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Gamification is the process of using game elements in a non-game context. It could be an avenue to explore if you are having difficulty keeping learners motivated/engaged.

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Gamification In Learning And Why It Is Important

Gamification is the process of using game elements in a non-game context. It has many advantages over traditional learning approaches, including:

Increasing learner motivation levels

Improving knowledge retention

Better learner engagement through social mechanisms like badges, points, or leaderboards

In our modern world, technology is naturally a driving force behind learning and the development of curricula. To achieve better results from learners, today's educators are increasingly utilizing cutting-edge digital tools and strategies in their teaching methods. Gamification for learning is one of these strategies used increasingly by teachers around the world. Using gamified elements can positively impact student engagement and collaboration, allowing them to learn more efficiently as a result.

Gamification is about applying gaming strategies to improve learning and make it more engaging for individuals. Gamification for learning can be beneficial because games instill lifelong skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, social awareness, cooperation, and collaboration. Games also motivate individuals, increase interest in certain subjects, reduce the rate of attrition among learners, improve grades, and enhance their cognitive abilities.

Did you know? The global gamification market's estimated CAGR growth is 30%, around $31 billion, between 2020 and 2025 compared to 2019.

In this article, you'll learn all about gamification, including practical strategies and examples. By the end, you should know everything you need to get up and running with this contemporary eLearning strategy.

Neuroscience Of Gamification

Gamification psychology is a field that studies the behavior of users in gamified systems. In other words, it focuses on how to understand and influence people's behaviors through gaming methods. Studies have shown that the brain works in harmony with gamification and that it triggers the release of dopamine, which gives players an increased feeling of motivation and enjoyment. But how exactly do they work together?

1. Gamification Connects People On An Emotional Level

Emotions can be a powerful tool for learning. They help facilitate encoding and retrieval of information more effectively, making the learning process much more efficient. Gamification creates an emotional connection between the content and students. It strongly influences the individuals' attention, which makes them more receptive to learning.

2. Recall Is Controlled By The Hippocampus

The hippocampus is the part of the brain that controls the amount of information we recall or remember. It's no surprise, then, that gamification helps students retain better what they've learned during class. Gamification stimulates the hippocampal memory, which helps promote the storage of new information into long-term memory. Moreover, dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked with learning and memory, is also released from the hippocampus, which helps maintain focus on a task.

3. Stories Are Easier For The Brain To Process Than Facts

The brain processes stories more effectively than it does a string of facts. For this reason, storytelling is a fantastic way of delivering new information to students. Gamification greatly benefits from using this strategy, as games often include story-telling elements such as background, characters, plot twists, and more.

4. Game Playing Improves Endorphin Release

Endorphins are natural painkillers that improve relaxation, calm, and focus. They're naturally produced by the body while playing games and performing other engaging activities. Gamification strategies improve endorphin release, helping to create an environment ideal for focused learning.

5. Playing Games Keeps Your Brain Healthy

Games encourage neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to respond to different stimuli and develop new connections. This kind of training can strengthen neural pathways, increase cognitive skills such as memory and attention, enhance creativity and problem-solving skills, and help prevent age-related cognitive decline.

Gamification Vs. Games

Game-based learning makes games a part of the learning process. It is an instructional method where students learn specific skills or knowledge from playing an actual game. This type of learning takes educational content and transforms it into a game that students can play. On the other hand, gamification only makes use of game elements in a non-game context to enhance content comprehension and promote better retention of information. The main goal is still to improve student engagement, but gamification does not necessarily aim to teach them something new.

Strategies In Gamification For Learning

There are a variety of gamification strategies that you can incorporate into your learning environment. The most popular ones are:

1. Point systems
Assigning points for completing different tasks can encourage individuals to work hard. It also provides an accurate representation of their effort level to show how much they have progressed throughout the course or lesson.

2. Badges
Badges are a fantastic way to acknowledge and reward people for their efforts. A badge is an award given in the form of a virtual object or a pinned image on your profile. It is a fantastic way to show that you value the hard work and effort put into the task.

3. Leaderboards
Leaderboards are great for creating competition among students, as they will want to see their name on top and work harder as a result. You can even create separate leaderboards based on different teams, dividing the individuals into smaller groups for better competition.

4. Challenges
A challenge is a task that requires an individual to complete something using their time and effort, but it does not have any negative impact if failed or done incorrectly. Challenges can incorporate learning strategies such as problem-solving where individuals need to think outside the box to develop a solution.

Other gamification techniques or strategies could include the element of surprise to keep it exciting and allow users to "unlock" certain features or content in the game by completing a task.

Fun fact: Gamified healthcare apps are one way to distract children from the fact that they are undergoing medical treatment.

