INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AND INTRINSIC PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to establish the relationships amongst a variety of individual differences while children were learning mathematics from intrinsic programmed instruction presented in teaching machines. In order to investigate the reliability of such relationships in different external environments a replicate rather than a large sample design was used. The sample consisted of six groups of children from four secondary schools (minimum N=50). Various measures of intelligence, reading ability, personality traits, mathematical attainment, attitude and speed of progress were assessed and intercorrelated. Greatest gains from intrinsic programmed instruction were made by older, more intelligent, extroverted children who read accurately. Correlates of post‐test scores were more recurrent than were correlates of gain scores, higher post‐test scores being obtained by more intelligent, non‐anxious extroverted children with higher pretest scores. In every sample more frequent errors and more favourable attitudes predicted lower post‐test scores. More correlates were calculated with difficult item rather than easy item post‐test scores. Correlates of pre‐test scores were very similar to correlates of post‐test scores. Faster speeds were chosen by non‐anxious children of lower intelligence and older male children displayed the most unfavourable attitudes to programmed instruction. The replicate design demonstrates that performance from programmed instruction is related more to organisational, social and administrative factors than to individual differences.