Today's Tip
Introducing — Introductions
 The
introduction to a lesson or module is essential for
- Gaining
the attention of the learner and
- Creating a state
of readiness to learn.
An
introduction helps to create a mindset for learners to receive new
information and experiences. It taps relevant background knowledge
and motivates the adult learner.
From Edward Thorndike “Law of Readiness” to David Ausbel’s
concept of “Advanced Organizers to M. David Merrill’s “First
Principles of Instruction” some sort of introduction to lessons/modules
is explained as a fundamental to learning for adult learners. You can,
of course, use them in various combinations. Below are five types of introductions you might consider when writing
any lesson or module. You can click
here to also see an example of
each along with its description.
Five Types Of Introductions You Can Use
| Questions |
Questions alert learners to look for the answers. Use questions
with adult learners to arouse interest and focus attention. |
| Rationale |
A rationale explains
how the learner benefits from reaching the instructional objectives.
It helps the learners answer the question, "What's
in it for me?" |
| Overview |
An overview explains what the module will be about. It tells
(or shows) learners which topics will be covered. It can also describe
the activities that the learner will be doing.
Use an overview when one of the following is true:
- Content is complicated.
- The module takes over four hours
to complete.
- Learners would benefit from seeing a road map
of the content or activities.
|
Interest
Grabber
|
An interest grabber is a relevant story or anecdote that illustrates
a problem that will be addressed in the instruction and makes a
teaching point |
| Analogy |
An analogy compares the new information that will be learned
to something similar and familiar to the learners. Use an analogy
with adult learners to take advantage of their wealth of experience. |
Don’t forget
that you can use these in combination. For example, you could pose
a couple
questions to peak interest and the give an
overview of the lesson or a strong rationale for why the lesson is
important. It is my experience that by thinking of these five types
of introductions, this can
speed the writing process.
Regards,
Darryl
Article © 2006
Darryl Sink & Associates, Inc
|
Vol.
2, No. 18 November
7, 2006 
