NCJ Number
57410
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF CRITERIA FOR SELECTING INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS CONTENDS THAT THE OPTIMUM SELECTION IS LIKELY TO BE AN INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY BLENDING PURISM WITH PRAGMATISM.
Abstract
A LEARNING STRATEGY IS THE MEANS BY WHICH AN INSTRUCTOR CAN ENHANCE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE LEARNER WILL COMPREHEND WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT. OFTEN, THE CHOICE OF A LEARNING STRATEGY IS BASED ON EXPEDIENCE, TRADITION, OR FADDISM. HOWEVER, THERE ARE TWO APPROACHES TO SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY IN WHICH THE CHOICE BECOMES A PART OF THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DESIGN. A PURIST APPROACH STRESSES SELECTION OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY WHICH IS BEST FOR THE LEARNER, RATHER THAN SELECTING ONLY WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHICH IS THE PRAGMATIC APPROACH. FAILURE TO USE A PURISTIC APPROACH (USING CURRICULUM-ORIENTED CRITERIA SUCH AS ORGANIZATIONAL NEED AND ENVIRONMENT, NATURE OF THE CHANGE DESIRED BY THE INSTRUCTION, AND NATURE OF THE LEARNERS) CAUSES THE TRAINING TO BE INEFFECTIVE. HOWEVER, FAILURE TO USE A PRAGMATIC APPROACH (USING SUCH RESOURCE-ORIENTED CRITERIA AS AVAILABILITY OF TRAINING MONEY AND SPACE) CAUSES THE TRAINING TO BE IMPRACTICAL. THEREFORE, A BLEND OF THESE TWO APPROACHES SHOULD RESULT IN THE SELECTION OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY WHICH WILL ACCOMPLISH OBJECTIVES WITHIN THE REALITY OF CONSTRAINTS AND LIMITATIONS. A CHART AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.