Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience and 8 M's of Teaching

Dale's Cone of Experience

• The Cone of Experience is a visual model that shows a continuum of learning, presenting bands of experience from concrete to abstract.
• It helps instructors make decisions about resources and activities that cater to the needs and abilities of a particular learning situation.

The Bands of Experience

• Direct Purposeful Experiences: Experiential learning where one learns by doing, using the senses to establish meaningful knowledge and understanding.
• Contrived Experiences: Using representations such as models, miniatures, or mock-ups to provide a substitute experience when the real thing is not possible.
• Visual Symbols: Abstract representations of concepts or information, such as graphs, charts, or flowcharts.
• Dramatized Experiences: Role-playing or dramatization to actively participate in a reconstructed experience.
• Demonstration: Showing how things are done, making the learning experience meaningful by executing a procedure or process.
• Study Trips: Visiting locations to observe a situation or case not available in the classroom.
• Exhibits: Displays of models, pictures, artifacts, or posters that provide information and can be interactive.
• Television and Motion Pictures: Two-dimensional reconstruction of reality, providing a feeling of realism.
• Still Pictures, Recordings, and Audio: Two-dimensional representations of reality, including pictures, audio recordings, and radio broadcasts.

Bruner's Theory of Learning

• The three-tiered model of learning involves presenting and learning information in three steps: enactive (actions-based), iconic (image-based), and symbolic (language-based).
• Learners should progress from enactive to symbolic, with young learners not rushing to abstraction without a gradual unfolding of concrete experiences.

The 8 M's of Teaching

• Milieu: The learning environment.
• Matter: The content of learning.
• Method: Teaching and learning activities and strategies.
• Material: The resources of learning.
• Media: The communication system.
• Motivation: Arousing and sustaining interest in learning.
• Mastery: Internalization of learning.
• Measurement: Evidence that learning took place.

Application of the Cone of Experience

• The Cone of Experience helps instructors choose the most appropriate learning experience for their students.
• It encourages the use of various instructional media and activities to cater to different learning needs.
• Guiding questions help instructors reflect on their students' learning experiences and create engaging activities.