The Specifics of Gagne's Theories and Research

The Specifics of Gagne's Theories and Research

There are two main pieces to Gagne's Conditions of Learning Theory. 

1) The identification of the five major categories, or levels, of learning, explaining that different internal and external conditions are often necessary for each level:

• verbal information
• intellectual skills
• cognitive strategies
• motor skills
• attitudes

2) The way that we as teachers must understand these levels and how to teach according to all styles of learning. 

The significance, of course, of the five major categories of learning is that each style of learning requires different styles of teaching. In other words, this theory exemplifies the details for much of what our job as educators will entail. These are the nine steps of instruction that Gagne suggests a teacher must follow in order to have the desired learning outcomes:

• Gaining attention
• Informing learners of the objective
• Stimulating recall of prior learning
• Presenting the stimulus 
• Providing learning guidance
• Eliciting performance
• Providing feedback
• Assessing performance
• Enhancing retention and transfer