ABSTRACT

What is instruction? The easy but vague answer is that instruction is that which facilitates and supports learning. So, if I am learning how to find cube roots using a slide rule, then a set of directions on how to do that is one example of instruction. Perhaps so, but then suppose that I am trying to find out how to cross a mountain stream with dangerously fast rushing water that is too wide to simply jump across and too dangerous to swim across. I can find a recently fallen tree and place it across the stream and then walk across. In that case, is the dead tree an example of instruction? Perhaps not. We need to make the definition somewhat more precise.