Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction

Gagne's book, The Conditions of Learning, first published in 1965, identified the mental conditions for learning. These were based on the information-processing model of the mental events that occur when adults are presented with various stimuli. According to Robert Gagne, there are nine events that activate processes needed for effective learning. In order to develop an effective learning, an effective teaching should take place.

Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction

1. Gain attention. Grab the learners' attention so that they will watch and listen. Evoke curiosity by using an "interest device" such as storytelling, demonstrations, presenting a problem to be solved, or doing something the wrong way. Startle the senses with auditory or visual stimuli.
2. Inform learner of objective. Present lesson objectives, allowing learners to organize their thoughts around what they are about to see, hear, and/or do.
3. Stimulate recall of prior knowledge. Allow the learners to build on their personal experience, previous knowledge or skills.



4. Present the material. Organize the content in a meaningful way and chunk it appropriately, dividing it into familiar manageable units.
5. Provide guidance for learning. Use strategies such as examples, non-examples, case studies, graphical representations, mnemonics, and analogies.
6. Elicit performance. Allow the learner do something with the newly acquired behavior, skills, or knowledge. Repetition increases the likelihood of retention.



7. Provide feedback. Provide specific and immediate feedback. Analyze the learner's behavior if necessary.
8. Assess performance. Administer a test to determine if the lesson has been learned.
9. Enhance retention and transfer. Inform the learner about similar problem situations, provide additional practice, put the learner in a transfer situation, review the lesson.
Gagne spent over 50 years involved with military training research and development, and his ideas continue to play a key role in prescribing how instruction is developed in the military. His influential model has also been adopted by instructional designers, as well as teachers and trainers for lesson planning.

References
Gagne, R. (1965). The conditions of learning (1st ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Richey, R. (Ed.) (2000). The legacy of Robert M. Gagné. Eric Clearinghouse on Information and Technology, Syracuse, NY. retrieved from http://www.ibstpi.org/Products/Legacy-Gagne.htm on August 10, 2010