Gagne and Reconsideration of
Learning Theories
EDU 553 – Principles of
Instructional Design
Dr. Steve Broskoske
Outline
• What can we learn from Behaviorism and
Constructivism?
• Gagne’s Model realized in CBT.
• Remote activities and next week.
Reconsideration of
Learning Theories
Behaviorism
• How do people learn?
– Learn by doing, and through reinforcement.
• What are learners like?
– Learners are passive and reactive.
• What is knowledge?
– Knowledge consists of stimulus-response bonds.
Pavlov’s dog
• What is education?
– Teaching consists of carefully arranging stimuli, set up for
inducing proper responses, and reinforcement. During
learning, minimize the effect of distracting stimuli and
eliminate competing stimuli.
• Educational strategies?
– Teach in small steps/blocks of instruction, use drill and
practice.
Constructivism
• How do people learn?
– Learn by constructing your own knowledge (schema).
• What are learners like?
– Learners are active and play an important role in learning
process.
• What is knowledge?
– Knowledge consists of individual schemata constructed by
individuals.
• What is education?
– Teaching consists of helping students to recall what they already
know about a topic, providing new information to students, and
they construct (add/remove/reconnect nodes) in their individual
schema. [retrieval—reconstruction—restorage]
• Educational strategies?
– Concept formation, problem solving, decision making, lifelong
learning.
Behaviorism vs. Constructivism
Behaviorism
• Learning deals with
changes in overt
behavior.
• Tie response to stimulus.
Use knowledge of
both Constructivism
and Behaviorism in
planning, teaching,
and assessment.
Constructivism
• Learning entails
construction (and
reshaping) of mental
schemata.
• Emphasize teaching how
to think.
• Focus on concept
formation, problem
solving, decision making,
lifelong learning.
Taking Behaviorism
into the Classroom
• State objectives of the instruction as learner
behaviors. (Learning is inferred from student behavior.)
• Use cues to guide students to the desired
behavior. (Behavior is determined by the stimuli that precede it.)
• Select consequences that will reinforce the
desired behavior, and have them immediately
follow behavior. (Whether a behavior will be repeated
depends on the consequences that follow it.)
• Teach in small steps/blocks of instruction.
• Use drill and practice to teach skills that require
instantaneous recognition of signals or require
extreme proficiency (prerequisite info.).
Taking Constructivism
into the Classroom
• Begin instruction by helping students recall
prerequisite knowledge.
• Use thoughtful discussion.
– Ask open-ended questions, listen to ideas, and
provide alternative proposition.
• Use metaphors to build bridges to new
knowledge.
• Use graphic organizers.
– Show how new material fits in with previously
presented material.
Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Knowledge
– Ability to recognize and recall information. Memory.
• Comprehension
– Ability to translate, explain, or interpret knowledge.
Comprehension.
• Application
– Apply knowledge to address new situations.
• Analysis
– Scrutinize information knowledge and explain its significance.
• Synthesis
– Form new ideas.
• Evaluation
– Offer opinions and make value judgments.
Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help students scaffold learning
and build & fortify neural networks.
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
1. Linguistic: writing journals,
making speeches, advocating,
retelling, and reading.
2. Musical: singing, performing,
reading and writing poetry, and
playing instruments.
3. Logical-mathematical:
outlining, calculating, analyzing
statistical information, and
creating timelines.
4. Visual-spatial: drawing, using
guided imagery, making
mindmaps, and using graphic
organizers, maps, charts, and
graphs.
5. Body-kinesthetic: role-playing,
enacting simulations, playing
games, and using
manipulatives.
6. Intrapersonal: doing selfreflection tasks, practicing
higher-order reasoning,
questioning, and taking
personal inventories.
7. Interpersonal: participating in
group work, practicing
cooperative learning,
mentoring, tutoring, and
conducting field interviews.
8. Naturalistic: fishing, hiking,
camping, farming, and
investigating the natural world.
Use Multiple Intelligences to help students build more
robust neural pathways (connections).
Applying Gagne’s Model Into
Computer-Based Instruction
Gagne’s Nine Significant Events
Model of Instruction
1. Gain Attention: Focus learners.
Do this as often as necessary.
2. Inform Learner of Objectives: Provide
an advanced organizer: tell learners what
will be learned. Get learners’ brains
prepared for learning new material.
3. Help Learner Recall Prerequisites:
Link previous instruction to new learning.
Gagne’s Nine Significant Events
Model of Instruction
4. Present Stimuli: Present new material
to be learned. Teach.
5. Provide Guidance: Help students learn
material through examples and
clarification.
6. Elicit Performance: Exercise student
learning in order to improve it.
7. Provide Feedback: Help students see
what is right and wrong and why.
Gagne’s Nine Significant Events
Model of Instruction
8. Assess Performance: Test: determine if
students have learned the material and
are ready to go on.
9. Enhance Retention and Transfer: Help
students retain material and apply it to
new situations. Connect to prior and
future learning.
Gagne in Computer-based
Instruction
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Gain Attention
Inform Learner of Objectives
Help Learner Recall Prerequisites
Present Stimuli
Provide Guidance
Elicit Performance
Provide Feedback
Assess Performance
Enhance Retention and Transfer
The Process of Instruction
• After Gagne events 1-3, present a small
block of instruction (one concept).
– Present some information.
– Present an example.
– Elicit performance from learner, and provide
feedback:
• Embed a question, with helpful feedback.
• Provide some type of practice.
The Process of Instruction
• If the information is complex, present another
block of instruction (Gagne events 4-7).
• Test the learner’s knowledge of the material
presented, as described in the objectives.
• Review material learned.
In the classroom, events 1-7 represent 1 class
period. In CBT, these events are used in 1 block of
instruction (presenting 1 concept).
The Process of Instruction
• During instruction, remember to include:
– Gain and maintain learner attention: critical.
– Involve students actively in learning.
– Don’t cognitively overload learners (remember the
Magic Number 7±2).
– Use metaphors and analogies to bridge existing and
new knowledge.
– Utilize mnemonics.
– Eliminate aspects of negative emotion.
– Engage learner emotions to enhance memory.
Media Selection
• When might the following media be an
appropriate choice in instruction?
– Graphics.
– Video.
– Audio.
– Interactive (blog/wiki/discussion).
– Online game.
– Link to a Website.
– Other.
Remote Class and Next Week
• In small groups, let’s explore several free
or inexpensive platforms for offering CBT:
– Camtasia Studio (also for Mac)
– Visual Basic 2010 Express
– WebSoft CourseLab
– Easy Tutor
• Expensive options:
– Director
– Lectora
Remote Class and Next Week
• Evaluate the platform:
– Ease of use (user-friendly environment)?
– Allows various media to be utilized?
– Allows interactive activities?
– Allows links to outside Websites/ tools?
– Training can be saved for use on any
computer (without buying the product)?
– Cost of product?
– Other comments on usability?
Remote Class and Next Week
• We will explore using PowerPoint as a
platform for delivering computer-based
training.
Remember: No in-person
class next week!