Instructional Strategies
This instruction was designed to fulfill nine instructional events recommended by Gagne, Briggs, and Wager (Gagne, Briggs & Wager, 1992). This approach was chosen in order to enhance the learning experience and to cover a broad spectrum of learning theories (behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism). Each learning component is described below.
- Gain Attention . At the start of the instructional activity, learners will perform two tasks. First, they will be come familiar with navigation procedures. Second, they will be asked to submit personal information before proceeding. This will require student attention before proceeding.
- Identify Objective . Following the navigational instruction and the submission of personal information, the learners will be presented with an overview and the learning objectives of the activities.
- Recall Prior Learning . In this project, the prior learning is accomplished by reviewing the basic definitions of each of the five categories of fitness. Definitions for cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility, and body composition are all reviewed.
- Present Stimulus . After reviewing the five categories of fitness, the learner then begins the interactive instructions for each of the categories. The instruction begins with cardiovascular endurance, follow by muscle strength and muscle endurance combined, then flexibility, body composition, and a category for safe exercise is added. Muscle strength and muscle endurance are combined to demonstrate the subtle differences between the two categories.
- Guide Learning . In each category of instruction, the learner is guided. The learner is initially presented with the information by asking a question. For example, “How do I improve my cardiovascular endurance?” As the instruction is give, examples are given. For example, the learner is given an example of how to calculate their predicted maximum heart rate (220-age = PMHR).
- Elicit Performance . Learners are frequently asked to perform tasks they have just learned. For example, after seeing an example of how to calculate their predicted maximum heart rate, the learner is then asked to do just that. Personal information that was submitted at the beginning of the project is now used to accomplish the task.
- Provide Feedback . This is used throughout the learning activities. After the learner enters their predicted maximum heart rate, they are then sent to another part of the program where it provides feedback. If they are correct, it tells them so and they move on. If they are incorrect, the receive feedback, go back to the start and are asked to repeat the task. The task must be accomplished before they can proceed.
- Assess Performance . Learners are given a posttest at the end of the learning activity which helps assess their knowledge and provides indications of areas of weakness which can be covered in the follow-up interview with a fitness instructor.
- Enhance Retention and Transfer . Retention is accomplished by providing repeated feedback of learning, summarizing choices the learner made and comparing them to the correct answers, and by providing the learner with a printout of how they performed. Transfer is accomplished by continuous feedback of correct information as it relates to the learners own personal information and current level of fitness.
References
Gagne, R., Briggs, L. & Wager, W. (1992). Principles of Instructional Design (4th Ed.).