Examples Of Gamification In Learning

Gamification helps improve the learning experience in many ways, whether it's through academic, industrial, or business contexts. In this section, we'll take a look at a few of the most practical ways you can gamify learning.

Gamification In Education

There are several great examples of gamification in education that can help you form your own gamified teaching strategy. However, before diving into different examples, let's first look at game elements you should consider in the school setting:

Narrative

Immediate feedback

Fun

"Scaffolded learning" with challenges that increase

Progress indicators (e.g., points, badges, leaderboards)

Social connection

Player control

Now that you know the different elements you can use, let's look at some of the best examples:

1. Giving points for meeting academic objectives
Giving points for meeting objectives can be an excellent way to motivate students. It can also help track progress and increase engagement.

2. Giving points for accomplishing non-academic objectives
Teachers can also reward non-academic objectives, like tidying up the classroom, with points. This helps motivate learners to meet both academic and non-academic goals, which encourages their overall success.

3. Reflect on personalized performance
Reflecting on personalized performance helps students identify and track their progress. It is a good way for learners to self-assess what they've learned, predict the outcomes of future behavior, and see how far they need to go to succeed.

4. Using different methods of "progression"
Opting to use levels and checkpoints can help learners feel like they are progressing through the game. This makes them want to find out what happens next, which keeps their attention focused on learning.

5. Provide the option to give badges rather than points
Badges also work well when it comes to motivating and encouraging students. An effective alternative to points, badges are a great way to implement an element of competition into the classroom. They can also help create a sense of community and increase engagement in the classroom, which is fantastic for learning success.

6. Use different platforms or applications
Using different platforms or applications is a great way to keep students engaged. Teachers can achieve student engagement through tablets, smartphones, and more to allow learners to access their learning resources anytime and anywhere.

Using technology in this manner helps increase student engagement and motivation, which are both essential for supporting effective learning. Some examples could be the following:

Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a Next-Generation education non-profit that provides completely free online learning to its students. It routinely employs gamification practices to assist in the measurement of progress and achievements, as well as allow students to compete through badges, leaderboards, and more.

Quizlet
Quizlet is a recently popularized tool that utilizes gamification to produce simple, effective quizzes on study material. Students using Quizlet often learn more effectively and with more engagement than those that use traditional flash-card-based approaches.

Duolingo
Duolingo is an education platform that has applied gamification. It is a platform where users learn languages through practice and play. Learners can acquire points, level up, and compete with others to stay motivated in the learning process.

Kahoot!
Kahoot! is an educational game-based learning platform that teachers can use in the classroom, but it uses many game mechanics that follow the gamification methodology. It has a "ghost mode" wherein students can challenge themselves to beat their scores, and it has leaderboards to compete with one another. Users create their games and quizzes which they then share with other teachers, students, or users who may want to play them online at any time of day.

Google Read-Along app
The Google Read-Along app is a great example of gamification in education. It uses gamified features such as points and badges to help improve the reading experience for young learners who are just beginning their journey with books. This can be used in both primary and secondary schools, especially when motivating students toward literacy goals and improving their overall reading skills.

Gamification In Business

Businesses are also increasingly utilizing gamification to improve employee results by making the tedium of daily work into a fun and productive exercise.

Here are a few examples of gamification in business:

1. Interactive Leaderboards

Leaderboards are a great way of encouraging employees to keep improving. By making them aware that the rest of the team can see their progress, leaderboards help motivate employees to perform better and aim higher. They also help create competition within teams, which can lead to improved teamwork and collaboration among fellow employees who are working toward a common goal.

2. Spin-To-Wins

Spin-to-wins are a great way to motivate employees toward better performance. It is similar to the "spin" feature on slot machines in that it encourages users to keep playing; the allure of winning big time or gaining something valuable to improve their User Experience encourages them to perform better.

3. Goal Tracking Progress Bar

Goal tracking progress bars are a great way to motivate employees toward achieving set goals. The bar makes them aware of their performance and compares it with the company's overall goal, thus making them more determined than ever to do better. These can be applied in both small businesses and large corporations where employees work together to achieve better results for the company.

4. Point-Based Travel Opportunities

Point-based travel opportunities are a new and effective way companies are motivating their employees. Improved work results lead to acquiring points, which later reward employees through allowing them to partake in events, travel opportunities, and more.

5. Employee Points Reward Programs

Employee points reward programs are another gamification example used in the business world. These allow employees to receive points for improved performance, enhanced customer satisfaction levels, and better attendance at work. The points can then be redeemed for great prizes or rewards, such as restaurant gift cards or movie tickets.

