The correct answer is (a) S.L. Pressey.
S.L. Pressey was an American psychologist who is credited with inventing the first teaching machine in 1926. His teaching machine was a device that presented students with multiple-choice questions and allowed them to give their answers by pressing buttons. If the student gave a correct answer, the machine would give them positive reinforcement, such as a light or a sound. If the student gave an incorrect answer, the machine would give them corrective feedback.
Pressey’s teaching machine was an early example of a programmed learning device. Programmed learning is a method of instruction in which students learn at their own pace by following a series of carefully sequenced steps. Programmed learning has been shown to be an effective way to teach a variety of subjects, including mathematics, science, and foreign languages.
W. Allen, I.K. Davis, and B.F. Skinner were also psychologists who made significant contributions to the development of programmed learning. Allen developed a type of programmed learning called “intrinsic programming,” in which the student’s progress is determined by their own performance. Davis developed a type of programmed learning called “extrinsic programming,” in which the student’s progress is determined by a predetermined schedule. Skinner developed a type of programmed learning called “operant conditioning,” in which the student’s progress is determined by the reinforcement or punishment they receive for their performance.
All of these psychologists made important contributions to the development of programmed learning. However, it was S.L. Pressey who is credited with inventing the first teaching machine.