1 Instructional Design EDT 540 ~ Theory Presentation The Conditions of Learning Robert Gagne 29 Sept Betsy Bass For Jim Chiavacci

2 “Gain Attention” Slide Gagne’s #1 Instructional Event! Remember we discussed “What is Learning” in an earlier class – we will take that a few steps further… Do you think that there are levels or types of learning? What might they be? Do you have an order in which you develop a lesson plan? Gagne has 9 “Instructional Events and their corresponding Cognitive Processes… can you figure out what they might be?

3 Robert Gagne – Who is he? Current “ Learning is something that takes place inside a person’s head – in the brain” ~ Robert Gagne Born: In 1916 in North Andover, MA A.B.: Yale/1937; Ph.D.- Psychology: Brown U./ 1940 Taught at Conn. College for Women & Penn State : Director of perceptual & motor skills laboratory of the U.S. Air Force – began developing ideas for his learning theory – “Conditions of Learning” Source:

4 Robert Gagne: Development of his Theory ~ Conditions of Learning Currently - a professor in the Department of Education Research at Florida State University in Tallahassee “For the past 25 years, he has worked to interpret and apply the findings from learning theory/research, primarily to school learning.” “Gagne is considered an experimental psychologist who is concerned with learning and instruction.” Earlier work ~ grounded in the behaviorist tradition Current work ~ “seems to be influenced by the information processing view of learning and memory” Description of Gagne compiled by The Psi Cafe -

5 What is Instructional Design? “ID is a systematic approach to designing instruction and instructional materials to achieve specified learning objectives. ID is independent of the use of computers to "deliver" the instruction. The ideas of Robert Gagné and his colleagues are well known and illustrate the importance to ID of an underlying theory of learning.” From: Learning Technology by Stephen Bostock

6 Conditions of Learning Theory - Why did I choose it? I reviewed the ASSURE model and read that: “The ASSURE model incorporates Robert Gagne's events of instruction to assure effective use of media in instruction.”Robert Gagne's events of instruction From - I chose to investigate the events of instruction – to understand why they would assure effective use of media in instruction

7 What is the Theory? ( Source: Theory states that there are several different types or levels of learning Each type requires a different approach of instruction. Gagne identifies 5 levels of learning: – Verbal information – Intellectual skills – Cognitive strategies – Motor Skills – Attitudes

8 The 5 Types of Learning Outcomes ~ Classified by Robert Gagne in 1985 “A good way to identify the types of learning is to ask how learning could be demonstrated: Intellectual skills - concepts are demonstrated by labeling or classifying things, Intellectual skills – rules are applied and principles are demonstrated, Intellectual skills - problem solving allows generating solutions or procedures,

9 The 5 Types of Learning Outcomes (Source: Cognitive strategies are used for learning Verbal Information - is stated Motor Skills - enable physical performance Attitudes - are demonstrated by preferring options These outcomes are the results of the internal processes of learning in individual learners.”

10 Intellectual Skills & Complexity Hierarchy Kearsley, 1994, ( – Expains that Gagne focuses his theory on the Learning Category: Intellectual Skills, although the theoretical framework covers all 5 categories. – Gagne proposes a hierarchy for the learning tasks for intellectual skills

11 Intellectual Skills Hierarchy ~ Structured in Degrees of Complexity 1. Stimulus recognition 5. Discriminations 2. Response generation 6. Concept Formation 3. Procedure following 7. Rule Application 4. Use of Terminology 8. Problem Solving Significance of Hierarchy: “To identify prerequisites that should be completed to facilitate learning at each level.” Source:

12 Learning Hierarchies & A Basis for Sequencing Instruction “Prerequisites are identified by doing a task analysis of a learning/training task.” “Learning hierarchies provide a basis for the sequencing of instruction.” Gagne developed 9 Instructional Events & their corresponding Cognitive processes (Source:

13 Instructional Events 1-5 & Corresponding Cognitive Processes (1) Gaining attention (reception) (2) Informing learners of the objective (expectancy) (3) Stimulating recall of prior learning (retrieval) (4) Presenting the stimulus (selective perception) (5) Providing learning guidance (semantic encoding)

14 Instructional Events 6-9 & Corresponding Cognitive Processes (6) Eliciting performance (responding) (7) Providing feedback (reinforcement) (8) Assessing performance (retrieval) (9) Enhancing retention and transfer (generalization). These events should satisfy or provide the necessary conditions for learning and serve as the basis for designing instruction and selecting appropriate media (Gagne, Briggs & Wager, 1992). (Source:

15 Interactive Activity Kearsley (1994) provides an example to illustrate the teaching sequence - “corresponding to the nine instructional events for the objective, “ Recognize an equilateral triangle: See next slide for Ex. Divide class into groups of 4-5 people Please, Using the Example (Kearsley, 1994) as a Template, create a teaching sequence using the 9 instructional events for the following objective: Recognize and define deciduous trees vs. coniferous trees.

