While searching for information on the Center for Programmed Instruction, I came across this rather interesting history of ISPI [from http://www.icodap.org/ispi/ispihist.htm].
The origins of International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) are intricately related to the formation of a series of fledgling groups coping with the impact of exploding technology and evolving methodologies in the early 1960’s. In September of 1961, Col Gabriel Ofiesh was appointed by General Briggs, Commander of the Air Force Training Command, to conduct a study of the effectiveness of programmed learning as compared to traditional Air Force instruction methods. The 18 month study demonstrated a 33% reduction in time to mastery with a 9% gain in achievement. The study came to the inevitable conclusion and the rest, as they say, is history.
With significant training time savings and improved performance possible, instructional technologies became the focus for many training-minded professionals. The first meeting of the Programmed Learning Society of South Texas was held in January 1962 with the seven charter members from the research community in the military and local universities: Dr. Gabe Ofiesh, Dr. Mike Zaccaria, Dr. Walt Driskill Dr. David Wark, Capt James Gillespie, Dr. Harold Wren, and Dr. Carlton Downing.
A month later, the group had grown to 39 members and decided to form a national organization to be called the National Society for Programmed Instruction (NSPI). Jack Newman wrote the NSPI Constitution and, as the story goes, the most difficult task was getting the members to agree whether the word “programmed” should be spelled with one or two m’s.
New chapters formed very quickly. Actually, the first official chapter of NSPI came into existence when Hilton Goldman formed the “West Texas Chapter” in May of 1962 and called it “The West Texas Society for Programmed Instruction.” The San Antonio Chapter was not “officially” formed until September 17, 1962 with 75 members and Dr. John Olsen as its first President. San Diego became a chapter in October of 1962 and others followed rapidly.
The NSPI National Executive Office moved to Washington, DC in 1968. Hilton Goldman (who was President of the San Antonio Chapter then), maintained a great deal of interest in the activities related to NSPI and got together with Lt Col Russ Gregory in 1968 to found the Armed Forces Chapter of NSPI. Hilton also obtained the sponsorship of the San Antonio Chapter of an award of a $25.00 Savings Bond for the best education- or training-related project at the annual Alamo Area Science Fair.
With the broadening of instructional technology horizons, the name of the organization evolved to the National Society for Performance and Instruction, then the National Society for Performance Improvement and eventually went international to become the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI).
(I was warned beforehand that I may not make it past slide #4.)
