Content Types

Learning objectives

At the end of this learning unit, you will be able to:

  • List the four content types.
  • Classify given information into its content type.

Are you aware that we can broadly classify the types of content that we are teaching to our learners in four distinct categories? This makes it easier for the authors to decide what learning strategy to follow. It also helps in creating suitable assessments for your content.

 
 

Really!! I thought content is all just same stuff. It is interesting to know that it can be classified further. I surely would like to know more about it.

Sure. Let us have a look at different content types with their examples.

 

Content Types

Content can be classified into four categories: facts, concept, procedures, and principles.

Facts

A fact is specific information about people, places and events, which just exist. You cannot further explain a fact.

Examples:
  1. Keller developed the ARCS model.
  2. Gagne designed the nine events of instruction.
  3. ClickLearn is an e-learning authoring solution.
Concepts

Concepts are group of objects, events, or symbols that share common characteristics and are identified by a common name. You can always explain or elaborate a concept further.

Examples:
  1. Multiple-choice questions
  2. Conditions in an objective
  3. Confidence-building strategies
Procedures

Procedures are an ordered sequence of steps necessary to carry out some task, solve a problem, or produce some result.

Examples:
  1. Conduct task analysis
  2. Create a content structure
  3. Create a new recording in ClickLearn
Principles

Principles are defined as rules that guide certain actions or explain some changes. They are cause-and-effect relationships that are used to interpret events. Principles are in fact chains of concepts linked by the language.

Examples:
  1. An objective should have a measurable performance verb.
  2. There must be at least three distracters in a multiple-choice question.
  3. You should wait for the green rectangle to appear before clicking for a step while doing a recording in ClickLearn.

Click on the elements below to explore more!

Facts

01
 

A fact is a specific information about people, places and events, which just exist. A fact cannot be further explained.

Concepts

02
 

Concepts are group of objects, events, or symbols that all share common characteristics and are identified by a common name. A concept can always be illustrated

Procedures

03
 

Procedures are an ordered sequence of steps necessary to carry out some task, solve a problem, or produce some result.

Principles

04
 

Principles are defined as rules that guide certain actions or explain some changes. They are cause-and-effect relationships that are used to interpret events.

Learning and teaching approaches

Content type Learning and teaching approaches
Fact Mnemonics, repetition of facts
Concept Examples, nonexamples, practice on these, mnemonics, analogies, summary diagrams, and charts
Procedure

Inductive teaching by giving the algorithm and then examples.

This is faster and useful if the procedure will be practised often.

Deductive teaching through games or simulation where the learner deducts the algorithm.

This method is useful for long-term retention.
Principle

Direct explanation for faster transfer.

Guided discovery approach in which the learner deduces the principle.

This method leads to better long-term recall and the ability to extrapolate the learning to another similar situation.

Summary

In this learning unit, you learned that:

  • Content can be categorized into four categories: Facts, Concepts, Procedure and Principle,
  • Facts cannot be exemplified, concepts can be.
  • Procedures are a sequence of steps or events.
  • Principles are rules or cause-effect relationships.
 

So now when we have segregated our content into different categories, what will be the next step Martin?

We will next talk about the different Bloom Levels, which is again a very interesting and useful concept of instructional design.

 
Previous learning unit

Time Estimate

5 Minutes

Topic