Did you know? Employees who participate in gamification are 50% more productive and 60% more engaged.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

Is gamification relevant only to learning?
No. Gamification can be applied to any activity or goal that needs encouragement and motivation toward better performance, thus resulting in improved results for the individual and their team.

Who invented gamification, and when did it start?
Nick Pelling, computer programmer and investigative writer, coined the term "gamification" in 2002.

Do games really help you learn?
The answer depends on how well-designed the educational game is. In some cases, studies have shown that games may help students learn better and faster compared to traditional teaching methods.

How does gamification help in learning techniques?
Gamification for learning is not just for entertainment. It can also be applied to learn new techniques by using various incentives to encourage people to explore new ways of doing things.

How do I design my learning game effectively?
Generally speaking, a learning game includes three things: a defined goal, a set of rules, and a way to earn points. Ideally, it would also involve some sort of engagement from the user, and be easy to comprehend while staying relevant to your end topic.

Conclusion

Gamification is a great way to help individuals in the learning process and motivate them to perform better. Leaders can incorporate gamification into various activities and goals that need encouragement for better results.

To learn more about eLearning and training, visit our blog at eWyse.
Sources:

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Gamification For Learning: Strategies And Examples

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Gamification for learning uses game mechanics to enhance learning. This article discusses strategies of how it's done effectively.

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This is a whole free course on the foundations of ID. A lot of it is a rehash of what we have learned, but it is another explanation with good visuals and another place to test your learning.

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This Course

Video Transcript

This course, Instructional Design Foundations, introduces learners to the conceptual and theoretical foundations of instructional design as well as the analysis aspect of instructional systems design in order to create an innovative instructional solution to performance problems in organizations. This particular course also introduces learners to concepts covered in the Instructional Design MasterTrack Certificate. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: ●Describe the major concepts of instructional systems design ●Describe the major learning and instructional theories ●Describe the process of instructional design and instructional design models ●Describe various analysis activities for instructional design

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Apr 3, 2021

I have learned so many things with this course. The instructor can deliver the material as well and the design on this course makes me feel smooth and understand clearly the material

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Oct 28, 2021

This course helped me to understand the theoretical foundations of Instructional Design. In addition, I learned some of the foundational skills needed when beginning in this field.

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From the lesson

MODULE 2: Foundations and Tools of ISD

In this module, we will focus on theoretical foundations including learning theories and instructional theories relevant to instructional design. We will also discuss different instructional design models and their unique characteristics. Finally, we will discuss talent development and its relationship with instructional design.

