Reference no: EM133135745

If you have a driver's license, you probably remember what it was like to learn to drive. Chances are you stepped into a car with a friend or family member who told you what to do. And if you have ever taught someone how to drive, you probably did the same thing. Did you remember to tell them everything they needed to know? What did you tell them to do first? Could you have done a better job teaching them to drive? Refer to the section of this chapter on task sequencing. Recall that task sequencing involves dividing a task into its component parts or sub-tasks, and then ordering them into a meaningful and logical sequence. Now try to design a driver training program based on task sequencing. In other words, make a list of all of the sub-tasks involved in driving a car and then organize them into a logical sequence for the purpose of teaching somebody how to drive.

Task Sequencing

Task sequencing has to do with the manner in which the learning tasks are organized and arranged. The basic idea is that learning can be improved by dividing the training material into an organized sequence of sub-tasks. The idea behind task sequencing was proposed by Robert Gagné, who argued that practice is not enough for learning to occur.51 Rather, what is most important is that the distinct sub-tasks are identified and arranged in a logical sequence. In this manner, a trainee will learn each successive subtask before the total task is performed. The trainee learns to perform each step or task in the proper order or sequence.

According to Gagné, what is most important for learning when designing a training program is identifying the component tasks or sub-tasks and arranging them into a meaningful, logical, and suitable sequence.