Teaching Machine Designed by B.F. Skinner
date: label: date made
content: after 1954
name: label: maker
content: IBM
notes: label: Description
content: This gray and silver-colored machine has a metal base with a hinged metal cover over the back section. Inside this is a metal and plastic mechanism driving a paper tape. The machine was designed to teach arithmetic and spelling to grade school students. A plastic window in the lid reveals a question on the paper tape. On the base of the machine there are ten columns of holes; each column is labeled along its side with "+", "-", the digits from 9 to 0 and then the letters from a to z. A student enters answers by moving a lever down the appropriate column to the desired number or letter. A light bulb is on the right of the machine, above the paper tape (entering the correct answer may light up the bulb). A counter is inside the machine and a handle on the side advances the paper tape. A rubber cord with plug extends from the back of the machine. According to the donor, this is an improvement on the machine he demonstrated in Pittsburgh in 1954.
label: Description
content: Compare 1981.0997.01.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Accession file.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Education
label: Subject
content: Psychology
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Teaching Machines
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of B. F. Skinner
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1984.1069.01
label: accession number
content: 1984.1069
label: catalog number
content: 1984.1069.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: teaching machine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 40 cm x 42 cm x 58 cm; 15 3/4 in x 16 17/32 in x 22 27/32 in