16 Example: Recognize an equilateral triangle Objective: Recognize an equilateral triangle: 1. Gain attention - show variety of computer generated triangles 2. Identify objective - pose question: "What is an equilateral triangle?" 3. Recall prior learning - review definitions of triangles 4. Present stimulus - give definition of equilateral triangle 5. Guide learning- show example of how to create equilateral 6. Elicit performance - ask students to create 5 different examples 7. Provide feedback - check all examples as correct/incorrect 8. Assess performance- provide scores and remediation 9. Enhance retention/transfer - show pictures of objects and ask students to identify equilaterals

17 Principles to Keep in Mind while Applying the Instructional Events Principles: ( 1. Different instruction is required for different learning outcomes. 2. Events of learning operate on the learner in ways that constitute the conditions of learning. 3. The specific operations that constitute instructional events are different for each different type of learning outcome. 4. Learning hierarchies define what intellectual skills are to be learned and a sequence of instruction.

18 Discussion about Examples Have each group explain their responses to the 9 instructional events and compare their answers. Also – compare and contrast the group answers with the author’s answers in the next slide. Do the answers follow the principles and address the instructional events and corresponding cognitive processes?

19 Example & Possible Answers Objective: Recognize and define deciduous trees vs. a coniferous trees 1. Gain attention – Show photos of deciduous trees & coniferous trees – winter & summer 2. Identify objective - pose question: “What are the definitions of deciduous trees and coniferous trees?” 3. Recall prior learning – Review definitions of trees in general – look at photos and discuss differences 4. Present stimulus – Give definitions of deciduous and coniferous trees 5. Guide learning – Show examples of deciduous and coniferous trees, compare & contrast 6. Elicit performance - ask students to list 5 different deciduous trees 7. Provide feedback - check all examples as correct/incorrect 8. Assess performance - provide scores and remediation 9. Enhance retention/transfer – Show students pictures of coniferous and deciduous trees and ask which is which and why

20 Wrap-up-1 There are different types or levels of learning Each type needs a different type of teaching Gagne identifies 5 categories – What are they? Verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, motor skills, and attitudes

21 Wrap-up-2 Gagne focuses on Intellectual Skills. He suggests that intellectual skills can be organized in hierarchy based on complexity What are the levels of complexity? Stimulus recognition, response generation, procedure following, use of terminology, discriminations, concept formation, rule application, and problem solving.

22 Wrap-up - 3 “Learning hierarchies provide a basis for the sequencing of instruction.” What are the nine instructional events and corresponding cognitive processes that the theory outlines?

23 Wrap-up-4: 9 Instructional Events & Corresponding Cognitive Processes (1) gaining attention (reception) (2) informing learners of the objective (expectancy) (3) stimulating recall of prior learning (retrieval) (4) presenting the stimulus (selective perception) (5) providing learning guidance (semantic encoding) (6) eliciting performance (responding) (7) providing feedback (reinforcement) (8) assessing performance (retrieval) (9) enhancing retention and transfer (generalization).

24 The Conditions of Learning The Events of Instruction (some additional thoughts) Source: Conditions of Learning Asks - What is the optimal sequencing of courseware and how is it related to various types of learning? Gagné suggests nine universal steps of instruction (cf.Gagné 85 or Aronson 1983) which should be found in any instructional context: – (1.) Gain attention e.g. present a good problem, a new situation, use a multimedia advertisement. – (2.) Describe the goal: e.g. describe the goal of a lesson (task,...), state what students will be able to accomplish and how they will be able to use the knowledge, give a demonstration if appropriate.

25 The Conditions of Learning The Conditions of Learning The Events of Instruction (some additional thoughts) – (3.) Stimulate recall of prior knowledge e.g. remind the student of prior knowledge relevant to the current lesson (facts, rules, procedures or skills). Show how knowledge is connected, provide the student with a framework that helps learning and remembering. Tests can be included. – (4.) Present the material to be learned e.g. text, graphics, simulations, figures, pictures, sound, etc. e.g. follow a consistent presentation style, chunking of information (avoid memory overload, recall information) – (5.) Elicit performance "practice", let the learner do something with the newly acquired behavior, practice skills or apply knowledge

26 The Conditions of Learning The Conditions of Learning The Events of Instruction (some additional thoughts) – (6.) Provide informative feedback show correctness of the trainee's response, analyze learner's behavior (or let him do it), maybe present a good (step-by-step) solution of the problem – (7.) Provide guidance for learning e.g. presentation of content is different from instructions on how to learn. Should be simpler and easier that content. Use of different channel. – (8.) Assess performance test, if the lesson has been learned. also give sometimes general progress information – (9.) Enhance retention and transfer inform the learner about similar problem situations, provide additional practice. Put the learner in a transfer situation. Maybe let the learner review the lesson.

27 Wrap-UP-5: The Principles Discuss/review the 4 Principles: 1. Different instruction is required for different learning outcomes. 2. Events of learning operate on the learner in ways that constitute the conditions of learning. 3. The specific operations that constitute instructional events are different for each different type of learning outcome. 4. Learning hierarchies define what intellectual skills are to be learned and a sequence of instruction.

28 Resources The ASSURE Model Downloaded: 9/16/2005 Conditions of Learning (R. Gagne) Downloaded: 9/16/2005 Learning Technology by Stephen Bostock Downloaded: 9/20/2005 Robert Gagne Downloaded: 9/11/2005 ROBERT GAGNE by the PSI Café Downloaded: 9/20/2005