InstructionalInstructionalStrategiesStrategies

Peter FenrichPeter FenrichInstructional Development ConsultantInstructional Development Consultant

Learning and Teaching Centre (bcit.ca/ltc)Learning and Teaching Centre (bcit.ca/ltc)British Columbia Institute of TechnologyBritish Columbia Institute of Technology

Tel: 604-432-8817Tel: 604-432-8817Peter_Fenrich@bcit.caPeter_Fenrich@bcit.ca

Bridge-in

Do you have a variety of strategies Do you have a variety of strategies for teaching facts, thinking skills, for teaching facts, thinking skills, physical skills, and attitudes?physical skills, and attitudes?

If so, are they effective?If so, are they effective? If so, are there better ways?If so, are there better ways?

Instructional Strategies

Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, yBy the end of this lesson, you ou should be able to create materials should be able to create materials that effectively teach:that effectively teach:

- verbal information (facts)- verbal information (facts)

- intellectual (thinking) skills- intellectual (thinking) skills

- physical (psychomotor) skills- physical (psychomotor) skills

- attitudes, beliefs, and values- attitudes, beliefs, and values

Instructional Strategies

There are four basic types of skills:There are four basic types of skills:

- Verbal information- Verbal information

- Intellectual (thinking) skills- Intellectual (thinking) skills

- Procedural (physical) skills- Procedural (physical) skills

- Attitudes, beliefs, and values- Attitudes, beliefs, and values Each type of skill requires different Each type of skill requires different

instructional strategies, media, and instructional strategies, media, and interactionsinteractions

Instructional Strategies

Introduction

Verbal information Verbal information is content that is content that students simply students simply have to memorize have to memorize and recall.and recall.

““Verbal” Verbal” information does information does not mean “spoken” not mean “spoken” information.information.

Verbal Information

Verbal Information Defined

Learning outcome verbs for verbal Learning outcome verbs for verbal information include state, list, information include state, list, describe, define, and name.describe, define, and name.

Some consider verbal information to Some consider verbal information to be trivial or hardly worth teaching.be trivial or hardly worth teaching.

Why is verbal information needed?Why is verbal information needed?

Verbal Information

Why is it needed?

After you know what information, After you know what information, organize the information into logical organize the information into logical groupings of up to:groupings of up to:

- 5 pieces of information for- 5 pieces of information for

weaker or younger learnersweaker or younger learners

- 7 pieces for brighter or older- 7 pieces for brighter or older

learnerslearners Why limit the number of pieces?Why limit the number of pieces?

Verbal Information

Logical Groupings

Provide students with a structure to Provide students with a structure to help them store and recall the help them store and recall the information.information.

Verbal Information

Provide Structure

Ant, Beetle, Squirrel, Elephant, Ant, Beetle, Squirrel, Elephant, Eagle, Hawk, Roach, Termite, Eagle, Hawk, Roach, Termite, Tiger, Turkey, WolfTiger, Turkey, Wolf

InsectInsect BirdBird Mammal Mammal AntAnt EagleEagle Elephant Elephant

BeetleBeetle HawkHawk Squirrel Squirrel

TermiteTermite TurkeyTurkey Tiger Tiger

RoachRoach Wolf Wolf

Verbal Information

Comparison

InsectInsect BirdBird Mammal Mammal AntAnt EagleEagle Elephant Elephant

BeetleBeetle HawkHawk Squirrel Squirrel

TermiteTermite TurkeyTurkey Tiger Tiger

RoachRoach Wolf Wolf

InsectInsect BirdBird Mammal Mammal BBeetleeetle TTurkeyurkey WWolfolf

AAntnt HHawkawk EElephantlephant

RRoachoach EEagleagle SSquirrelquirrel

TTermiteermite TTigeriger

Verbal Information

Considering small groupings of Considering small groupings of information, describe the structure information, describe the structure you would use to teach the external you would use to teach the external parts of the human body to a grade parts of the human body to a grade one student.one student.

Think on your own, pair with Think on your own, pair with another, and share with the class.another, and share with the class.

Verbal Information

Application

Link new information to knowledge Link new information to knowledge the learner already possesses.the learner already possesses.

Do this by using statements such as Do this by using statements such as “Remember how”, or “This is like...”.“Remember how”, or “This is like...”.

