Developing Instructional Strategies

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Developing Instructional Strategies

• March 3, 2008

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Two Types of Instructional Strategies

• Macro strategies
• Includes all components of instruction
• Considers best methods to convey information and
  help students learn
• Depends (as always) on context

• Micro Strategies
• Textbooks
• Lectures
• Case studies
• Group activities
• Exams
• Projects
• Outside media (videos, audio, etc.)

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Identifying Learning Components

1. Preinstructional activities
2. Content presentation
3. Learner participation
4. Assessment
5. Follow-through activities

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1. Preinstructional Activities

• Motivating Learners ARCS Model
• Attention
• Relevance
• Confidence
• Satisfaction
• Explaining Objectives
• Explaining Prerequisite Skills

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2. Content Presentation

• Identify what needs to be presented (and what can
  be omitted).
• Information
• Concepts
• Rules
• Principles

• Identify what kinds of examples will help
  illustrate these concepts.
• Good examples
• Relevant to learners
• Nonexamples
• Deliberately wrong example

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3. Learner Participation

• Opportunity for learners to
• Practice skills
• Apply knowledge/rules
• Receive feedback

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4. Assessment

• Consider what assessment methods will be used
  during instruction.
• Entry behaviors test
• Pretest
• Practice test
• Posttest

• Determine at what point these assessments will
  take place.
• When will you provide the practice test
  opportunity?
• How much information will each practice test
  cover?

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5. Follow-Through Activities

• Review Entire Strategy Have learner memory and
  transfer needs been met?
• Ask What will students need to remember in order
  to perform this task?
• Ask How different will the performance context
  be from the learning context?

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Considering Components for Different Learning
Domains

• Intellectual Skills
• Present subskills first.
• Provide links between new and old info.
• Compare and contrast rules/concepts.
• Provide examples and nonexamples.
• Aim for congruence between practice and
  performance.
• Provide balanced feedback.

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Considering Components for Different Learning
Domains

• Intellectual Skills, cont
• Allow students to practice learning and terminal
  objectives.
• Time the testing appropriately.
• Set appropriate assessment standards.

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Considering Components for Different Learning
Domains

• Verbal Information
• Summarize information using organizational
  structures.
• Link information to previous knowledge
  (analogies, examples, etc.
• Utilize mnemonic devices.
• Provide specific feedback.
• Apply appropriate practice tests to facilitate
  memory.

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Considering Components for Different Learning
Domains

• Motor Skills
• Provide executive routine and opportunity for
  mental rehearsal.
• Provide opportunity to practice routine.
• Offer immediate feedback.
• Provide a job aid.
• Closely parallel instructional context to
  performance context.

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Considering Components for Different Learning
Domains

• Attitudes
• Offer a human model.
• Determine if you are developing or reshaping an
  attitude.
• Create simulations, scenarios, etc.
• Carefully consider pre-existing attitudes toward
  learning.
• Provide judicious feedback.