The purpose of this volume is to help educators and training developers
to improve the quality of their instruction. Unlike other books, which
have appeared so far, this volume is not limited to a particular
theoretical position. Nor is it like many of the instructional design
texts, which ignore the learning literature. Rather, it draws upon any
and all of those research-based principles regardless of learning
theory, which suggest heuristics to guide instructional strategies. The
approach of the authors is unique in that they develop a framework or
model taxonomy for tasks, through which the principles of learning can
be related to particular learning processes, suggesting distinctive
strategies for specific instructional tasks. The authors present a
four-stage model that includes acquisition, automaticity, near term
transfer, and far term transfer.
The book is a practical guide for developing instructional strategies
across the four principal domains, cognitive, affective, psychomotor,
and interpersonal; and is backed by empirically supported learning
principles. It is useful both to the experienced as well as the novice
developer (e.g. the student).