Taught By

Eunjung Grace Oh

Assistant Professor, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership

Transcript

[MUSIC] Hello everyone, welcome back. In this video, we're going to talk about instructional design models. Here is the list of topics that we'll be discussing. We'll first look at what instructional design models are. That among various existing instructional design models, we'll look at five instructional design models and their characteristics. As we have talked about before, instructional design is a systematic process for developing educational and training programs, in order to solve performance problems due to deficits in knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes. So basically, instructional design models guide the systematic process. In general, instructional design models are both descriptive and prescriptive in their nature. The instructional design models are descriptive because they typically show its process and what happens during a process. They also show explained relationships, particularly if then relationships among various parts during the design process. Instruction design models are prescriptive as well, because they guide the design process by suggesting methods, procedures, and strategies that are relevant for each stage of the design process. And the model typically simplifies the complex reality, what it tries to represent. So, in the same way instructional design models also help us conceptualize the complex and diverse reality of instructional design context and process in a simplified format. By identifying and presenting generic processes and activities. Instructional design models also give us conceptual and communication tools that we can visualize, guide, and manage the instructional design process. Finally, instructional design models serve as a framework for following basic steps, applying important principles, and using operational tools and techniques. If you look at various models, some models are more prescriptive than others as they guide us a greater detail in terms of selecting and constructing operational tools, such as certain diagrams, templates, and worksheets. We have talked about ADDIE briefly in an earlier video. ADDIE is an acronym for analysis, design, implementation and evaluation. Which are the essential activities to design learning experiences. They are the core elements of many instructional design models. Yeah, we can customize the ADDIE process to meet the needs of the project context, okay? So, let's see the other models one by one. The first one that I want to introduce here is the Dick, Carey and Carey model. The initial model was developed in 1978, and it's been modified slightly. The version that you see on the screen was introduced in a recent publication of theirs. And this model's pretty standard model, and certainly one of the most widely used ones. And this is one of the system oriented models which typically starts with a data collection, to decide whether developing an instructional solution to a problem is visible and desirable. The model particularly stands out from other models by its focus on using needs assessment, and clear goal identification to design instruction. The models also intended for use in a variety organization settings, including business industry, government and military and so forth. And it's quite prescriptive model by containing a number of operational pools. A very detailed and useful during the analysis and evaluation phase of a project, so great way to introduce people to the instructional design process and field. In this model, the first three steps, assess needs to identify goals, conduct instructional analysis, and analyze learners and contacts kind of follow into the analysis stage of the ADDIE process. The design stage include writing performance objectives, developing an assessment instrument, and in developing an instructional strategy. Once the instructional strategy is decided, instructional designers develop and select instructional materials. The implementation stage is not clearly specified here. But through the formative evaluation of instruction which involves one-on-one small group and field trials, revision of the instruction happens. As illustrated in the model, such revision can be made at any stop of the instruction design, depending on the findings. The evaluation stage includes both planning and conducting formative and summative evaluation of the instruction. This is Smith and Ragan model, which is another system-oriented model like the Dick, Cary and Cary model. The Smith and Ragan model was originally created in 1999, and has been widely used by students and professionals. As you can see, the model is divided into three primary phases: analysis, strategy, and evaluation. And these three phases are the foundation for the eight associate steps of the instructional design process. As you can see in the analysis stage, instructional designer analyse learning context, by substantiating a need for an instruction. And by understanding the learning environment where the instruction will be offered. Also, instruction designers analyze the characteristics of target learners, as well as learning task. Lastly, they plan the overall assessment and develop assessment instruments for the learning objectives identified in the prior step. In the next phase, the strategy section includes determining various instructional strategies for organizing and managing instruction. Then the instructional designers translate those instructional strategy agents into actual instruction, while they write and produce instruction. The last phase is evaluation, where instruction designers conduct formative evaluation and modify instruction. Instructional material is based on the findings from those formative evaluations. The model looks pretty linear, but Smith and Ragan explain that there are often situations, where several steps can happen concurrently. The next model is the Marison, Ross, Kalman, and Kemp model. This is another popular model that was initially created by Kemp, and adopted by Kemp, Marison, and Ross in 1994. As you can see, this is an oval shaped circular model without any lines, meaning that they believe the instructional design is a continuous process. And revision really can happen within and between all of the other design elements, as a kind of ongoing activity. So considering the information that the designers already have, the designers can start anywhere that they are, and proceed in one direction. So in that sense, this model can be also particularly appealing to teachers and instructors, because instructional design can be started in any place again. And gives much freedom to them to modify the instruction as necessary. And the goal of having such flexibility is to correct issues as they arise, and make high quality instruction more efficiently. As seen in the slide, the model also emphasizes evaluation. And recognize more environmental factors in the learning settings, such as support services and resources that will help instruction and learning activities. The analysis step is pretty similar by identifying instructional problems and specifying goals for designing instruction, examining learner characteristics that are important to instructional decisions. Identifying subject content and analyzing task components related to the goals, and specifying instructional objectives. During the design stage, the goal is to really to sequence the content within each instructional unit, so that instruction can be offered in a logical way. Design instructional strategies will engage learners and help them master the objectives. And also designed instructional messages to facilitate learning to be effective, efficient and attractive. Based on the design output developed instruction and planning implementation and project management aspects, are also highlighted in this model. Develop evaluation instruments, conduct evaluations when necessary, and make revisions. The last model that I would like to introduce is rapid prototyping. This is one of the rapid prototyping models by Tripp and Bichelmeyer. Rapid prototyping models tend to be product oriented models. That means that the designers need to produce an instruction product, rather than slack or modify existing materials. And the designers need to spend considerable time on tryout and revision. Although the amount of time that the designers would spend for front and analysis of activities can vary, often the rapid prototyping approach facilitates quick assessment of goals and design specifications. With such information, designers can quickly develop the prototype, which they can test and improve it through iterative tryout and revision cycles. And as you can see, analysis, construction of a prototype, its utilization and implementation of the design, all proceed as they overlap with each other, requiring revision of the product throughout the project. This kind of rapid prototyping approach helps the clients to see the prototype early on. So it helps the communication between the clients and the designers. Also, prototyping can promote quicker user feedback, so we can accelerate the overall development cycle. However, if earlier prototyping is somewhat premature and irrelevant, then commitment to it can result in a risky situation. And this kind of prototyping activity approach can be challenging for novice designers. Lastly, sometimes prototyping can be possibly decrease the motivation to improve the creativity and and make a better design, once we commit to certain prototype. So far we have discuss the concept, roles and some examples instruction design modeles. Hopefully you have tasted the depth and the breadth of this field, and how models differ from each other while they share essential components, ADDIE. I would like to end this lecture with a statement by Gustafson and Branch. No single instructional design model is well matched to the many and varied design and development environments, in which instructional design personnel work. Hence, instructional design professionals should be competent in applying and possibly adapting a variety of models, to meet the requirements of specific situations. [MUSIC]

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Instructional Design Models, Part I - MODULE 2: Foundations and Tools of ISD | Coursera

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Loading... This Course Video Transcript This course, Instructional Design Foundations, introduces learners to the conceptual and theoretical foundations of instructional design as well as the analysis aspect of instructional systems design in order to create an innovative instructional solution to performance problems in organizations.

