Why Basic Principles of Instruction Must Be Present in the Learning Landscape, Whatever Form It Takes, for Learning to Be Effective, Efficient and Engaging

Abstract

While today’s opportunities and contexts for learning are far more varied than they were only a decade or two ago the underlying learning mechanisms of individual learners have not changed. It is important as we explore these different learning landscapes that we don’t naively assume that because the landscape has changed dramatically the learners have also changed. There are fundamental instructional strategies, determined primarily by the type of content to be taught rather than by learning styles or by the form of instructional affordance, that are necessary for effective, efficient and engaging learning of specified knowledge and skill to occur. Those learning activities that best promoted learning in the past are those learning activities that will best promote learning in the future. Yet, we have all observed that many instructional environments fail. However, on close examination it is also evident that these learning environments also fail to implement these known instructional strategies resulting in ineffective and inefficient learning outcomes. As we explore the shifting learning landscape it is critical that we don’t assume that because existing instructional environments often fail that the fundamental strategies of instruction have also failed. Most often these strategies have never been adequately implemented in the first place.