GAGNE'S NINE

STEPS IN
LEARNING
JESSA MAE DAGAMAC
KRISTINE CARIAS
INTRODUCTION
In 1965, Robert Gagné proposed a
series of events that are associated
with and address the mental conditions
for learning. Each of the nine events
of instruction is highlighted below,
followed by sample methods to help
implement the events in your own
instruction.
 1. GAIN ATTENTION
Ensure the learners are ready to learn
and participate in activities by presenting
a stimulus to capture their attention.

These are a few methods for capturing learners’

attention:
• Pose thought-provoking
LET'S questions
GET STARTED! to
students
• Lead an ice breaker activity
 2. INFORM STUDENTS OF THE
OBJECTIVES
Inform students of the objectives or outcomes for
the course and individual lessons to help them
understand what they are expected to learn and
do. Provide objectives before instruction begins.

Here are some methods for stating the outcomes:

• Describe required performance
• Describe criteria for standard performance
• Have LET'S establish
learners GET STARTED!
criteria for standard
performance
• Include course objectives on assessment prompt
 3. STIMULATE RECALL OF PRIOR
LEARNING
Help students make sense of new information by
relating it to something they already know or
something they have already experienced

here are numerous methods for stimulating recall:

• Ask students about their understanding of
previous concepts
• Relate previous course information to the
LET'S
current topic GET STARTED!
• Have students incorporate prior learning into
current activities
 4. PRESENT THE CONTENT
Use strategies to present and cue lesson content
to provide more effective instruction. Organize and
group content in meaningful ways, and provide
explanations after demonstrations.

The following are ways to present and cue lesson content:

• Present multiple versions of the same content (e.g. video,
demonstration, lecture, podcast, group work, etc.)
• Use a variety of media to engage students in learning
• Incorporate LET'S GET
active learning STARTED!
strategies to keep students
involved
• Provide access to content on Blackboard so students can
access it outside of class
5. PROVIDE LEARNING GUIDANCE

Advise students of strategies

to aid them in learning
content and of resources
available. In other words, help
students learn how to learn.
LET'S GET STARTED!
6. ELICIT PERFORMANCE (PRACTICE)
Have students apply what they have
learned to reinforce new skills and
knowledge and to confirm correct
understanding of course concepts.

Here are a few ways to activate learner

processing:
LET'S GET STARTED!
• Facilitate student activities
• Provide formative assessment opportunities
• Design effective quizzes and tests
THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME TYPES OF FEEDBACK YOU
MAY PROVIDE TO STUDENTS:

• CONFIRMATORY FEEDBACK - informs the student that they did

what they were supposed to do. This type of feedback does not
tell the student what she needs to improve, but it encourages
the learner.

• EVALUATIVE FEEDBACK - apprises the student of the accuracy

LET'S GET STARTED!
of their performance or response but does not provide guidance
on how to progress.
• REMEDIAL FEEDBACK - directs students to find the correct answer but
does not provide the correct answer.

• DESCRIPTIVE OR ANALYTIC FEEDBACK - provides the student with

suggestions, directives, and information to help them improve their
performance.

• PEER-EVALUATION AND SELF-EVALUATION - help learners identify learning gaps and

LET'S
performance shortcomings in their own and peers’ GET
work. STARTED!
 8. ASSESS PERFORMANCE
Test whether the expected learning outcomes have
been achieved on previously stated course
objectives.

Some methods for testing learning include the

following:
• Administer pre- and post-tests
• formative assessment
• Implement a variety of assessment methods
• Craft objective, effective rubrics to assess
written assignments, projects, or presentations
 9. ENHANCE RETENTION AND TRANSFER

Help learners retain more information by

providing them opportunities to connect course
concepts to potential real-world applications.

The following are methods to help learners

internalize new knowledge:
• Avoid isolating course content.
• Continually incorporate questions
• To promote deep learning, clearly articulate
your lesson goals, use your specific goals to
guide your instructional design, and align
learning activities to lesson goals (Halpern &
Hakel, 2003, p. 41).
CONCLUSION
Gagné’s nine events of instruction can help you build a
framework to prepare and deliver instructional content while
considering and addressing conditions for learning. Ideally, you
should prepare course goals and learning objectives before
implementing the nine events, the goals and objectives will
help situate the events in their proper context. The nine events of
instruction can then be modified to fit both the content and students’
level of knowledge.
REFERENCES
Gagné, R. M., Briggs, L. J., & Wager, W. W. (1992). Principles
of instructional design (4th ed.). Forth Worth, TX: Harcourt
Brace Jovanovich College Publishers.

Halpern, D. F., & Hakel, M. D. (2003). Applying the science of

learning to the university and beyond: Teaching for long-term
retention and transfer. Change, 35(4), 36-41.
THANK YOU
for
LISTENING