rate of learning. S t orulo w (A-9) however, observes that the positive
correlation is not supported by subsequent studies, he says:-
" t h e r e are studies showing that with efficient p rogra m m i n g of l e a r n i n g
or of aptitude, and learning scores tends to be r educed to zero (e.g.
Detamble and Storu low 1956, (51) )• Thus it would appear that, wit h
efficient methods of learning, the poorer student is assisted sufficie ntly
so that he becomes i n terms of criterion performance, indistinguishable
from the more able students."
Bradley, (97) on this matter of mental age and learning,
takes an i ntermediate stand. She quotes the O r d a h l s 1 resea r c h results
and also the contrary evidence of Porter (95)’ who found correlates
only whe n not u s i n g teaching machines and programs. She then says:-
" I n our study u s i n g arithmetic and time tell ing programs there appeared
to be a rel atio n s h i p between achievement level and performance on the
arithmetic p r o g r a m but no relat ionsh ip between achievement and performance
on the time t ell ing level." One presumes that she means m e ntal age
w h e n she talks of 'achievement level' and 'ach i e v e m e n t . 1
She continues
"Although the sample was limited one could suggest that the achievement
level as a predictor of success on a p r o g r a m may be dependent on the
material w i t h i n each ind ividual program."
The study referred to by S toru l o w (4-9), that of D eta mble
and Stor ulow (91) is a very carefully controlled experiment i n concept
learn ing i n w h i c h the subjects were u n i v e r s i t y stude nts,whereas Bradl ey's
researches were w i t h under-privi ledg ed pupils.
W o o d r o w (99) again quoted by S t o r u l o w (4-9)
"Woodrow argues that men tal de ficiency is an i n a b ilit y to grow rather
than to l earn fro m practice. He feels that ability tests such as the I.Q.
predict the i nitia l level of perfornance but not the gain s cores."
I have remarked on the spars ity of P.L. r e s e a r c h in
the field of slow learners in Britain, however, some a ttent ion has bee n
of P.L. i n the normal school a s s e r t s :-
"On the score of intelligence it goes without saying that bright pupils
learn more than dull ones from the same program. The only surp risin g
feature about the results obtained from u s i n g linear programs is
their comparative uniformity. Almost inva riabl y the range of test
scores is narrowe r than it is in an examin ation based on norm al
class teaching; the not-so-cle ver do ve ry nearly as wel l as the
clever ones. The indication s are that the small step arrangements
in linear sequence helps to obviate the fear of failure and encourages
the broad mass of pupils to main tain interest and attention. The
arrangement is ideal for the butt erfly m e n tali ties who are easil y
distracted and for the p lodders who tend to fall so far behi nd w i t h
their w o r k that they ev entually drop out altogether.
There is a significant correlation be t w e e n I.Qs. and test scores
wher e the children are taught by tr aditional methods but this is not
always the case w h e n they learn from a program."
This, too, is the comment of G.O.M. L eith (62):-
"The argument put forward was that, if lear n i n g is facilitated by
small steps careful sequencing, cueing, immediate confirmation,
low error rate and so on, the slower pupil can learn as e f f e ctive ly
as the brighter."
Roncek, (6 5) r e f e r r i n g to the Roan o k e E x p e rime nt (64-)
stated t h a t :-
Some of the students completed the equivalent of a years i n s t r u c t i o n
in a lg e b r a i n three months time " u s i n g P.L.
Another example of P.L. a c ce lera ting the rate of
learning, though again w i t h high grade students, is given b y
E.E. P l a t t o n (71)