Learning is an ongoing process in which students examine their ideas and are exposed to new ideas through interactions with peers, family members, teachers, experts, and friends, as well as through engagement with diverse information sources, tools, and technologies. Consequently, a single lesson is not a self-contained unit but rather part of a sequence that unfolds over multiple lessons and revolves around a central idea and/or learning approaches. Students may lose sight of the context of a specific activity within the broader sequence and overarching topic. Constructing an instructional sequence provides learners with context and supports their understanding of how ideas build upon one another across the instructional progression. Researchers point to the importance of “sequencing theory” for fostering learners’ interest and motivation, while strengthening their sense of self-efficacy and capacity for independent learning.
A clear structure of the instructional sequence enhances students’ sense of perceived control (as opposed to feelings of helplessness), which is associated with learners’ interest and engagement in the learning process. Many researchers draw connections between clearly structured instructional sequences that are well communicated to students and support for students’ capacity for active, experiential, and self-directed learning (hands-on learning). Instructional sequences can be communicated to learners in multiple ways, for example through menus in a digital learning environment, visual cues indicating one’s progress, and explicit verbal references to central ideas.
Many school-based citizen science projects exemplify the use of instructional sequences and make the different stages of the project explicit to students. For example, The citizen science learning sequences offer teachers structured instructional sequences. A specific example is the “Great Bird Count” project, which includes a preparatory phase (learning about bird species, observation practices, and reporting via eBird), the counting phase itself (including fieldwork), and a concluding phase (including analysis of local findings as well as comparisons with data from other locations or previous years).
Deepening and Expansion ▼
Instructional sequences
Clear instructional sequences function as an additional and important scaffold for learners by providing a structure that clarifies both the context of each unit in the sequence and the expectations placed upon learners. These features support the development of a sense of control over learning expectations and foster self-efficacy (Jang et al., 2010; Skinner et al., 2008; Skinner, 1995).
The role of teachers in creating and communicating instructional sequences
Teachers who present a clear structure of the activity sequence, including explicit expectations and clearly defined learning stages, provide essential scaffolds for learning. These scaffolds include boundary marking and orchestration of transitions between different stages. Teachers whose instructional style is structured establish clear expectations regarding students’ future behavior and provide leadership and scaffolding that support students in achieving learning goals. A structured instructional style that creates a clear sequence for learners is characterized by: (a) clear, coherent, explicit, and detailed instructions; (b) a structured action plan for students’ ongoing activities; and (c) constructive feedback that enables students to understand how they can exercise control over the learning process. Students who are motivated to learn are those for whom expectations are clear and who understand what is required of them.
The importance of sequencing for fostering motivation
Assor (2013) distinguishes between “autonomous motivation” for learning and “controlled motivation.” He argues that when learning does not stem from learners’ autonomous choice, the level of content processing is low and transfer to new contexts is limited; in other words, learning is ineffective. Encouraging the development of autonomous motivation, according to Assor, involves constructing a learning sequence in which instructional goals are defined and clear to both teacher and learner, mutual expectations are explicit, and reciprocal feedback processes are included.
References ▼
Assor, A. (2013). An instructional–learning sequence that promotes motivation. Had HaChinuch, 87(5), 96–99.
Jang, H., Reeve, J., & Deci, E. L. (2010). Engaging students in learning activities: It is not autonomy support or structure but autonomy support and structure. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(3), 588–600.
Kali, Y. (2006). Collaborative knowledge-building using the Design Principles Database. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 1(2), 187–201.
Sánchez, A. (2001). Sequencing of activities and motivation. In Language learning in the foreign language classroom (pp. 116–132).
Skinner, E. A. (1995). Perceived control, motivation, & coping (Vol. 8). Sage.
Skinner, E., Furrer, C., Marchand, G., & Kindermann, T. (2008). Engagement and disaffection in the classroom: Part of a larger motivational dynamic? Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(4), 765–781.