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This is an interesting read because it is published by an online university, so the applications to the Learning Theories are based on the classroom (which is where I hope to apply my ID knowledge).
This page also explores transformative, social, and experiential learning theories.

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No two students are alike, and the way every person learns will vary. Our brains are all unique, and our experiences all contribute to the different ways we learn. Psychologists have spent countless hours performing tests to better understand how students learn.

Current and aspiring teachers need tobe educated to be prepared for teaching students every day, and an important part of teacher education is understanding different ways of learning. There are many solidified learning theories that teachers can learn from as they prepare to help students in the classroom. Teachers who understand learning theories can use different techniques in their classrooms to cater to different kinds of learning. This can help all students find success in learning.

There are five main educational learning theories that educators can utilize to help them enhance their classrooms and make them better learning environments for all students.

Cognitive learning theory looks at the way people think. Mental processes are an important part in understanding how we learn. The cognitive theory understands that learners can be influenced by both internal and external elements.

Plato and Descartes are two of the first philosophers that focused on cognition and how we as human beings think. Many other researchers looked deeper into the idea of how we think, spurring more research. Jean Piaget is a highly important figure in the field of cognitive psychology, and his work focuses on environments and internal structures and how they impact learning.

Cognitive theory has developed over time, breaking off into sub-theories that focus on unique elements of learning and understanding. At the most basic level, the cognitive theory suggests that internal thoughts and external forces are both an important part of the cognitive process. And as students understand how their thinking impacts their learning and behavior, they are able to have more control over it.

Cognitive learning theory impacts students because their understanding of their thought process can help them learn. Teachers can give students opportunities to ask questions, to fail, and think out loud. These strategies can help students understand how their thought process works, and utilize this knowledge to construct better learning opportunities.

Behaviorism learning theory is the idea that how a student behaves is based on their interaction with their environment. It suggests that behaviors are influenced and learned from external forces rather than internal forces.

Psychologists have been developing the idea of behaviorism since the 19th century. Behavioral learning theory is the basis for psychology that can be observed and quantified. Positive reinforcement is a popular element of behaviorism-classical conditioning observed in Pavlov's dog experiments suggests that behaviors are directly motivated by the reward that can be obtained.

Teachers in a classroom can utilize positive reinforcement to help students better learn a concept. Students who receive positive reinforcement are more likely to retain information moving forward, a direct result of the behaviorism theory.

Constructivism learning theory is based on the idea that students actually create their own learning based on their previous experiences. Students take what they're being taught and add it to their previous knowledge and experiences, creating a reality that's unique to them. This learning theory focuses on learning as an active process, which is personal and individual for each student.

Teachers can utilize constructivism to help understand that each student will bring their own past to the classroom every day. Teachers in constructivist classrooms act as more of a guide to helping students create their own learning and understanding. They help them create their own process and reality based on their own past. This is crucial to helping many kinds of students take their own experiences and include them in their learning.

Humanism is very closely related to constructivism. Humanism directly focuses on the idea of self-actualization. Everyone functions under a hierarchy of needs. Self-actualization is at the top of the hierarchy of needs-it's the brief moments where a person feels all of their needs are met and that they're the best possible version of themselves. Everyone is striving for this, and learning environments can either move toward meeting needs or away from meeting needs.

Teachers can create classroom environments that help students get closer to their self-actualization. Educators can help fulfill students' emotional and physical needs, giving them a safe and comfortable place to learn, plenty of food, and the support they need to succeed. This kind of environment is the most conducive to helping students learn.

Connectivism is one of the newest educational learning theories. It focuses on the idea that people learn and grow when they form connections. This can be connections with each other or connections with their roles and obligations in their lives. Hobbies, goals, and people can all be connections that influence learning.

Teachers can utilize connectivism in their classrooms to help students make connections to things that excite them, helping them learn. Teachers can use digital media to make good, positive connections to learning. They can help create connections and relationships with their students and with their peer groups to help students feel motivated about learning.

While these five learning theories are the main educational learning theories for teachers who want to support their students' learning, there are additional theories they may want to understand. Some may work as good supplemental theories for teachers to bolster their educational support with a new approach.

Transformative learning theory is a great approach for adult education and young adult learning. Also referred to as transformation learning, transformative learning theory focuses on the idea that learners can adjust their thinking based on new information.

