2.2 Spotlight on Gagne

How did his systems view influence instruction?

Gagné system view proposes that nine instructional events with their corresponding cognitive processes are the underlying components of effective instruction. These events are as follows: (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). http://tip.psychology.org/gagne.html

In Gagné’s approach, the teacher’s role is to design each of these events in order to deliver appropriate and meaningful instruction to students. The implications for teachers embracing this systems view of instruction is significant. What would their responsibilities be? How would they best be carried out?

Activity:

Research the systems view of instructional design using a site from the list below or one from your own search. After exploring the systems approach and the nine events noted above, consider the instruction you have observed by a teacher you feel is highly effective. During instruction that you deemed effective, were each of the 9 instructional events present? Prepare a written summary the steps implemented and how you feel they made instruction effective.

Want to know more? Check out these sites:

http://tip.psychology.org/gagné.html

http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/idmodels.html

http://www.sru.edu/depts/educatio/psycholo/panand/gagne.htm

http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/KeyTheorists/Gagne.htm

http://tiger.towson.edu/users/wsmith5/robertmgagne.htm

http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~rmscott/gagne.html

http://www.dean.usma.edu/math/activities/cape/Constructivism/501gagne.htm