Programmed Instruction
Volume 2, Issue 11 ~ December, 2007
Busy Bee Book Review - Quick, Important Highlights of Books about Autism
"The Technology of Teaching" by B. F. Skinner
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Title: The Technology of Teaching
Author: B. F. Skinner Publisher (Date): Appleton-Century-Crofts (1968) / B. F. Skinner Foundation (2003) Recommended for: parents and teachers. Summary: "The Technology of Teaching" contains B.F. Skinner's views on how education can be improved. The first chapters describe some of the principles on how Skinner believed that learning occurs: through contingencies of reinforcement (more on the behavioral principles such as operant conditioning, shaping, reinforcement, etc. can be found in chapter four). The book's first chapters also include information on how learning can be improved. Some of the problems with schools that Skinner identified include the view that students are often only working to avoid aversive consequences (punishment) and the fact that there is a lack of immediate reinforcement/feedback for student responses, such as when students' assignments are graded and returned the next day. The portion of the book that describes programmed instruction can be found in chapter three, under the heading "Programmed Materials." Later chapters of the book discuss teaching thinking skills, student motivation, and creativity. Review: "The Technology of Teaching" was required reading for one of the courses that I took for my Master's Degree, and I am very glad that it was! I think that this book is an excellent resource for teachers that provides a great deal of useful information. While programmed instruction was developed for all students, I have found that many of my students with autism have benefited from its use. As the research featured in this issue indicates, programmed instruction should not be the only teaching method used, but I think that it can be very useful when incorporated into the curriculum. This book does use some outdated terminology when referring to individuals with disabilities, but this is simply indicative of the time in which it was written. Overall, this book is highly recommended for parents and both general and special education teachers. 
The above link allows you to purchase "The Technology of Teaching" through Amazon.com. The book is also available for purchase new from The B.F. Skinner Foundation |
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