Information is Not Instruction: The Wise Remarks of David Merrill

Information is Not Instruction: The Wise Remarks of David Merrill

The most profound statement uttered in the training community over the last 10 years was the simple declaration in 1998 by M. David Merrill that "information is not instruction." Although Merrill, professor of instructional technology at Utah State University, was reacting to the inadequacies of many Web-based training programs, his statement reflects that it has always been too easy to become enamored with the "technology" portion of technology-based training - at the expense of proper design and learning outcomes.

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Most of early Web-based training programs were nothing more than online documents. Trainers created electronic versions of traditional printed student manuals, articles, tip sheets, and reference guides. While valuable and accessible resources, these conversions to the Web cannot be considered true training programs.

The rush to the Web without consideration given to instructional design led to Merrill's passionate defense of a scientific approach to learning. In a June 1998 interview in Training magazine, Merrill put it simply, "If you don't provide adequate practice, if you don't have an adequate knowledge structure, if you don't provide adequate guidance, people don't learn."

To guarantee the effectiveness of any training program, remember that while technology will always change, the way adults learn will not. Remember Merrill's admonishment and his keys to learning:

* provide structured knowledge
* provide practice
* provide guidance