Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction are the general steps an instructor should follow for any given lesson. They consist of nine external conditions of learning that “serve as a link between the tenets of cognitive learning theory and everyday ID practice” (Richey et al, 2011, p. 113). The Nine Events of Instruction include: 1) Gain attention, 2) Inform learner of the objective, 3) Stimulate recall of prior learning, 4) Present the content, 5) Provide learning guidance, 6) Elicit performance, 7) Provide feedback, 8) Assess performance, 9) Enhance retention and transfer (Gagné, 1985).
Interestingly, although the order of Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction is typically followed rather closely, Gagné himself never indicated that every step or even the order of his Nine Events of Instruction needs to be followed in every lesson (Gagne, Briggs, and Wagner, 1992). While his algorithm for learning can apply across design environments, it is still necessary for the ID professional to ask himself, “Do these learners need support at this stage for learning this task?” (Gagné et al., p. 190).
Richey et al (2011) tell us that although the Events of Instruction provide a general design approach for designers to follow after the initial ID analysis phase, instructors should modify the framework (typically in steps 3-5) according to the particular instructional conditions that correspond with the different types of learning.
In terms of using the framework for all types of learning, findings by Martin, Klein, & Sullivan (2007) in their study on computer based instruction reveal that participants only needed to use a version of a computer program that included practice (event 6) in order to perform significantly better on the posttest. The use of practice also led to “consistently more positive attitudes than those who did not receive practice” (Martin et al., p. 623). This seems to indicate that a strict adherence to all nine events of instruction is not necessary so long as practice is not neglected.