PI OR PAI?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-06365A001000050014-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2000
• Sequence Number: 14
• Content Type: PAPER

Approved For Release 2400/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-06365A00 000050014-2
P1 o r PAI ?
.I suspect I am one of several old timer training administrators
who, regrettably late in life, took or found the leisure to read
extensively into the instructional systems which have been developed
in the last decade--including Programmed Instruction. I note in
the PI field that certain semantic problems still persist=how many
m's in programming, when does one capitalize Program, the use of
Programmed Instruction when Programmed Learning is meant--to
name but a few,
note also with regret that the proponents of Programmed
Instruction have succumbed to the Governmental practice of
alphabetizing everything. This was perhaps inevitable, but
before the final shingle is nailed on the PI edifice, may I make
a plea for consideration of PAI-Prograrri. Assisted Instruction.
Psychologists deserve tremendous credit for the development
of PI, but the psychologist who inserted that little word assistance
into CAI stole the show for the Computer Instruction people! He,
or she, was a master of sound. human psychology. By adding
the little word assistance CAI gained a host of friends among
conventional teachers who are still doubtful as to whether P1
will ultimately eliminate their jobs.
This is, of course, poppycock, but it is also understandable
if you think back to some of the early and monstrous claims made
for the teaching machines and PIS These claims carried the, at
least, implied connotation that Machines and Programs would
replace conventional courses and, ultimately, teachers.
And, don't we really mean Program Assisted Instruction?
Isn't there a trend toward the use of programming in conjunction
with conventionally taught courses rather than as a complete
replacement?
I sense in my Johnny ,come-lately role that the most demon-
strably successful uses of PI are those where P1 is a part of a
conventionally taught course--sometimes the most difficult part
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to teach and often the most arduous. I sense also that programmed
courses tend to be more successful when used by a teacher who is
regularly if not constantly in attendance. And, call me Judas if you
will, I sense also that some of those PI courses of the earlier years,
or which the most monstrous claims were made, were those which
:ls.i.med to be able to replace completely the conventional course and
teacher.,
It may be too late or undesirable to pull the rusted nail in the
weathered PI shingle. But at least we can talk and think PAL
- -
Program Assisted Instruction--if we believe in it!
At the least we'd earn the gratitude of the growing body of
U. S, Government instructors to whom P1 has for years stood
for Photographic Interpretation or Photographic Intelligence.
More importantly I believe, we'd still draw into the fold a number
of the un-ommitted who are prepared to overfly PI to the greener
but untested pastures of CAI,
STATINTL
Coordinator
Instructional Systems Study, C. I. A.
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