How does linking information help?How does linking information help?

Verbal Information

Link Information

Use memory devices for new information.Use memory devices for new information.

- Any learning technique that aids - Any learning technique that aids information retention, such as acronyms, information retention, such as acronyms, short poems, rhymes, tunes, and short poems, rhymes, tunes, and imagery. imagery.

ROYGBIVROYGBIV Months with 31 daysMonths with 31 days Alphabet songAlphabet song What have you used?What have you used?

Verbal Information

Memory Devices

Use meaningful contexts and Use meaningful contexts and relevant cues.relevant cues.

Minimal value in memorizing Minimal value in memorizing meaningless facts.meaningless facts.

It can be hard for learners to It can be hard for learners to retrieve meaningless facts from retrieve meaningless facts from memory.memory.

Verbal Information

Use Meaningful Contexts

With verbal information, have With verbal information, have learners generate examples in their learners generate examples in their minds, “do” something, such as minds, “do” something, such as create a song or game, or apply the create a song or game, or apply the knowledge to the real world.knowledge to the real world.

Verbal Information

Do Something With It

Although there is a place for rote Although there is a place for rote memorization, if you can, avoid it as memorization, if you can, avoid it as a memorization aid. In some cases, it a memorization aid. In some cases, it is minimally effective over time. is minimally effective over time.

With respect to the learning process With respect to the learning process (how the brain stores and retrieves (how the brain stores and retrieves information), why might rote information), why might rote memorization be minimally effective?memorization be minimally effective?

Rote memorization can be boring.Rote memorization can be boring.

Verbal Information

Avoid Rote Memorization

Tell learners how many items that Tell learners how many items that there are. A number seems to place there are. A number seems to place a boundary around the content. a boundary around the content. This helps recall.This helps recall.

Verbal Information

Stating a Number Helps

Media for Verbal Information

What medium or media best support What medium or media best support students in memorizing verbal students in memorizing verbal information?information?

Verbal Information

Media for Verbal Information

Text and visuals and possibly video.Text and visuals and possibly video.

Image sources:Image sources: - - http://search.creativecommons.org/# (click commercial and modify/adapt)(click commercial and modify/adapt) - - Wikipedia (check copyright) (check copyright)

Verbal Information

Teach verbal information through Teach verbal information through logically grouping ideas, providing logically grouping ideas, providing structure, linking information, using structure, linking information, using mnemonics, providing meaningful mnemonics, providing meaningful contexts, and encouraging learners contexts, and encouraging learners to do something with it.to do something with it.

Avoid rote Avoid rote memorizationmemorization unless it is unless it is necessary.necessary.

Text and visuals usually help.Text and visuals usually help.

Verbal Information

Key Points to Remember

Write down 2 or 3 strategies that are Write down 2 or 3 strategies that are new to you that can work for you new to you that can work for you ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Verbal Information

Strategies to Try

Skills that require learners to think Skills that require learners to think (rather than simply memorizing and (rather than simply memorizing and recalling information).recalling information).

Intellectual Skills

Intellectual Skills Defined

From the highest skill needed, From the highest skill needed, conduct a hierarchical analysis to conduct a hierarchical analysis to determine the lower-level skills.determine the lower-level skills.

Intellectual Skills

Determine Subordinate Skills

For each skill, “What must the For each skill, “What must the learner know before learning this learner know before learning this skill?” This creates the first skill?” This creates the first hierarchical level.hierarchical level.

For each first hierarchical level For each first hierarchical level component, ask the same component, ask the same question. This creates a second question. This creates a second hierarchical level.hierarchical level.

Continue this as needed. Continue this as needed. 

Intellectual Skills

Hierarchical Analysis Steps

Hierarchical Levels

Decide on which skills to teach and Decide on which skills to teach and which are pre-requisites.which are pre-requisites.

How do you tell which are pre-requisites?How do you tell which are pre-requisites?

Intellectual Skills

What skills are needed for What skills are needed for multiplying a three-digit number by a multiplying a three-digit number by a three-digit number?three-digit number?

For example: 472For example: 472

x x 218218

Intellectual Skills

Hierarchical Analysis

Intellectual Skills

Hierarchical Analysis Example

Base the instructional strategy and Base the instructional strategy and the sequence of your lesson on the the sequence of your lesson on the hierarchical analysis.hierarchical analysis.

