These applications actually include sample activities to help users learn some of the basic functions of the program. Director, Authorware, and PhotoShop all fall into this category. Whether by happy accident or informed deliberation, some of these tutorials stand up remarkably well when examined through the lens of instructional theory. Bandura discussed in his article on observational learning. The underlying assumption of software tutorials matches that of social cognitive theory, namely that observers can learn new patterns of behavior by observing the performance of others.
Learners observe a performance, then attempt to match their own performance to it.
Mimicry may be the objective during the lesson, but the ultimate goal of these tutorials is, of course, for observers to acquire concepts and rules that they can then use to suit their own needs and circumstances. Bandura explains that one limitation on the success of observational learning is the observer's level of psychological development. He stresses the importance of repeated exposures to help learners develop an adequate conception of modeled activities. In this regard, computers may hold an advantage over live models. While the learner may be unable to control the complexity of the modeling, she can control the number of exposures she has to the modeling and her rate of progress.