Exploring Essential Workplace Training Topics for Modern Professionals
Category: Instructional Strategies
Adults Are Problem-Centered in Their Learning Orientation
Adult learners are problem-centered in their learning orientation. They are motivated to learn to the extent that learning will help them perform tasks or deal with real-life problems. Problem solving yields new learning as learners are able to combine prior knowledge of principles, procedures, declarative knowledge, and cognitive strategies. Learning strategies are generated by the learners (constructivism) and checked for their success by the instructor. The instructor may offer learning strategies such as analogies and mental imagery to assist instruction.
Activities Common to All Declarative Knowledge Learning
Learning Strategies and Assessment of Psychomotor Skills
The distinctiveness of the beginning and end points of psychomotor skills can be categorized as discrete (a single step or few steps) and continuous (having subtle beginning and ending points). Closed skills (no active influence from the environment) and open skills (influenced by the environment) are another means of categorizing psychomotor skills (Smith and Ragan, 2005). Learners can be assisted in acquiring the new psychomotor skills by employing learning strategies such as visualization of performance, mnemonics, and analogies.
Concept Instruction May Follow an Inquiry or Expository Approach
Concept instruction may follow an inquiry or discovery approach (generative strategy) or expository or concept approach (supplantive strategy). If following an inquiry approach, instruction would be designed to incorporate the theory of constructivism, including activities that encourage learners to discover principles by themselves. A concept approach would include instruction based more on the cognitive learning theory, which focuses on an explanation of the development of cognitive structures and processes, and the intervention of these structures and processes between instruction and learning.
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Adults Bring Prior Knowledge Into New Learning Situations
Because adult learners bring their prior knowledge and experiences into a new learning situation, learners’ interest is aroused by comparing their previous learning experiences to the anticipated new experience. A mnemonic device may be used as a learning strategy to aid learners in recalling the steps of the procedure (declarative learning). Practice involves recalling and performing the steps of the procedure, and feedback should be given on whether the procedure was completed with acceptable precision and efficiency. Summary, remotivation, and transfer should include a review of the applicability of the procedure, and assessment should include a demonstration by the learners of their ability to correctly apply the procedure.
Instructional strategies certainly have their advantages in assisting learners in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Instructional
Instructional Approaches to Teaching Cognitive Learning Strategies
Learning strategies are naturally cognitively based. They can be broken down into two categories: Cognitive domain strategies (organization, rehearsal, elaboration) and Affective domain strategies (self-motivational skills such as time management, stress reduction techniques).
Instructional Approaches for Affective Learning
Attitudes are generally affective. They are concerned with making choices. Cognitive (knowing how), behavioral (opportunity to practice the desired behavior), and affective (knowing why) are three components of attitude learning. Instructional designers should be concerned with the behavioral aspect of attitude learning as well as a student’s motivation to learn.
Instructional Strategies Provide a Plan for Assisting Learners
Instructor-led instructional strategies produce a guide to help implement the goal of the lesson plan without necessarily conveying its exact content to the learners. The instructor gives directions, refers learners to appropriate materials, directs the class activities, and supplements existing materials with direct instruction. Learner-centered strategies present a learning objective, an activity guide, the material to be viewed or read, practice exercises, and a self-check testing system for the learner.
Instructor-led and Learner-centered Instructional Strategies
Instructional strategies provide a plan for assisting the learners with their efforts for each performance objective. Instructional strategies take the form of a lesson plan or a set of production specifications. The purpose is to outline how instructional activities will relate to, and assist the learner with meeting, the performance objectives.