branching programming

teaching

Also known as: intrinsic branching programming, intrinsic programming(Show More)

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June 22, 2026

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Branching programming is an educational technique that presents information in small, incremental steps, allowing learners to progress at their own pace. Unlike linear programming, where all students follow the same sequence, branching programming adapts to individual responses. If a student answers incorrectly, they are routed through a subprogram designed to address their specific misunderstanding or returned to the original material. Correct answers lead to the next step in the program. This method, often used in computer-assisted instruction and teaching machines, aims to provide immediate reinforcement and tailor the learning experience to each student's needs.1

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programmed learning
Branching, or intrinsic, programming, was initially developed in conjunction with the use of an electronic training device for military personnel. This technique provides the student a piece of information, presents a situation requiring a multiple choice or recognition response, and on the basis of that…
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Branching, or intrinsic, programming, was initially developed in conjunction with the use of an electronic training device for military personnel. This technique provides the student a piece of information, presents a situation requiring a multiple choice or recognition response, and on the basis of that…
Read More

pedagogy
Reading-writing media
…another kind of programmed instruction—called branching programming—students are given a piece of information, provided with alternative answers to questions, and, on the basis of their decision, detoured, if necessary, to remedial study or sent on to the next section of the program. The two types of program differ fundamentally in…
Read More
…another kind of programmed instruction—called branching programming—students are given a piece of information, provided with alternative answers to questions, and, on the basis of their decision, detoured, if necessary, to remedial study or sent on to the next section of the program. The two types of program differ fundamentally in…
Read More