A self-paced programmed undergraduate course in the experimental analysis of behavior.

The authors built a self-paced course that taught college students how to run basic behavior experiments.

Students worked through paper booklets at their own speed. They could move ahead only after answering every question correctly.

No lectures. No set class times. Just the booklets and a few lab stations open all week.

Once students started, they kept working at a steady clip. No one quit the course, even though the workload was heavy.

Most students said they liked the format and felt they learned more than in regular classes.

Guinness et al. (2024) later moved the same idea online. Their grad students mastered APA citations with a self-paced checklist and short email feedback.

Rojahn et al. (1994) added a 10-second pause after each question. The brief wait let students study the screen and score higher on the next item.

Watson et al. (2007) swapped plain reading for interactive programmed lessons. Undergrads who used the new lessons used ABA terms more correctly in essays.

Together, these studies show the 1969 paper started a line of work that keeps growing: give learners control, add tiny supports, and mastery rises.

You can copy the core idea today. Break any staff training into small, self-checked steps. Let each person move at their own speed. Add quick delays or hints only when scores stall. This keeps trainees engaged, cuts live lecture time, and still hits high fidelity.