Lesson in professional education subject

1. 1
Robert Gagné’s
Nine Events of Instruction
“Organization is the hall
mark of effective instr
uctional materials”
Robert Gagné
1916-2002
Art Wolfskill, ALEC 601

2. 2
Gagné’s Theoretical Background
 Robert Gagné is best known for his:
 Learning Outcomes
 Learning Conditions
 Nine Events of Instruction
 Gagné’s theories have been applied to instructional de
sign in many other areas:
 Military
 Instructional Systems Development
 Flying
 Lots of others

3. 3
Gagné’s Theoretical Background
 Gagné’s theory should be classified as instructional
theory - as opposed to learning theory.
 A learning theory consists of a set of propositions a
nd constructs that account for how changes in huma
n performance abilities come about.
 An instructional theory describes the conditions un
der which one can intentionally arrange for the learni
ng of specific performance outcomes.

4. 4
Gagné’s Theoretical Orientation
 Gagné’s instructional theory tends to s
ide with behavioristic principles (teach
er-centered approach)
 He focuses on outcomes/behaviors that r
esult from instruction
 He believes that the results of learning ar
e measurable through testing, and that d
rill, practice, and immediate feedback are
effective.
 As a result, he does have some hecklers!

5. 5
Gagné’s Theoretical Orientation
 Gagné’s theories became influenced b
y cognitive theorists. He proposed that
the
information-processing model
of learning
could be combined with
behaviorist concepts
to provide a more complete view of le
arning tasks (Molenda, 2002)

6. 6
Tying the Nine Events of Instructi
on to Learning
 When the Events of Instruction occur, internal learning processe
s take place that lead to various learning outcomes.
(Campos, 1999)
 The Events of Instruction constitute a set of communications to
the student, which have the aim of aiding the learning process.
 Instruction consists of a set of events external to the learner de
signed to support the internal processes of learning.
(Gagné, Briggs, & Wager, 1988)
 The theory outlines Nine Instructional Events and their corre
sponding processes.

7. 7
The Nine Events of Instruction
Event of Instruction
 1. Gaining attention
Giving learner a stimulus to
ensure reception of coming i
nstruction
 2. Informing the learner
of the objective
Telling learner what they will
be able to do for the instructi
on
 3. Stimulating recall of pr
ior learning
Asking for recall of existing r
elevant knowledge
Learning Process
 Attention
 Expectancy
 Retrieval to working me
mory

8. 8
The Nine Events of Instruction
Event of Instruction
 4. Presenting the stimulu
s
Displaying the content
 5. Providing learner guid
ance
Supplying organization and r
elevance to enhance underst
anding
 6. Eliciting performance
Asking learners to respond, d
emonstrating learning
Learning Process
 Pattern recognition; selec
tive perception
 Chunking, rehearsal, enc
oding
 Retrieval, responding

9. 9
The Nine Events of Instruction
Events of Instruction
 7. Providing Feedback
Giving immediate feedback o
n learner's performance.
 8. Assessing performance
Assessing and providing feed
back to learners
 9. Enhancing retention an
d transfer
Providing diverse practice to
generalize the capability
Learning Process
 Reinforcement, error corr
ection
 Responding, retention
 Retention, retrieval, gene
ralization

10. 10
Gagné’s Detractors
 Donald Clark:
 Called Gagné “a closet behaviourist”
 “Gagné's Nine Dull Commandments”
 Follow the recipe and learning will surely
follow!
Retrieved on 02 Mar 07 from http://donaldclarkpl
anb.blogspot.com/2006/09/gagnes-nine-dull-co
mmandments.html

11. 11
The Nine Events of Instruction
 Keep in mind that the exact form of these events is
not something that can be specified in general for a
ll lessons, but rather must be decided for each lear
ning objective.
 The events of instruction must be deliberately arran
ged by the teacher to support learning processes.
(Gagné, Briggs, & Wager, 1988)

12. 12
References
 Campos, T. (1999). Gagné’s contributions to the study of instruction. http://chd.gse.gmu.edu/immersion/
knowledgebase/theorists/cognitivism/gagne.htm
 Clark, D. (2006). Gagné’s nine dull commandments. http://donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.com/ 2006/09/g
agnes-nine-dull-commandments.html
 Driscoll, M. (2000). Psychology of learning for instruction, 2nd edition. New York: Allyn & Bacon. Unit 6:
Gagné’s Instructional Design theory. http://education.indiana.edu/~p540/webcourse/gagne.html
 Fields, D. (1996). The Impact of Gagné’s Theories on Practice. EDRS-Academic Search Database.
 Gagné, Briggs, & Wager.1988. Principles of Instructional Design. Holt, Rinehart & Winston: New York.
 Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction -- http://online.sfsu.edu/~foreman/itec800/finalprojects/annie/
gagne’snineevents.html
 Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction. http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/gagnesevents/index.htm
 Kruse, K. Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction: An Introduction.
www.e-learningguru.com/articles/art3_3.htm
 Molenda, M. (2002). A New Framework for Teaching in the Cognitive Domain. ERIC Digest. Academic
Search Premier Database.
 Richey, R. C. (1996). Robert M. Gagné’s Impact on Instructional Design Theory and Practice of the
Future. EDRS-Academic Search Database.
 Selwyn. 1999. A Constructivist Learning Event Following Gagné’s Steps of Instructional Design. http://haga
r.up.ac.za/catts/learner/smarks/constructionist-Gagne.htm