Effect of Repetition in Programmed Learning

Learning is facilitated when subject matter is presented in extremely small segments and the student is stimulated to respond immediately, with review material at frequent but increasingly long intervals, with immediate confirmation for correct responses. This is the basis of programmed instruction. The effect of increased amounts of review on the learning of elementary electrical engineering material was studied in the experiment reported here. Significant improvements in performance on a criterion test were obtained by increasing the amount of review material, even though many electrical engineering educators felt the amount of review was excessive before adding the new material. Programs in vector algebra and static magnetic fields were written with 150 and 121 frames, respectively. Additional reviews approximately doubling the length of the programs were then provided. The class in Field Bases of Electrical Engineering at The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, was divided into groups which received programs of different lengths. At the completion of the programs, all students were given the same criterion test. The significant improvement caused by the added review material was not present for those students with enough knowledge of vector algebra so that the program itself was a review.