CORRECTION AND REVIEW ON SUCCESSIVE PARTS IN LEARNING A HIERARCHICAL TASK,
Abstract
A common assumption, supported by the theoretical formulations of Ausubel (1963) and Gagne (1965) and the programming techniques advocated by Crowder (1960), is that learning and retention of a hierarchical task are both facilitated by mastering each successive part before proceeding to the next part. On the basis of this assumption it was hypothesized that: in a hierarchical learning task, (a) if part I is mastered, Ss are able to learn part II faster and with fewer errors than if part I is not mastered before proceeding to part II, etc.; (b) when the terminal test requires every S to review previously presented materials until he is able to answer every question correctly, Ss who are required to master each successive part of the task before proceeding take less total time to master the terminal test than Ss who proceed from part to part with no requirement of mastery; (c) Ss who are required to master each successive part of the task before proceeding retain the material better than Ss who proceed from part to part with no requirement of mastery even when the terminal test requires every S to review previously presented materials until he is able to answer every question correctly. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0621923
Entities
People
- M. David Merrill
Organizations
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign