Pebble-in-the-Pond instructional design: a content-first, task-centered development model¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 theoretical), q1 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The Pebble-in-the-Pond model is an instructional development approach in which designers specify real-world content before objectives or strategy. As the article states, "The Pebble model is a content-first approach": the first steps identify a collection of real-world tasks that form the actual content, then a task progression, then component knowledge and skill, and only in a fourth phase an instructional strategy. The article contrasts this with traditional ISD, which specifies abstract objectives early but defers actual content, and claims the model "more effectively designs products that incorporate first principles of instruction."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Designers must first identify a specific complete real-world task and produce a fully worked example of it before considering how the material will be taught.

Constraints¶

• The article notes the first three phases concern the task-centered first principle and specify subject matter content before instructional strategy is considered.

Target Learners¶

• learners new to a content area

Target Learning Objectives¶

• integrating component knowledge and skills into whole real-world tasks

Claims¶

• In one trial, task-centered Entrepreneur course students analyzed a new business as well as completed business majors [+W]
• Learning varied tasks of the same type enables transfer to unencountered tasks of that type [+W]

Related Theories¶

• First principles of instruction: a cycle of activation, demonstration, application, and integration in the context of real-world tasks

Examples¶

• Entrepreneur course: a task-centered online course teaching business startup to non-business majors

Key Sources¶

• M. David Merrill. (2007). A Task-Centered Instructional Strategy. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 40(1), 5–22. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ826059