Reflection on Keller Plan/PSI Model

What are your initial reactions to this theory/model? What are barriers to its use? What benefits might be expected for those who overcome the barriers?

My first thought when learning about the Keller Plan/PSI model was "Oh, that's basically what my online classes have been."   After reading more, I see there are some differences.  Although my online classes through NC State have mostly been comprised of asychorous elements, such as taped lectures and online readings and activities, the courses have still been guided by a weekly schedule.  Whether other students and myself have mastered objectives or not, most classes are going to be rolling on to new concepts each week.

As mentioned in the Davis/Ragsdell article, advantages to the PSI model include being able to reach students outside the usual barriers of time and physical space of a classroom setting.  It allows students to work at their own pace without being held back or accelerated at an inappropriate time.  The main barrier I see to this type of learning, however, is that it requires a highly motivated and independent student. 

Would you attempt to use this theory/model with the students you are currently teaching or hope to teach in the future? Why or why not? Could elements of the theory/model be modified so that it would work with your current/future students?

Last semester, I took a course called "Design and Evaluation of Instructional Materials."  Our main course project was to create an online course for our current students.  I teach fourth grade and created a course on map reading with 5 sessions (or modules) that each built upon each other.  In retrospect, this project mostly followed the Keller Plan because it was very objective-driven with assessments at the end of each module, requiring mastery before moving to the next module.  Students could move through the course at their own pace. 

As was mentioned in the lecture, however, this approach does have to be modified to meet the needs of younger learners, such as the ones I was (and still am) teaching.  Many of the students had to be closely monitored while working on the computer to make sure they were staying focused on the learning objectives.  I think in order to make the PSI plan work for younger learners, the modules need to be very interactive and include various forms of multimedia (videos, games, etc.) to keep students engaged. 

Since we're taking learning theories/models that were not necessarily created with the Web in mind and turning them into Web modules, what Web-based tools or resources could be leveraged to carry out this learning theory/model online?

I think the most obvious modification to make the Keller Plan work in a online setting is to create quizzes to test for mastery using a program such as Quizstar.  Programs like this can be set to provide immediate feedback similar to how a students assistant or proctor would in a physical setting.  Another tool that is useful for younger learners is Voki which can be used to narrate reading passages to help keep less motivated students engaged.