PSI and Critical Thinking: Compatibility or Irreconcilable Differences?

Critics argue that the personalized system of instruction (PSI) and other contingency managed methods of instruction are not suitable for teaching higher order skills. In this article, we argue that the criticism is erroneous in three ways. First, PSI is an instructional delivery system and, as such, is not responsible for course content. Second, PSI has been used successfully in courses considered to require the use of higher order skills. Third, research has demonstrated that students enrolled in PSI and other contingency managed courses improved higher order cognitive skills.