PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION: NEW BOTTLE FOR REDISCOVERED WINE.

Abstract

Programmed instruction is attracting attention at all educational levels. While this approach is new, the educational principles it incorporates are well established: instructional goals are defined in advance, the content is meticulously organized, active student participation is demanded, immediate feedback is provided to students, and each instructional unit is subjected to testing and revision. With its established effectiveness as a vehicle for introducing new topics, and for providing remedial and supplementary instruction, it can free the medical teacher to devote his time to matters which are more deserving of his attention, such as identifying and responding to individual student needs, exploring complex concepts, and working directly with students to provide a model and critical supervision. A more important potential contribution of programming may be that it has reminded us of sound educational precepts which deserve our attention in all forms of instruction.