The sequence affects the “flow” of a The sequence affects the “flow” of a lesson. Lesson flow can range from lesson. Lesson flow can range from logical or smooth to disjointed.logical or smooth to disjointed.

Intellectual Skills

Teaching Intellectual Skills

Link new knowledge to previously Link new knowledge to previously learned knowledge.learned knowledge.

This can be done explicitly (e.g., This can be done explicitly (e.g., the bones in your feet are the bones in your feet are comparable to the bones you comparable to the bones you learned about in your hands) or learned about in your hands) or implicitly (e.g., compare the bones implicitly (e.g., compare the bones in your feet to other bone in your feet to other bone structures you know about).structures you know about).

Intellectual Skills

Link Knowledge

Provide links because learning is an Provide links because learning is an active process of active process of assimilationassimilation (fitting new information into existing (fitting new information into existing mental models) and mental models) and accommodationaccommodation (creating new (creating new mental models for new information mental models for new information that does not fit in existing mental that does not fit in existing mental models).models).

Intellectual Skills

Assimilation / Accommodation

With assimilation and With assimilation and accommodation, learners construct accommodation, learners construct knowledge rather than acquire knowledge rather than acquire knowledge.knowledge.

Why is this important?Why is this important?

Intellectual Skills

Constructing Knowledge

Use memory devices like Use memory devices like acronyms, rhymes, or imagery for acronyms, rhymes, or imagery for information such as rules or information such as rules or principles.principles.

General rules can often be General rules can often be remembered through rhymes such remembered through rhymes such as “i before e except after c”. as “i before e except after c”.

What do you have to teach along What do you have to teach along with rules such as that?with rules such as that?

Intellectual Skills

Memory Devices

Use examples and non-examples that Use examples and non-examples that students are familiar with. students are familiar with.

When classifying metals, iron, copper, When classifying metals, iron, copper, and gold are examples while glass and and gold are examples while glass and plastic are non-examples.plastic are non-examples.

Note: The last thing seen or heard is Note: The last thing seen or heard is more likely to be remembered.more likely to be remembered.

Intellectual Skills

Examples and Non-examples

Use discovery-learning techniques.Use discovery-learning techniques. One way to do this is to let students One way to do this is to let students

manipulate variables and see manipulate variables and see consequences, as can be done in consequences, as can be done in simulations.simulations.

In your courses, where would you In your courses, where would you let students discover a relationship?let students discover a relationship?

Intellectual Skills

Discovery Learning

Use the disequilibrium teaching Use the disequilibrium teaching technique.technique.

With this technique, present With this technique, present students with an anomaly to the students with an anomaly to the concept or something untrue. This concept or something untrue. This causes a discomfort, curiosity, and a causes a discomfort, curiosity, and a high level of thinking.high level of thinking.

In your courses, where would you In your courses, where would you apply this?apply this?

Intellectual Skills

Disequilibrium

Use analogies or ideas that the Use analogies or ideas that the learners already know. For example, learners already know. For example, “This skill needs to be automatic. “This skill needs to be automatic. You should be able to do this You should be able to do this without thinking like you move your without thinking like you move your hand after touching a hot stove.”hand after touching a hot stove.”

Intellectual Skills

Relate to What Students Know

Encourage learners to reflect on Encourage learners to reflect on what they have learned. what they have learned.

Reflection can lead to higher levels Reflection can lead to higher levels of understanding and thinking.of understanding and thinking.

Cyril Houle stated, “Experience may Cyril Houle stated, “Experience may be a good teacher but reflection be a good teacher but reflection about experience is a better one.”about experience is a better one.”

Intellectual Skills

Reflection

Sentences encouraging reflection: Sentences encouraging reflection:

- “Think about why the concept - “Think about why the concept cannot be explained by …” cannot be explained by …”

- “Take a moment to reflect on the - “Take a moment to reflect on the relationships you just learned relationships you just learned between …”between …”

- “Consider how you could defend - “Consider how you could defend the conclusions just made about ...”the conclusions just made about ...”

Intellectual Skills

Reflection (continued)

Provide for practice and immediate Provide for practice and immediate feedback.feedback.

Practice and feedback is better at Practice and feedback is better at logical points rather than at the end.logical points rather than at the end.

Complete feedback is usually best.Complete feedback is usually best.

