Designing
Effective Instruction by Morrison, Ross, & Kemp,
chapter 6
At first thought, you might decide that the best way to present your lesson is to use the topic or procedural analysis you completed. The analysis provides an outline for how you will teach the lesson. The way you have the information organized, or the way it is presented in the textbook may not be the best way to sequence the information for your learners. One company we know produced large, gas-powered gas turbine generators. They were about the size of semi-trailer. When a new model was introduced, a videotape was made of an expert literally walking around the product identifying all the various parts for a couple of hours. The tape became known as the instructor disco because they kept saying "dis go here and dis go there!" From an instructional standpoint it would have made more sense to describe each the various systems (gas, oil, air, etc.), or describe how the parts in sequence they produced the power.
In this chapter, we will examine two different methods for sequencing content. You will use this information to sequence an entire course and to sequence the objectives for an individual lesson.
You have probably seen a movie that was disorienting because it started in the future and then switched to the past. Similarly, you have probably read parts of a textbook or listened to a lecture where the presentation sequence made it very difficult to understand the ideas. This first reading presents Posner and Strike’s guidelines for sequencing content. As you read this first section, consider the following questions.
- Which of these strategies could I use for sequencing my project?
- What are the advantages of each method of sequencing?
Read pages 134 to 142.
Using the objectives at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/workforce_development/vocats/blueprints/, find a set of objectives that you could sequence according to the guidelines presented for the Posner and Strike scheme:
Learning-Related
World-Related
Concept-Related
Indicate the objectives you have selected and provide a brief description of why you think the sequencing strategy is appropriate. Post your answers in the discussion board. Now, review the strategies posted by other students. Find at least three examples where another sequencing scheme might be appropriate. Post your rationale as a response to the original.
The elaboration theory of sequencing makes a distinction between two different types of knowledge the learner must master. This approach provides guidelines for presenting the information in a way that will simplify it for the learner. Keep the following questions in mind as your read this section.
- How do the two types of content the learner must master differ?
- How does the elaboration theory approach differ from Posner and Strike’s scheme?
- What are the advantages of each?
Read pages 143 to 146.
Return to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/workforce_development/vocats/blueprints/. Using the two examples of content sequencing and task expertise sequencing, identify an objective(s) that would be appropriate for sequencing the content associated with the objective.
Post your answers in the discussion board. Review the other postings and see if you agree or disagree with the example.
This week you should identify the scheme you will use to sequence your objectives. Describe the scheme and the order for presenting each objective.
Appropriate sequencing can make the difference between an easy to comprehend lesson and difficult to comprehend lesson. Careful consideration of your content and your learners will help you identify appropriate sequencing strategies that can enhance learning and motivation.