2002 Summer Focus Session Required Reading

Because the purpose of NLII focus sessions is to advance the body of thought around the chosen topic, there is a tradition of pre-meeting assignments which include readings, and data collection and analysis with regard to attendees' home institutions. Prior to the NLII Focus Session on May 31st, please complete the following:

1. Read the following articles and white papers, and generate your own "first principles of learning":

   Knibb, Helen, "Principles of Learning and Instruction: A Synopsis of Three Approaches," extract from forthcoming white paper, "Learner centered by practice: using what we know about learning and cognition in designing for the online environment"

   Marchese, Theodore. "The New Conversations About Learning." Insights from Neuroscience and Anthropology, Cognitive Science and Work-Place Studies. In Assessing Impact: Evidence and Citation pp 79-95 Washington DC, AAHE

   Merrill, D., "First Principles of Instruction," submitted for publication to Educational Technology Research & Development;

2. What is the single most thought-provoking statement you encountered in your reading?
3. Think back to the most successful instructional technology project you know of (by "most successful," we mean, "achieved the desired learning outcomes"). What learning activity (practice) did the technology support? What first principle(s) of learning did the project reflect, and how?
4. For an instructional technology project you are planning or implementing, fill out the First Principles matrix*

   (*Builds upon Flashlight Program's Triad concept; for a narrated slide show on this topic, see http://www.tltgroup.org/media/fl/Triad.htm.)