A PROGRAM IS A SET OF ITEMS OR STIMULUS UNITS ORGANIZED TO GUIDE OBJECTIVES. LIFE ANY OTHER TEACHING, IT SHOULD BE CHARACTERIZED BY OBJECTIVES STATED IN BEHAVIORAL TERMS, APPROPRIATELY PRESENTED CONTENT, AND CRITERION TESTS OF ATTAINMENT. IT DIFFERS FROM TRADITIONAL TEACHING BY BEING LESS FLEXIBLE BUT MORE PRECISE, ORIENTED TO CONTENT RATHER THAN PROCESS, MORE DEMANDING OF THE STUDENTS' INTERACTION, AND SUBJECT TO MORE RIGOROUS EVALUATION. SUGGESTED STAGES IN PROGRAM PREPARATION ARE (1) FORMULATION OF EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES IN TERMS OF OBSERVABLE STUDENT PERFORMANCE, (2) PROVISION OF MEANS FOR ASSESSING PROGRESS TOWARD THE OBJECTIVES, (3) SELECTING CONTENT AND CONSTRUCTING ITEMS APPROPRIATE TO THE OBJECTIVES, (4) ARRANGEMENT OF ITEMS IN A PSYCHOLOGICAL SEQUENCE, (5) TESTING OF THE EMERGING PROGRAM, AND (6) FURTHER TRYOUT, EVALUATION, REVISION, AND FIELD TESTING. A STUDY SPONSORED BY THE GREAT LAKES COLLEGE ASSOCIATION RESULTED IN DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERAL PROGRAMS BY COLLEGE TEACHERS, WHO FELT THAT THE PROCESS HAD BEEN HELPFUL IN IMPROVING THEIR TEACHING. TESTS IN FIVE SUBJECTS FIELDS SHOWED THE PROGRAM TO BE AT LEAST AS EFFECTIVE AS TRADITIONAL METHODS. (WO)