Intellectual Skills

Practice and Feedback

Media for Intellectual Skills

What medium or media best support What medium or media best support students in learning intellectual students in learning intellectual skills?skills?

Intellectual Skills

Media for Intellectual Skills

For intellectual skills, use a variety For intellectual skills, use a variety of media based on the learning of media based on the learning outcomes and instructional strategy.outcomes and instructional strategy.

Intellectual Skills

Start with a hierarchical analysis.Start with a hierarchical analysis. Teach intellectual skills through linking Teach intellectual skills through linking

knowledge, helping learners construct knowledge, helping learners construct knowledge, providing memory devices, knowledge, providing memory devices, giving examples and non-examples, giving examples and non-examples, using discovery learning, disequilibrium, using discovery learning, disequilibrium, analogies, encouraging reflection, and analogies, encouraging reflection, and allowing for practice and feedback.allowing for practice and feedback.

Video, visuals, audio, and text can help.Video, visuals, audio, and text can help.

Intellectual Skills

Key Points to Remember

Review the previous intellectual Review the previous intellectual skills ideas and highlight two or skills ideas and highlight two or three strategies that can work for three strategies that can work for you.you.

Intellectual Skills

Strategies to Try

Skills that require learners to carry Skills that require learners to carry out muscular actions.out muscular actions.

Psychomotor Skills

Psychomotor Skills Defined

You can determine the You can determine the psychomotor skills needed through psychomotor skills needed through a procedural analysis.a procedural analysis.

A procedural analysis results in the A procedural analysis results in the specific steps that must be done to specific steps that must be done to complete a task. complete a task.

Have you ever had trouble following Have you ever had trouble following the instructions of putting something the instructions of putting something together (e.g., furniture)?together (e.g., furniture)?

Psychomotor Skills

Procedural Analysis

When conducting a procedural When conducting a procedural analysis:analysis:

1. Specify each activity that must1. Specify each activity that must

be done for each step.be done for each step.

2. Ask, “What must the student do2. Ask, “What must the student do

or know before this step can beor know before this step can be

done?”done?”

3. Continue this process as needed.3. Continue this process as needed.

Psychomotor Skills

Procedural Analysis Steps

Psychomotor Skills

Procedural Analysis Example

Base the instructional strategy on the Base the instructional strategy on the procedural analysis.procedural analysis.

Provide directions for completing all Provide directions for completing all of the steps.of the steps.

Note that estimating is a thinking Note that estimating is a thinking skill.skill.

Psychomotor Skills

Teaching Psychomotor Skills

Remember that, in general, practice Remember that, in general, practice should become less dependent on should become less dependent on written or verbal directions.written or verbal directions.

The required proficiency level can The required proficiency level can affect the instructional strategy.affect the instructional strategy.

There is a big difference between There is a big difference between being able to imitate a skill and being being able to imitate a skill and being able to automatically do a skill.able to automatically do a skill.

Psychomotor Skills

Teaching Psychomotor Skills

Sometimes a job aid to support recall Sometimes a job aid to support recall is needed instead of memorization. is needed instead of memorization. When would this be the case?When would this be the case?

After a certain point, learners must After a certain point, learners must interact with real objects. How much interact with real objects. How much can you learn about swimming can you learn about swimming without getting wet?without getting wet?

Psychomotor Skills

Teaching Psychomotor Skills

Some skills involve other learning Some skills involve other learning domain classifications. For example, domain classifications. For example, when learning how to operate a when learning how to operate a camera, many of the skills are camera, many of the skills are psychomotor. However, deciding psychomotor. However, deciding how to light an image is an how to light an image is an intellectual skill.intellectual skill.

What is another example like that?What is another example like that?

Psychomotor Skills

Teaching Psychomotor Skills

Media for Psychomotor Skills

What medium or media best support What medium or media best support students in learning psychomotor students in learning psychomotor skills?skills?

Psychomotor Skills

Media for Psychomotor Skills

For psychomotor skills, use video For psychomotor skills, use video (which often includes audio) with (which often includes audio) with text but remember real objects.text but remember real objects.

Learners should be able to control Learners should be able to control video.video.

An image series can work instead.An image series can work instead.

