Psychology and/or Cybernetics as Basis for Instructional Strategy,

Can the laws of learning be applied in the classroom. The issue is whether control over the stimulus affords management-control over the learning processes within the student. The S-R position in psychology, most notably Skinner, tends to accept and assert the affirmative. However, accumulated experience with programed instruction leaves some doubt that effective and efficient instructional strategies can be derived solely from behavioral psychology. As an alternative basis for deriving meaningful instructional strategies, cybernetics has much to recommend it. The principles of iterative feedback control and regulation in the instructional process are discussed in the paper. The use of these principles in recent instructional theories is briefly illustrated. Author