ABSTRACT
As a teacher, trainer, line manager or (whether you are aware of it or not) as a learner you will have used self-instructional material in open, distance or flexible learning contexts. In primary school it may have involved you giving children a work-card in arithmetic to complete, a tactile puzzle to solve or directions to follow in playing a game. In secondary school you may have provided directions to conduct an experiment, data to solve a problem or guidelines to undertake project work. In further education and training you may have prepared materials to simulate fault diagnosis or used multimedia and computer-based packages to provide a resource for your teaching. At its simplest you may have given learners a technical report, blueprint, circuit diagram or extract to study together with a series of questions to answer. You may have followed the manufacturer's instructions to assemble DIY furniture, programme the time control on the central heating or cooker - with different degrees of success! All of the above could constitute self-instructional material.
