Four-component instructional design: Approaches to scaffolding complex Learning

1. Four-component instructional design: Approaches to scaffolding complex Learning Jeroen J.G. van Merriënboer Presentation for PoEm 2018 Conference, Vienna, October 31, 2018

2. Contents • Why change education? • 4C/IDfour-component instructional design • Scaffolding complex learning • Support • Guidance • Use of learning technologies • Discussion & questions

3. Why Change Education? Students are not able to apply the things they have learned in –quickly changing– work settings...... Compartmentalisation →integration Fragmentation → coordination Transfer paradox → differentiation

4. From compartmentalisation toward integration • Which architect do youprefer? • Knows all about design but is notable to maketechnicaldrawings • Has excellent technicaldrawingskillsbut is unfriendly to hisclients and customers • Is friendlybutdidnot update his professional skillsafterhisgraduation 20 yearsago • None of the above

5. From fragmentation toward coordination • Atomistic models • Analyse complex learning domain in smallpieces • Teachpiece-by-piece • Holistic models • Analyse complex learning domain in coherence; focus on relations betweenpieces • Teachfromsimplewholes to complex wholes 1 + 1 = 3

6. From the transfer paradox toward differentiation Students learn to diagnose 3 errors... • Practice E1-E1-E1 E2-E2-E2 E3-E3-E3 • Reach goals fast but low transfer (not able to diagnose E4) • Practice E2-E3-E1 E3-E2-E1 E2-E1-E3 • Reach goals slower but high transfer (able to diagnose E4)

7. 4C/ID – Four Components • Learning tasks • Backbone of educational program • Supportive information • Procedural information • Part-task practice 1997 2018, 3rd Ed.

8. 1 Learning Tasks • Often based on real-life tasks • Integrative: professional competencies • Inductive learning Problems, projects, tasks, assignments, cases etc.

9. 1 Learning Tasks - Variability • Variability is critical to reaching transfer of learning • Surface features • Structural features

10. 1 Learning Tasks – Task Classes • Sequence from easy to difficult • Meaningful right from the start • Need variability in each task class

11. 1 Learning tasks – Support and Guidance • Scaffolding in each task class • Zone of ‘proximal development’ • Sawtooth pattern of support

12. 2 Supportive Information • Problem solving and reasoning aspects • How is the domain organized? • How to approach tasks in the domain? • Elaboration

13. 3 Procedural Information • Routine aspects • ‘How-to’ information, just-in-time • Knowledge compilation

14. 4 Part-task Practice • Cognitive context • Repetition • Strengthening

15. 4C/ID and learning processes Schema construction SYSTEM 2 Inductive learning 1. Learning tasks Elaboration 2. Supportive information Schema automation SYSTEM 1 Knowledge- compilation 3. Procedural information Strengthening 4. Part-task practice Van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (2013). Perspectives on problem solving and instruction. Computers and Education, 64, 153-160.

16. The Integrated Curriculum

17. Scaffolding complex learning • From high to low (built-in) task support • From high to low guidance

18. Newell, A., & Simon, H. A. (1972). Human problem solving. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

19. Built-in task support • Completion strategy • 1 study example solutions (worked examples) • 2 complete partially worked out example solutions (completion tasks) • 3 generate complete solutions (conventional problems) • 4 go back to 1, but now on a higher level of complexity

20. Other learning tasks with built-in task support • Reverse problems • Give goal and solution and ask in which given situations this solution is useful • Goal-free problems • Give given state and ask for possible goals and associated solutions • Imitation problems • Give given situation, goal and solution and ask for solution for similar a problem

21. Guidance • Modeling examples • Show the problem-solving process for generating a solution (e.g., expert thinking aloud) • Process worksheets • Provide phases and rules-of-thumb for successfully completing each phase • Performance constraints • Only allowed to continue after successfully completing a particular phase • Tutor guidance • Combines all of the above

22. Use of Learning Technologies 1. Learning tasks Simulated/real task environments Hypermedia & multimedia Systems, Internet 2. Supportive information 3. Procedural information EPSS, on-line help sytems, mobile technologies 4. Part-task practice Drill & practice CBT, skillslab

23. Double blended learning

24. Is it Worth the Effort? • Teacher design teams design more effective and appealing courses with 4C/ID • For professional competencies, whole-task practice yields higher learning outcomes than part-task practice • 4C/ID-based courses yield higher learning outcomes and, especially, higher transfer of learning than “traditional” courses • For empirical evidence, see: Van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Kirschner, P. A. (2018). 4C/ID in the context of instructional design and the learning sciences. In F. Fisher, C. E. Hmelo-Silver, S. R. Goldman, & P. Reimann (Eds.), International Handbook of the Learning Sciences (pp. 169-179). New York: Routledge.

25. Discussion and Questions • Goal is transfer of learning • 4 learning processes, 4 components • Scaffolding = decreasing support & guidance • Rich use of learning technologies • Time- and effort-consuming design process, but worth the effort!

26. www.4cid.org