DR. SUSAN L. STANSBERRY
Professor of Learning, Design, and Technology, Oklahoma State University
Situational Instructional Strategies for Technology Integration: Making Your L.I.S.T.
Ordered lists were meant to be followed in a step-by-step fashion. When we integrate technology into our teaching, it is also helpful follow an order. I believe in meeting students where they are and helping them grow from there using appropriate instructional strategies and technologies. Any instructional strategy can be great if applied correctly in the right situation. With technologies, we tend to function like the proverbial person who just learned how to use a hammer -- all of a sudden everything looks like a nail! Similarly, we discover a fabulous instructional technology tool, and we naturally want to apply it in all learning situations.
I like to consider first where my learners are and what they bring to the learning situation:
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What level of ability (knowledge and skills) do these learners have regarding this content?
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What level of readiness (willingness and confidence) do these learners have?
Depending on those factors, I can better gauge my role as instructor and select instructional strategies that are most likely to support learners in this particular situation. Finally, I can then consider which instructional technologies best facilitate the selected instructional strategies. It seems opposite of what we tend to do: get attached to a shiny new technology tool and then find some learners to test it out on!
Through this activity, we'll practice putting together a LIST, and LEARNERS must come first on the list. We need to first understand where our learners are in regards to abilities and readiness to learn before we add INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES and, finally, TECHNOLOGIES to our list.
If technologies or instructional strategies come before learners' ability and readiness, the learning experience is likely not to go well. Figure 1 reinforces the LIST we're going to be making over and over in this course.
Figure 1: Learners first, Instructional Strategies, then Technology
Learners
Let's consider our learners along two scales: ABILITY and READINESS (Figure 2). The four levels of ability and readiness to learn are described below:
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High Ability and High Readiness (green) - Learners are self-directed, independent, perform to high standards, and can operate autonomously. They make effective decisions regarding learning opportunities, are aware of and make use of experts, and, in general, are able to take charge of their own learning.
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High Ability and Low Readiness (blue) - Learners have a high level of ability but are unwilling or insecure. They have demonstrated knowledge and ability, but they appear hesitant, scared, overwhelmed, confused, or reluctant to complete an instructional task. They may be requesting a great deal of feedback.
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Low Ability and High Readiness (yellow) - Learners have a low level of ability but are willing and/or confident. While they lack ability, they are motivated and making an effort or are confident as long as they have guidance. Learners may appear anxious or excited, demonstrate moderate ability, and exhibit enthusiasm coupled with a lack of experience.
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Low Ability and Low Readiness (red) - Learners have a low level of ability and are unwilling or insecure. They lack commitment and motivation. They may appear intimidated by a learning task, unclear about directions, or act defensive or uncomfortable.
Figure 2. Learners' Range of Ability and Readiness to Learn in a Particular Situation
Matching Instructional Strategies and Technologies to Learners' Ability and Readiness
When you are Following your LIST, you first consider your learners' ability (knowledge/skills) and readiness (willingness/confidence) and then select an instructional strategy that is likely to meet them where they are. The matches between instructional strategies and learner readiness reveals the heart of this model: As learners grow and change or regress, and as they encounter new learning experiences, instructors must adapt to the situation. As all instructors at all levels have experienced, what works with one class at one time may not work at all with another class at a different time. The readiness of individual learners and of the class as a whole varies from topic to topic and from lesson to lesson. In other words, the process of teaching and learning is a situational event.
The following four tables provide examples of instructional strategies that are likely to work well with learners at each of the four Ability/Readiness levels. Notice the role the instructor plays in response to learner ability and readiness in each of the situations depicted in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Instructor Roles corresponding to Learner Ability and Readiness
Instructor: Monitor, Learners: HIGH Ability and HIGH Readiness
With learners at HIGH Ability and HIGH Readiness, the instructor can function as a MONITOR, observing and monitoring while learners take responsibility to implement their own learning. They already have the ABILITY (knowledge/skills) and READINESS (willingness/confidence), so you can "give them the ball and let them run with it".
I have tried these strategies with learners who either didn't have the ability, readiness, or either, and those were not effective learning experiences for any of us! You may have experienced similar. Remember, with HIGH Ability and HIGH Readiness, learners are self-directed, independent, perform to high standards, and can operate autonomously. They make effective decisions regarding learning opportunities, are aware of and make use of experts, and, in general, are able to take charge of their own learning.
Figure 4. Monitor Instructional Strategies for Learners at High Ability and High Readiness
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Instructor: Supporter, Learners HIGH Ability and LOW Readiness
When students have HIGH Ability (knowledge/skills) and LOW Readiness (willingness/confidence), they have demonstrated knowledge and skills, but they appear hesitant, scared, overwhelmed, confused, or reluctant to complete an instructional task. Since they are able but unwilling or insecure, they will need a great deal of feedback and encouragement.
The instructor in this situation provides high amounts of two-way communication and supportive behavior, but low amounts of guidance. His or her major role is one of encouraging, communicating, collaborating, and facilitating. Table 2 offers examples of instructional strategies to consider in this situation.
Figure 5. Supporter Instructional Strategies for Learners at High Ability and Low Readiness
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Instructor: Guide, Learners LOW Ability and HIGH Readiness
Learners need guidance when they have LOW ability (knowledge/skills) and HIGH Readiness (willing and confident). They lack ability but are motivated and making an effort or are confident as long as they have guidance. Learners may appear anxious or excited, demonstrate moderate ability, and exhibit enthusiasm coupled with a lack of experience.
The instructor's role is not only providing guidance but also is providing the opportunity for dialogue and for clarification in order to help the learner "buy in" psychologically to what the instructor wants. Table 3 offers examples of instructional strategies that work well in this scenario.
Figure 6. Guide Instructional Strategies for Learners at LOW Ability and HIGH Readiness
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Instructor: Director, Learners LOW Ability and LOW Readiness
Learners in this situation are unable and unwilling or insecure. They lack commitment and motivation. They may appear intimidated by a learning task, unclear about directions, or act defensive or uncomfortable.
In the role of Director, the instructor tells learners what to do, where to do it, and how to do it. This is an appropriate style when a learner or group of learners is low in ability and willingness and needs direction. Often, we hear a great deal of negative things about direct instruction, but in certain situations, this type of instruction is extremely helpful to learners. Table 4 offers examples of instructional strategies that work well in this situation with these learners.
Figure 7. Director Instructional Strategies for Learners at LOW Ability and LOW Readiness
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Matching Instructional Technologies to Instructional Strategies Selected Based on Learners' Ability and Readiness
So far, we have addressed the first two items on our LIST: Learners' Ability and Readiness and Instructional Strategies that are likely to be effective in a learning situation. Finally, we get to consider which technologies may be appropriate for enhancing each learning situation. It is critical to note that HOW a technology tool is used is much more important than the tool itself. For example, Powerpoint is a tool that might be used to supplement an instructor's lecture in a Directive Situation, but the same tool might be used by learners to create an interactive game for other students to use to master course content in a Monitoring Situation.
The following tables are embedded spreadsheets that feature examples of instructional technologies aligned with four learning situations:
Monitoring
Supporting
Guiding
Directing
I hope this is helpful to you. Please contact me at susan.stansberry@okstate.edu if you have any questions or ideas you would like to add!