This presentation illustrates some of the strategies and approaches used by award-winning instructors in higher education. Strategies include the us of Merrill's First Principles of Instruction. The presentation is based on a study done by Joel Gardner found at https://www.academia.edu/3538810/

1. How to Teach Like an
Award-winning Instructor
Presentation at
Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Conference
June 3, 2015
Joel Gardner, PhD

2. http://www.denofgeek.us/movies
/14928/13-most-fearsome-movie-
teachers
http://www.squashonsquash.com/tag/vita
mix/
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wik
i/File:High_Inquisitor.jpg
Poor Movie Instructors

3. http://www.biography.com/people
/jaime-escalante-189368
http://www.aveleyman.com/Actor
Credit.aspx?ActorID=13756
http://www.glogster.com/jeffonrock/fre
edom-writers/g-
6mof3kkklrla9f3nebg8oa0?old_view=True
Great Movie Instructors

4. Award-winning Instructors
in Higher Education (Gardner, 2011)
 Qualitative Study of 4 award-winning
instructors at a large western university
 Do Award-winning use First Principles of
Instruction? How?
 Answer: YES! AND…
Gardner, J., (2011). How award-winning professors in higher education use
Merrill’s first principles of instruction. International Journal of Instructional
Technology and Distance Learning, 8(5), p. 3-16. Accessed online at:
https://www.academia.edu/3538810/

5. What do the best teachers do?
 Positive
 Patient
 Enthusiastic
 Knowledgeable
 Humorous
 Passionate
 Compassionate
 Challenging

6. Excellent Instructors Teach With
Strategies and Passion!

7. First Principles of Instruction (Merrill, 2002, 2006; Gardner 2010, 2011)
Instructional Strategies
7
Problem/Task
Centered
Activation
DemonstrationApplication
Integration

8.  A complex problem or task
 Multiple parts
 “ill-structured”
 Progression of difficulty in tasks
Problem/Task Centered (learning is contextual)
8

9.  Learners recall, describe, or
demonstrate prior knowledge
 Provide an organizing structure for
knowledge
 Use a metaphor or analogy
Activation (we base new knowledge on what we know)
9

10.  Teach the generality
(Tell)
 Share specific examples
(Show)
 Use variety of media
Demonstration (we learn by observation)
10

11.  Recall (Ask)
 Practice application of
knowledge (Do)
 Must provide feedback!
Application (we learn by doing)
11

12.  Students reflect on,
discuss or defend
knowledge
 Students plan to use
knowledge
 Students “over-practice”
their new skills
Integration (deepen learning)
12

13. Break into groups | Generate examples and best practices | Think of inspiring experiences
Activity: Examples and Best
Practices
Problem/Task
Centered
Activation
DemonstrationApplication
Integration

14. Problem/Task
Centered
Activation
DemonstrationApplication
Integration
Enthusiasm
Knowledgeable
Humor
Organized
Compassion
Challenging
Teach Strategically with Passion

15. Gardner, J. (2010). Applying Merrill's first principles of instruction: Practical methods based
on a review of the literature. Educational Technology Magazine, 50(2), pp. 20-25. Accessible
online at: https://www.academia.edu/3538706/
Gardner, J., (2011). How award-winning professors in higher education use Merrill’s first
principles of instruction. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance
Learning, 8(5), p. 3-16. Accessed online at: https://www.academia.edu/3538810/
Merrill, M. D. (2002). First principles of instruction. Educational Technology Research and
Development, 50(3), 43-59. Available online at:
http://mdavidmerrill.com/Papers/firstprinciplesbymerrill.pdf
Merrill, M. D. (2007). First principles of instruction: a synthesis. In R. A. Reiser & J. V.
Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology, 2nd Edition (Vol.
2, pp. 62-71). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall. Available online at:
http://mdavidmerrill.com/Papers/FirstPrinciplesSynthesis.pdf
References
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