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216 making instruction work

performance before being allowed to practice the skill
being learned. This means that students will learn what
is needed to make their practice sessions productive.

It is seldom possible to put all of these and other ideal char-
acteristics into practice. There are, after all, time constraints,
money constraints, and space and equipment constraints, to
name a few. Therefore, course procedures are rules that will
implement the ideal as closely as possible. In plain language,
we try to derive course procedures that will allow us to say, “I
am teaching absolutely as well as constraints will allow.”

How to Do It

For each of the characteristics listed above, answer the fol-
lowing questions:
1. Can you implement the characteristic as stated?

2. If so, write a rule that will tell students what to do.
3. If not, say what prevents you from implementing the
characteristic.

4. Can you think of a way to get around that constraint?

5. If so, take the action needed to get around the constraint,
and then write the rule that will put the ideal character-
istic into practice.

6. If not, can you think of a way to get around the con-
straint even a little bit? In other words, can you think of
a way to reduce the obstacle that’s preventing you from
implementing the characteristic?

7. Take the action needed and then write a rule or rules that
will come as close to implementing the characteristic as
is possible.