This learning theory was founded by Jack Mezirow, who discovered it after doing studies on adult women who went back to school. His initial research found that adults don't apply their old understanding to new situations and that having a new perspective helped them gain a new understanding of things as they change. Mezirow also believed that students had important teaching and learning opportunities connected to their past experiences and that critical reflection and review could lead to a transformation of their understanding.

This approach works well for adult students, as children don't have the same kind of transformation with their learning experiences-and with life experience. Adult students could draw on childhood experiences and transforming those beliefs and understandings using critical reflection, leading them to an understanding of what they should believe and understand as adults.

Overall, the theory states that our worldview is changed the more we learn, which helps us grasp new concepts and ideas. By getting new information that helps evaluate past ideas, students are able to make a dramatic educational shift beyond standard learning. Teachers can employ this learning theory by encouraging their students to learn new perspectives while questioning their assumptions and open the floor for discourse to cement their new train of thought.

Using social learning theory can be a valuable tool for dealing with difficult students who like to disrupt the classroom and cause trouble. This theory focuses on the concept of children learning from observing others by acting on or not acting on what they see exhibited by their classmates. For example, they may see a classmate politely asking for a treat and getting one, or maybe they hear another classmate talking about something new they've learned, which teaches the student something new even if it's not something they try themselves.

This learning theory was founded by Albert Bandura. He conducted an experiment called the Bobo doll experiment in the early '60s, during which he studied children's behavior after they watched an adult act aggressively with a doll-like toy. He noted how the children reacted when the adult got rewarded, punished, or suffered no consequences after they attacked the doll. Bandura wrote about his findings in 1977, detailing social learning theory and how it affected the behavioral development of students.

There are four elements to social learning theory:

Attention, which calls upon different or unique lessons or activities to help children focus.

Retention, focusing on how the student will internalize information and recall it later on.

Reproduction, drawing on previously learned behavior and when it's appropriate to use it.

Motivation, which can extend from seeing other classmates being rewarded or punished for their actions.

By using social modeling based on these elements, teachers have a very powerful tool in their arsenal that can effectively guide their students to be more active in their learning, pay more attention, and channel their energy into their schooling.

Experiential learning theory focuses on learning by doing. Using this theory, students are encouraged to learn through experiences that can help them retain information and recall facts.

Experiential learning theory, or ELT, was identified by David Kolb in 1984. Though his influence came from other theorists such as John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget, Kolb was able to identify four stages of ELT. The first two stages, concrete learning and reflective observation, focus on grasping an experience. The latter two, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation are about transforming an experience. To Kolb, effective learning is seen as the learner goes through the cycle of experiential learning theory. Students can enter the cycle in any way and at any point.

Some examples of this form of learning include taking students to the zoo to learn about animals instead of just reading about them or growing a garden to learn about photosynthesis instead of watching a video about it. By creating environments where students can learn and experience at the same time, teachers offer students the opportunity to immediately apply their knowledge and get real-world experiences. This approach also encourages teamwork and is shown to improve motivation.

Teachers can create specific strategies and techniques to apply these learning theories in their classrooms. Teachers need to first focus on getting a well-rounded education to learn about all kinds of techniques for teaching and classroom management. Teachers need to understand learning theories to be prepared to utilize them in their classrooms.

An understanding of learning theories helps teachers connect to all different kinds of students. Teachers can focus on different learning styles to reach different students, creating teaching that focuses directly on student needs and aptitudes.

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When considering the best approach to helping students learn, teachers may call upon learning theories to support their educational pursuits. Read on to discover the five main educational theories and three supplemental theories that can make a big difference in how students learn.

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Good overview of Instructional Theory with great breakdown in list format of:

Universal Methods of Instruction

Situational Methods

Core ideas for the Post-industrial Paradigm of Instruction

References on this page lead to some great resources

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An instructional theory is "a theory that offers explicit guidance on how to better help people learn and develop." It provides insights about what is likely to happen and why with respect to different kinds of teaching and learning activities while helping indicate approaches for their evaluation. Instructional designers focus on how to best structure material and instructional behavior to facilitate learning.

Originating in the United States in the late 1970s, instructional theory is influenced by three basic theories in educational thought: behaviorism, the theory that helps us understand how people conform to predetermined standards; cognitivism, the theory that learning occurs through mental associations; and constructivism, the theory explores the value of human activity as a critical function of gaining knowledge. Instructional theory is heavily influenced by the 1956 work of Benjamin Bloom, a University of Chicago professor, and the results of his Taxonomy of Education Objectives-one of the first modern codifications of the learning process. One of the first instructional theorists was Robert M. Gagne, who in 1965 published Conditions of Learning for the Florida State University's Department of Educational Research.

