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Merrill's (14) first principles of instruction

These principles come from:

• A 2007 version: www.aect.org/events/symposia/Docs/Merrill_paper.doc (in the appendix)
• M. David Merrill (2002) Educational Technology Research and Development Vol.50 No.3 pp. 43-59 http://www.jstor.org/stable/30220335

Task-centered principle

• Learning is promoted when instruction is in the context of whole real-world tasks.
• Learning is promoted when learners are engaged in a task-centered instructional strategy involving a progression of whole real-world tasks.

  Activation principle

• Learning is promoted when learners activate relevant cognitive structures by being directed to recall, describe or demonstrate relevant prior knowledge or experience.
• Activation is enhanced when learners share previous experience with one another.
• Activation is enhanced when learners recall or acquire a structure for organizing the new knowledge, when this structure is the basis for guidance during demonstration, is the basis for coaching during application, and is a basis for reflection during integration.

  Demonstration principle

• Learning is promoted when learners observe a demonstration of the skills to be learned that is consistent with the type of content being taught.
• Demonstrations are enhanced when learners are guided to relate general information or an organizing structure to specific instances.
• Demonstrations are enhanced by peer-discussion and peer-demonstration.

  Application principle

• Learning is promoted when learners engage in application of their newly acquired knowledge or skill that is consistent with the type of content being taught.
• Application is effective only when learners receive intrinsic or corrective feedback.
• Application is enhanced when learners are coached and when this coaching is gradually withdrawn for each subsequent task.
• Application is enhanced by peer-collaboration and peer critique.

  Integration principle

• Learning is promoted when learners integrate their new knowledge into their everyday life by being directed to reflect-on, discuss, or defend their new knowledge or skill.
• Integration is enhanced by peer-discussion and peer-critique.
• Integration is enhanced when learners create, invent, or explore personal ways to use their new knowledge or skill.
• Integration is enhanced when learners publicly demonstrate their new knowledge or skill.

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