes. After experimenting with programed instruction in history classes for six years, I find that students generally respond favorably to the purposes for which I use programs. Among the benefits derived from working with programs, some have been indirect in making me more aware of recent developments in educational psychology and their application to the classroom situation; others have been direct in using classroom time more efficiently and in having students use their ability to perform work individually. In considering the possibility of programed instruction, the instructor must first become acquainted with recent studies in behavioral psychology which have clarified the mental processes involved in human learning. For example, studies by behaviorists have demonstrated rather conclusively that several commonly held notions The author teaches History at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and has had articles published in The Historian and the Proceedings of the Naval Institute. He has been experimenting with programed instruction for a number of years.