GAGNE' S HIERARCHY OF LEARNING

Robert Gagne (1916–2002) was an educational psychologist who pioneered the science of instruction in the 1940. His book "The Conditions of Learning," first published in 1965, identified the mental conditions that are necessary for effective learning.

Gagne created a nine-step process that detailed each element required for effective learning. The model is useful for all types of learning, but this article focuses on applying it to training your team in a work environment. You can see these nine steps in Figure 1, below. (We'll explore these in detail later in this article.)

Figure 1: Gagne' s Nine Levels of Learning

Benefits of Gagne' s Model

Gagne' s Nine Levels of Learning model gives trainers and educators a checklist to use before they engage in teaching or training activities. Each step highlights a form of communication that aids the learning process. When each step is completed in turn, learners are much more likely to be engaged and to retain the information or skills that they're being taught.

If you use this approach before any type of training session or presentation, you'll remember how to structure your session so that your people get the best possible learning experience.