Psychomotor Skills

Start with a procedural analysis.Start with a procedural analysis. Consider the level of skill needed.Consider the level of skill needed. Practice and feedback are needed. Practice and feedback are needed. Skills may be needed in other Skills may be needed in other

domains.domains. Video and text commonly help.Video and text commonly help.

Procedural Skills

Key Points to Remember

ABV lead to tendencies people have ABV lead to tendencies people have to making particular decisions or to making particular decisions or choices under specific choices under specific circumstances.circumstances.

ABV are within the affective domain.ABV are within the affective domain.

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

Attitudes/Beliefs/Values (ABV)

Ask, “What must the student do Ask, “What must the student do when showing this attitude, belief, or when showing this attitude, belief, or value?” The answer is usually a value?” The answer is usually a intellectual or psychomotor skill.intellectual or psychomotor skill.

Ask, “Why should learners show this Ask, “Why should learners show this ABV?” The answer is usually verbal ABV?” The answer is usually verbal information.information.

Teach each “piece” based on a Teach each “piece” based on a previous instructional strategy.previous instructional strategy.

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

Subordinate ABV Skills

If you can, show a human model If you can, show a human model that the students can easily relate that the students can easily relate to.to.

What are some factors for choosing What are some factors for choosing a human model?a human model?

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

Teaching ABVs

Show realistic consequences, such Show realistic consequences, such as through a simulation, to as through a simulation, to appropriate and inappropriate appropriate and inappropriate choices.choices.

If possible and reasonable, evoke If possible and reasonable, evoke strong emotions.strong emotions.

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

Teaching ABV

Remember that ABV taught in Remember that ABV taught in classrooms are classrooms are notnot guaranteed to guaranteed to transfer to the real world. transfer to the real world.

If appropriate and possible, consider If appropriate and possible, consider arranging for practice opportunities arranging for practice opportunities to make the choice in real life. to make the choice in real life.

Consider using role-playing to Consider using role-playing to reinforce the ABV taught.reinforce the ABV taught.

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

Teaching ABV

Note that it can be difficult to test Note that it can be difficult to test whether the ABV taught have whether the ABV taught have transferred to real situations.transferred to real situations.

Will learners behave naturally if Will learners behave naturally if they know that they are being they know that they are being observed?observed?

Consider the ethics of observing Consider the ethics of observing when you do not have permission.when you do not have permission.

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

Teaching ABV

Media for ABV

What medium or media best support What medium or media best support students in learning attitudes, students in learning attitudes, beliefs, and values?beliefs, and values?

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

Media for ABV

For attitudes, beliefs, and values, For attitudes, beliefs, and values, evoke an emotional response evoke an emotional response through using video combined with through using video combined with audio:audio:

Anti-drugs video (1)

Anti-drugs video (2)

Anti-smoking video

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

Start with a subordinate skills Start with a subordinate skills analysis.analysis.

Consider an appropriate human Consider an appropriate human model.model.

Show realistic consequences. Show realistic consequences. Practice is needed.Practice is needed. Assessing can be a challenge.Assessing can be a challenge. Video and audio are usually needed.Video and audio are usually needed.

Attitudes, Values, and Beliefs

Key Points to Remember

Fenrich, P. (2014). Fenrich, P. (2014). Practical principles of instructional Practical principles of instructional design, media selection, and interface design with a design, media selection, and interface design with a focus on computer-based training / educational focus on computer-based training / educational softwaresoftware. Santa Rosa, CA: Informing Science Press.. Santa Rosa, CA: Informing Science Press.

Fenrich, P. (2008). Instructional strategies. In Hirtz, Fenrich, P. (2008). Instructional strategies. In Hirtz, S., & Harper, D. (Eds.), S., & Harper, D. (Eds.), Education for a digital world: Education for a digital world: Advice, guidelines, and effective practice from around Advice, guidelines, and effective practice from around the globethe globe, (pp. 309-320). Vancouver, Canada: , (pp. 309-320). Vancouver, Canada: BCcampus and Commonwealth of Learning.BCcampus and Commonwealth of Learning.

Free electronic copy: Free electronic copy: http://www.col.org/resources/crsMaterials/Pages/edDihttp://www.col.org/resources/crsMaterials/Pages/edDigitalWorld.aspxgitalWorld.aspx

Instructional Strategies

References

What questions about What questions about instructional strategiesinstructional strategies

do you still have? do you still have?