A Programmed Second‐Year Course on the Psychology of Learning. Part 3: Evaluation and Conclusions

Abstract

All the students completed the last exercise of the “programmed” course within the final month. No mark on the examination was below 50 (II.2), and hence everyone passed the course. Operational definitions still provided difficulties for some students so that the criterion behaviour was only partially achieved. The students were mainly favourable towards the course, although there were some reservations. Detailed comments were considered with reference to the nine principles of programmed learning given in the first article. These principles are now presented in reverse order of importance in the light of the course. Those relating to the individual learner are, in general, seen as more important than those referring to the material. Aims and objectives still have priority. Greater staff/student interaction, with reciprocal feedback, is recommended, and it is hoped that the principles of programmed learning will be applied to even larger educational units to help in the achievement of a diversity of objectives concerned with both extrinsic and intrinsic learning.