Instructional theory is different than learning theory. A learning theory describes how learning takes place, and an instructional theory prescribes how to better help people learn. Learning theories often inform instructional theory, and three general theoretical stances take part in this influence: behaviorism (learning as response acquisition), cognitivism (learning as knowledge acquisition), and constructivism (learning as knowledge construction). Instructional theory helps us create conditions that increases the probability of learning. Its goal is understanding the instructional system and to improve the process of instruction.

Instructional theories identify what instruction or teaching should be like. It outlines strategies that an educator may adopt to achieve the learning objectives. Instructional theories are adapted based on the educational content and more importantly the learning style of the students. They are used as teaching guidelines/tools by teachers/trainers to facilitate learning. Instructional theories encompass different instructional methods, models and strategies.

David Merrill's First Principles of Instruction discusses universal methods of instruction, situational methods and core ideas of the post-industrial paradigm of instruction.

Universal Methods of Instruction:

Task-Centered Principle - instruction should use a progression of increasingly complex whole tasks.

Demonstration Principle - instruction should guide learners through a skill and engage peer discussion/demonstration.

Application Principle - instruction should provide intrinsic or corrective feedback and engage peer-collaboration.

Activation Principle - instruction should build upon prior knowledge and encourage learners to acquire a structure for organizing new knowledge.

Integration Principle - instruction should engage learners in peer-critiques and synthesizing newly acquired knowledge.

based on different approaches to instruction

Role play

Mastery learning

Direct instruction

Discussion

Conflict resolution

Peer learning

Experiential learning

Problem-based learning

Simulation-based learning

based on different learning outcomes:

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation

Affective development

Integrated learning

Core ideas for the Post-industrial Paradigm of Instruction:

Learner centered vs. teacher centered instruction - with respect to the focus, instruction can be based on the capability and style of the learner or the teacher.

Learning by doing vs. teacher presenting - Students often learn more by doing rather than simply listening to instructions given by the teacher.

Attainment based vs. time based progress - The instruction can either be based on the focus on the mastery of the concept or the time spent on learning the concept.

Customized vs. standardized instruction - The instruction can be different for different learners or the instruction can be given in general to the entire classroom

Criterion referenced vs. norm referenced instruction - Instruction related to different types of evaluations.

Collaborative vs. individual instruction - Instruction can be for a team of students or individual students.

Enjoyable vs. unpleasant instructions - Instructions can create a pleasant learning experience or a negative one (often to enforce discipline). Teachers must take care to ensure positive experiences.

Four tasks of Instructional theory:

Knowledge selection

Knowledge sequence

Interaction management

Setting of interaction environment

Paulo Freire's work appears to critique instructional approaches that adhere to the knowledge acquisition stance, and his work Pedagogy of the Oppressed has had a broad influence over a generation of American educators with his critique of various "banking" models of education and analysis of the teacher-student relationship.

Freire explains, "Narration (with the teacher as narrator) leads the students to memorize mechanically the narrated content. Worse yet, it turns them into "containers", into "receptacles" to be "filled" by the teacher. The more completely she fills the receptacles, the better a teacher she is. The more meekly the receptacles permit themselves to be filled, the better students they are." In this way he explains educator creates an act of depositing knowledge in a student. The student thus becomes a repository of knowledge. Freire explains that this system that diminishes creativity and knowledge suffers. Knowledge, according to Freire, comes about only through the learner by inquiry and pursuing the subjects in the world and through interpersonal interaction.

Freire further states, "In the banking concept of education, knowledge is a gift bestowed by those who consider themselves knowledgeable upon those whom they consider to know nothing. Projecting an absolute ignorance onto others, a characteristic of the ideology of oppression, negates education and knowledge as processes of inquiry. The teacher presents himself to his students as their necessary opposite; by considering their ignorance absolute, he justifies his own existence. The students, alienated like the slave in the Hegelian dialectic, accept their ignorance as justifying the teacher's existence-but, unlike the slave, they never discover that they educate the teacher." Freire then offered an alternative stance and wrote, "The raison d'etre of libertarian education, on the other hand, lies in its drive towards reconciliation. Education must begin with the solution of the teacher-student contradiction, by reconciling the poles of the contradiction so that both are simultaneously teachers and students."

In the article, "A process for the critical analysis of instructional theory", the authors use an ontology-building process to review and analyze concepts across different instructional theories. Here are their findings:

Concepts exist in theoretical writing that theorists do not address directly.

These tacit concepts, which supply the ontological categories, enable a more detailed comparison of theories beyond specific terminologies.

Divergences between theories can be concealed behind common terms used by different theorists.

A false sense of understanding often arises from a cursory, uncritical reading of the theories.

