The document outlines Merrill's Four Principles of Instruction which are activation of prior experience, demonstration, application, and integration. It describes each principle, including activating learners' existing knowledge through discussion or testing, demonstrating concepts rather than just explaining, having learners apply knowledge to varied problems with decreasing assistance, and integrating new skills into everyday life through reflection and sharing.

1. Merrill’s Four Principles of
Instruction

2. The Activation
of Prior
Experience
Demonstration
Application
Integration

3. Activation of Prior
Experience
• The Learner must
activate the prior
knowledge or
experience.
• This may be done
by means of
introducing a
theme, or a short
test or a discussion
about the learner’s
understanding of
the pre-requisite
knowledge.

4. Demonstration
• The Learner learns
better when she is
shown what is to be
learnt rather than
simple telling of
information.
• For Example, a
session on the Map
reading should
have a
demonstration of
various maps used
to show location of
places.

5. Application
• Here, the learner
learns how to apply
the content just
learnt to solve
problems.
• The sequencing of
these problems
should be such that
the amount of help
provided decreases.
• Also, the problems
should be as varied
as possible so that
the instructor knows
where the learner
stands.

6. Integration
• Here, learners are
encouraged to
integrate(transfer)th
e new skill or
knowledge into their
everyday life. For
this, they need to
reflect on, defend
and share the new-
found knowledge.