Robert Gagne

Robert Gagne
(1916-2002)
Education

 Yale, A.B. 1937

 Brown, Ph.D. 1940

Career Highlights

 Professor, Connecticut College (1940-49)

 Professor, Penn State University (1945-46)
 Director of Perceptual and Motor Skills Laboratory, U.S. Air Force (1949-58)
 Professor, Florida State University

Major Contributions to Instructional Development

 co-developer of "Instructional Systems Design"

 wrote The Conditions of Learning, 1965
 co-wrote Principles of Instructional Design

Findings, Research, Studies

Although Gagne’s earlier work reflected behaviorist thought, he is considered to be an
experimental psychologist who is concerned with learning and instruction. In 1965,
Gagne published The Conditions of Learning which outlined the relation of learning
objectives to appropriate instructional designs. Gagne identifies five categories of
learning:
Taxonomy of
Critical Learning
Learning Example
Conditions
Outcomes
1. Draw attention to
distinctive features
by variations in print
or speech.
Stating previously 2. Present information
learned materials such so that it can be
as facts, concepts, made into chunks.
Verbal Information principles, and 3. Provide a
procedures, e.g., listing meaningful context
the seven major for effective
symptoms of cancer encoding of
information.
4. Provide cues for
effective recall and
generalization of
 information.

Discriminations:
Distinguishing objects,
features, or symbols,
e.g., hearing different
pitches played on a
musical instrument
Concrete Concepts:
Identifying classes of
1. Call attention to
concrete objects,
distinctive features.
features, or events, e.g.,
2. Stay within the limits
picking out all the green
of working memory.
M&Ms from the candy
3. Stimulate the recall
jar
of previously
Defined Concepts:
learned component
Intellectual Skills: classifying new
skills.
Discriminations, examples of events or
4. Present verbal cues
Concrete Concepts, ideas by their definition,
to the ordering or
Defined Concepts, e.g., noting "she sells
combination of
Rules, Higher sea shells" as
component skills.
Order Rules alliteration
5. Schedule occasions
Rules: Applying a single
for practice and
relationship to solve a
spaced review.
class of problems, e.g.,
6. Use a variety of
calculating the earned
contexts to promote
run averages (ERA) of
transfer.
the Atlanta Braves
Higher Order Rules:
Applying a new
combination of rules to
solve a complex
problem, e.g.,
generating a balanced
budget for a state
organization
1. Describe or
Employing personal demonstrate the
ways to guide learning, strategy.
thinking, acting, and 2. Provide a variety of
Cognitive
feeling, e.g., devising a occasions for
Strategies
corporate plan to practice using the
improve customer strategy.
relations 3. Provide informative
feedback as to the
 creativity or
originality of the
strategy or outcome.

1. Establish an
expectancy of
success associated
with the desired
attitude.
2. Assure student
identification with an
Choosing personal
admired human
actions based on
model.
internal states of
3. Arrange for
understanding and
Attitudes communication or
feeling, e.g., deciding to
demonstration of
exercise daily as a part
choice of personal
of preventive health
action.
care
4. Give feedback for
successful
performance; or
allow observation of
feedback in the
human model.

1. Present verbal or
other guidance to
cue the executive
subroutine.
Executing performances 2. Arrange repeated
involving the use practice.
Motor Skills muscles, e.g., doing a 3. Furnish immediate
triple somersault dive feedback as to the
off the high board accuracy of
performance.
4. Encourage the use
of mental practice.

Information from: Driscoll, M.(1991) Psychology of Learning for Instruction. Allyn and
Bacon.
Gagne’s idea is tied to Skinner’s idea of sequenced learning events as displayed in his
Nine Events of Instruction. The table below shows Gagne’s events of instruction and an
example lesson that follows it.

Example Lesson: Be Inspired Using Kidspiration

Objective: Students will learn how to use the Kidspiration multimedia software program
to create a diagram.
Note: This lesson is geared for K-5 teachers with basic computer skills.
Event of Instruction Lesson Example Rationale
Teacher tells learners
how she has used
Giving background
Kidspiration in the
information creates validity.
classroom.
The use of multimedia
Shows an example
grabs the audience’s
1. Gaining Attention diagram made using
attention.
Kidspiration on
Asking questions in the
projection screen/TV
beginning creates an
monitor.
interactive atmosphere.
Asks learners questions
about diagramming.
Teacher says, "Today I
Make learners aware of
2. Informing the am going to show you
what to expect so that they
Learner of the how to use a multimedia
are aware and prepared to
Objective presentation software
receive information.
called Kidspiration."
For this particular group
of learners, they have
When learning something
learned previously
3. Stimulating new, accessing prior
about Mind Mapping
Recall of Prior knowledge is a major
and Schemata. Teacher
Learning factor in the process of
associates this
acquiring new information.
knowledge with lesson
at hand.
Teacher gives students
step-by-step tutorial on
The goal is information
using Kidspiration. (My
acquisition, therefore, the
4. Presenting the eCoach Kidspiration
stimulus employed is
Stimulus Guide) and has written content and the
installed Kidspiration actual software program.
software on their
computers.
Teacher demonstrates Teacher uses "discovery
how to create a diagram learning" because learners
on the video projection are adults and it gives
5. Providing screen/TV monitor. them the freedom to
Learner Guidance Teacher shows explore. Teacher facilitates
students how to use the learning process by
Kidspiration tools to giving hints and cues when
type in text, add links, needed. Since the
 add symbols, use audience are teachers with
sounds, etc. some basic level of
Learners are allowed to technology skills and the
try the tools software program is easy
demonstrated in to follow and understand,
partners on their guidance is minimal.
computers.
Requiring the learner to
Teacher asks students produce based on what
6. Eliciting
to demonstrate has been taught enables
Performance
Kidspiration tools. the learner to confirm their
learning.
Teacher gives
immediate feedback to Regular feedback
7. Giving Feedback
learners after eliciting enhances learning.
responses.
Independent practice
Assign a practice forces students to use
activity - Create a what they learned and
8. Assessing
diagram that focuses on apply it. Assessing such
Performance
Farm Animals. gives instructors a means
Teacher checks work. of testing student learning
outcomes.
Teacher asks learners
to create activities using
Kidspiration for 2nd
9. Enhancing Applying learning in real-
grade students.
Retention and life situations is a step
Teacher also charges
Transfer towards Mastery Learning.
learner with teaching
another learner how to
use Kidspiration.

Sources
Conditions of Learning: Gagne
http://tip.psychology.org/gagne.html

Robert Gagne’s Instructional Design Approach

http://www.gsu.edu/~mstswh/courses/it7000/papers/robert.htm
Driscoll, M.(1991) Psychology of Learning for Instruction: Allyn and Bacon.