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Conditions of Learning (Robert Gagne)

By Saul Mcleod, PhD | published Dec 31, 2021

Gagne’s theory of Instructional Learning offers a more rounded theory of learning and instruction than other cognitive psychologists; and one which offers far more directive advice on how the teacher should manage individual lessons.

Gagne offers a series of instructional “events” which characterise a good lesson - grounding each in a particular cognitive process.

Instructional Events & Cognitive Processes)

  1. Gaining attention (reception)
  2. Informing learners of the objective (expectancy)
  3. Stimulating recall of prior learning (retrieval)
  4. Presenting the stimulus (selective perception)
  5. Providing learning guidance (semantic encoding)
  6. Eliciting performance (responding)
  7. Providing feedback (reinforcement)
  8. Assessing performance (retrieval)
  9. Enhancing retention and transfer (generalization).

Examples

In doing this, his perspective provides a fairly straightforward recipe which allows teachers to formulate effective lesson which are likely to be encourage the acquisition and recall of new concepts.

The model is, perhaps, most linked to Ausubel’s perspective; with an emphasis on the role of the teacher in carefully managing the development of new schemata. However, it is important to note that the approach puts emphasis on student activity, and therefore avoids overtly over-emphasising the teacher.

About the Author

Saul Mcleod is a qualified psychology teacher with over 17 years' experience of working in further and higher education. He has recently worked as a psychology teaching assistant for The University of Manchester, Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology

He previously worked for Wigan and Leigh College, where he was a psychology lecturer for ten years, primarily teaching A-level psychology and sociology.

References

  • Gagne, R. (1962). Military training and principles of learning. American Psychologist, 17, 263-276.
  • Gagne, R. (1985). The Conditions of Learning (4th Ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
  • Gagne, R. (1987). Instructional Technology Foundations. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc.
  • Gagne, R. & Driscoll, M. (1988). Essentials of Learning for Instruction (2nd Ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Gagne, R., Briggs, L. & Wager, W. (1992). Principles of Instructional Design (4th Ed.). Fort Worth, TX: HBJ College Publishers.