Sequencing models – how to organize the content

October 31, 2007 at 4:12 pm · Filed under adult learning, individualized instruction, interactions, motivation

Adults want to know the value of what they are learning, how the new knowledge relates to their life, and how it will help them to develop important abilities. They want to be challenged with surprising information and effort-saving insights. They do not have time to waste studying things that they already know or having to do things without understanding why.

Good learning experiences pay attention to the learner’s background and cause him to think and seek for new solutions. It is not a matter of presenting the content from simple to complex concepts, it is to hear our learner and let him unfold the content as he needs, creating ways to help him abstract, synthesize and integrate the new information, giving opportunities to practice for later performance, promoting self-awareness of competencies and needs.

Sequencing models Definition
Content-centric
  • Simple to complex
  • Chronological
  • Hierarchical
Learner-centric
  • Known to unknown – determine the learner’s initial competencies and then build on them.
  • Misconceptions to latest techniques – chunk content into a map of meaningful, performance-related events; advance in steps which presents challenges and sense of progress.
  • Goal decomposition – allow learners to review at almost anytime; allow learners to attempt almost any task at their request since the results identify undeveloped skills that learner can pursue.
  Source: Michael Allen’s Guide to E-learning

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