Component Display Theory

LEARNING THEORY FAMILY TREE

This theory falls under the cognitivist learning theory family tree. Gagne’s theory identified events of instruction that follow a procedure: gaining attention, informing the learner of the objective, stimulating prior knowledge, presenting an example, providing guidance, eliciting performance, providing feedback, assessing performance and enhancing retention and transfer. The cognitivist “theory focused on individualized learning perspectives and procedures” (BOOK p. 58), the component display theory relies on the premise that the student has control when choosing their own instructional strategies to meet their style and preferences.

COMPONENT DISPLAY THEORY EXPLAINED

The component display theory classifies learning into two dimensions; content and performance. The teacher needs to provide a variety of ways to present content and a variety of ways to attempt performance. The student will have control over which strategies they choose to learn the objective. The first dimension is content, teachers can present content through facts, concepts, procedures and principles. The second dimension is performance, teachers can allow students to attempt performance through use, find and remember. There are two presentation forms as well. Primary presentation through examples, rules, recall and practice and secondary through prerequisites, helps, objectives, mnemonics, feedback.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLE

Objective: Define obtuse triangle

Rule or Definition: A triangle that has an angle greater than 90 degrees

Example: Show a picture of an obtuse triangle

Recall: Have students rewrite the definition of an obtuse triangle in their own words

Practice: Have a worksheet with several triangles and have them identify which are obtuse

Feedback: Go over the handout with students to show correct answers

HYPERLINKS

http://opencontent.org/docs/cdt.pdf

    This link is to an article that references the basis of this theory as well as its role in developing further theories.

http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/component-display.html

    This link is an overview of the theory with an explanation of application, an example as well as procedures that can make the theory more effective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1zpmbaBiOs

    This link is to a Youtube video explaining the theory.