Educational Technology

2. Years ago an educator named Edgar
Dale (Educational Media, 1960), often
cited as the father of modern media in
education, developed from his experience
in teaching and his observations of
learners the "cone of experience”.The
cone's utility in selecting instructional
resources and activities is as practical
today as when Dale created it.

3. THE CONE

4. •10% of what they read
• 20% of what they hear
• 30% of what they see
• 50% of what they hear and see - video
• 70% of what they say or write
• 90% of what they say as they do
something

5. Pie Graph on Senses
and Perception
Sight
Sound
Smell
Touch
Taste83%
11 %
3.5%
1.5%
1%

6. Retention Rate Levels
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
R
eading
H
earing
S
eeing
H
earing
&
S
eeing
Saying
H
earing,
Saying
&
D
oing

7.  The cone is based on the relationships of
various educational experiences to reality
(real life).
 The bottom level of the cone, "direct
purposeful experiences," represents reality
or the closest things to real, everyday life.

8.  The opportunity for a learner to use a variety
or several senses (sight, smell, hearing,
touching, movement) is considered in the cone.
 Direct experience allows us to use all senses.
As you move up the cone, fewer senses are
involved at each level.

9.  The more sensory channels possible in
interacting with a resource, the better the
chance that many students can learn from it.
 Each level of the cone above its base moves a
learner a step further away from real- life
experiences, so experiences focusing only on
the use of verbal symbols are the furthest
removed from real life.

10.  Motion pictures (also television) is
where it is on the cone because it is an
observational experience with little or
no opportunity to participate or use
senses other than seeing and hearing.
 The experiences below this one provide
opportunity for the learner to enter into
the experience in more ways, using
more senses.

11.  Contrived experiences are ones that are
highly participatory and simulate real life
situations or activities.
 Dramatized experiences are defined as
experiences in which the learner acts out a
role or activity.

12.  When Dale formulated the cone of
experience, computers were not a
part of educational or home settings,
so they aren't part of the original
cone.
NOTE THAT:

13. Dale’s Cone & Teaching

15. The importance of Dale's cone of experience
is the tool it provides to help a teacher make
decisions about resources or activities.
Using your knowledge of the cone, you can
ask yourself several questions about the
potential value of a resource to student
learning.