Discontinuities and gaps are revealed within the theoretical literature when the tacit concepts are elicited.

Educational technology - Use of technology in education to improve learning and teaching (the use of electronic educational technology is also called e-learning)

Instructional design - Process for design and development of learning resources

Teaching method - Principles and methods used by teachers to enable student learning

Training Within Industry - Service for on the job training in industry was developed during WWII and is still in use around the world

Behaviorism - Systematic approach to understanding the behavior of humans and other animals

Cognitivism - Theoretical framework for understanding the mind

Constructivism - Philosophical viewpoint about the nature of knowledge; theory of knowledge

Linking Premise to Practice: An Instructional Theory-Strategy Model Approach By: Bowden, Randall. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, v5 n3 p69-76 Mar 2008

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An instructional theory is "a theory that offers explicit guidance on how to better help people learn and develop." It provides insights about what is likely to happen and why with respect to different kinds of teaching and learning activities while helping indicate approaches for their evaluation.

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Quick, surface level intro to microlearning. But there are also a lot of resources to explore on the site, including a video on designing microlearning and an ebook on microlearning.

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The principle of learning in small, repetitive chunks has long been acknowledged as an effective method of learning skills such as a language or musical instrument. Increasingly, evidence shows microlearning to be an effective tool for workplace learning and performance. Studies have found that learners learn best and are more likely to recall learning when they can process information through small, manageable chunks instead of through a longer and more concentrated time frame.

Microlearning is often a technology-based or technology-enhanced form of training. This scientifically studied practice has only existed since the early 2000s, when computers and the Internet presented a new opportunity to support learners. The rise of mobile technology makes it even easier for learners to access microlearning segments on the go.

Micorlearning can be used as performance support, where the learner accesses the segment at the point of need, such as when they perform a task that is highly complex or one they perform infrequently. Microlearning can also serve as support for longer learning. For example, learners may attend a half-day in-person training then access microlearning segments with key content if they need a refresher at a later date.

ATD's 2017 research report Microlearning: Delivering Bite-Sized Knowledge asked respondents about the top benefits of microlearning. Forty-one percent of respondents said that the top benefit to microlearning is that learners can access it when it's convenient, and 40 percent said that it's less likely to overwhelm learners.

What Are Microlearning Best Practices?

ATD's 2017 research report on microlearning outlines several microlearning best practices:

Make Learning Only As Long As Needed: Microlearning should be as long as it needs to be rather than bound to a particular timeframe.

Get Buy-In From Leaders: One-third of survey respondents whose organizations use microlearning indicated that a top barrier to effective learning is not holding learners accountable. Microlearning is often incorrectly considered to be informal or optional learning, and longer forms of learning are more likely seen as formal and required. To correct this misperception, leadership needs to support microlearning initiatives. This support will increase the likelihood that managers see microlearning as required learning, and that they hold their teams accountable for completing microlearning.

Identify Objectives: A first step to any training should be to identify the goal the resource is intended to help people achieve. Sometimes a microlearning resource is focused on knowledge acquisition, but the goal with microlearning is often performance support. People generally access microlearning assets to get what they need quickly to get back to work. Establishing the performance or learning objective upfront can also help talent development professionals identify whether the objective can be accomplished through microlearning or if it is suited for a different form of learning, such as in-person classroom learning or a longer e-learning module.

Knowledge Quizzes Are Not Always the Right Choice: Including knowledge quizzes or other forms of assessment at the end of each microlearning segment may not be an effective approach. Having to complete a quiz every time they access microlearning could frustrate learners. This also counteracts the short, just-in-time nature of microlearning.

Consider Integrating Hands-On Activities and Simulations: Organizations that incorporate hands-on activities or simulations into microlearning are more likely to report that their microlearning efforts are effective. These elements may be a more engaging choice than other options and can provide more variety for learning. The opportunity to practice and apply skills in a no-pressure environment can be valuable to learners even if the activity is brief.

Consider the Technology Environment in Which Microlearning Will Be Implemented: Talent development professionals should think about whether the content will be hosted on an LMS or elsewhere, whether and how it will be tracked, and whether it will be optional or required.

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The principle of learning in small, repetitive chunks has long been acknowledged as an effective method of learning skills such as a language or musical instrument. Increasingly, evidence shows microlearning to be an effective tool for workplace learning and performance.

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0:48 Behaviorism
2:36 Cognitivism
4:12 cognitive Constructivism
5:45 embodied cognitivism
8:29 summary

This is nice quick video covering the 3 big Learning Theories. It also gets a little into "embodied cognitivism", which is getting the body involved in learning. Making multisensory lessons can help foster learning and understanding.

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Learning Sciences Theories - Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism