Component Display Theory presented by Kristin Wilson

Principles of Component Display Theory

M. David Merrill

M. David Merrill proposed component Display Theory, or CDT for short, in the early 1980’s. CDT is an extension of Gagne’s Conditions for Learning and is promoted by Reigeluth as a means for designing instruction at the lesson level in Elaboration Theory. There is no one-sentence description of CDT, as it is a complex, complete, interrelated rule driven set of concepts and methods toward design of instruction. According to Component Display Theory there are two basic dimensions that instructional designers should consider and be mindful of in regards to learning: content and principles and performance.  With this theory the idea is that the two dimensions can be visualized into one single matrix and the educators or instructional designers should fill in each one of the boxes in the matrix.  CDT can be used for designing instruction for any level of the cognitive domains suggested by Bloom’s. The theory suggests that for a given objective and learner, there is a unique combination of presentation forms that results in the most effective learning experience. Several components are provided so that a wide range of learners may participate, however each learner only needs the components, which specifically work for him or her to achieve the goals of the lesson or instruction.  With this theory the learner is in control so this model provides a high degree of individualization, allowing learners to adapt to their learning needs and styles. Component design theory represents Merrill's attempt to take advantage of the affordances of computer-based training to create learner experiences. 

Component Display Theory Matrix

First Dimension: Content

Content: is the actual concept that is to be taught to the learner.

Facts: the key pieces of information that can include numbers, names, and events.

Concepts: are the symbols or objects that have similar characteristics or properties.

Procedures: are the series of steps that can be used to solve the problems.

Principles: explain why something happens

Second Dimension: Principles and Performance

 Remember: learners are encouraged to remember key pieces of data that they have

 already committed to their memory.

 Use: learners are asked to apply the information they’ve collected from their memory

 and apply it to a specific problem.

 Find: learners are actually using the information to arrive at a new idea or principle.

When using this theory it is expected that instruction should include all primary and secondary forms, as instruction that includes all elements is believed to be most effective. Therefore a complete lesson would have: objectives, rules, examples, recall, practice, feedback, and helps and mnemonics. Component Display Theory was revised in the early 1990’s and was named Component Design Theory. 

Theoretical School of Component Display Theory

CDT falls under the cognitivism learning theory. Cognitivism, like behaviorism, focuses on individualized learning perspectives and procedures. With this learning theory the learner is viewed as an information processor, similar to a computer.  The underlying concepts of cognitivism involve how we think and gain knowledge. Cognitivist Learning Theory focuses on the conceptualization of students’ learning processes and addresses the issues of how information is received, organized, stored, and retrieved by the mind.  This theory looks at what the learner knows and how they come to acquire that knowledge.  The learner is an active participant in the learning process and environmental factors play a big role in facilitating learning.  Due to the emphasis on mental structures with this theory, it is often considered more appropriate for explaining complex forms of learning that include: reasoning, problem solving, and information processing.

Component Display Theory at Work

A teacher can take two paths when it comes to content. He or she can present the content (expository dimension) or ask the student to remember or use the content (inquisitor dimension). The content can represent a general or specific case. You don't necessarily use all four primary instruction forms in a given lesson. A lesson plan that utilizes Component Display Theory to teach a concept might include:

Objective: expectations of the lesson; a goal or step to meet the aim of the lesson.

Expository presentation of generality: topic overview, description of the attributes that define the concept. Present the case (talk).

Expository presentation of instance: Present specific examples and non-examples of the concept.

Inquisitory generalities: learners are asked to provide a definition of the concept, state the attributes of a concept. Students asked to remember or apply a general case (ask).

Inquisitory instance: learners are asked to discriminate among objects to identify which satisfy the criteria of the concept. Students are asked to remember or apply the specific case. 

Feedback: the teachers provides feedback on responses to inquisitory generalities

Elaborations: the instructor provides helps, mnemonics, and/or prerequisites 

Websites

For more information on Component Display Theory please visit the following websites:

Component Display Theory here you will find an explanation of CDT along with the matrix that is pictured above. 

CDT Video Blog here you will find a short video blog by David Weaks explaining CDT.

Google Books Component Display Theory here you will find an excerpt on Component Display Theory from the book Instructional Design Theories and Models.

References

Component Display Theory. Retrieved https://sites.google.com/site/elearningsnippets/a-wiki-page/component-display-theory

Culatta, R. (2015). Component Display Theory (David Merrill). Retrieved http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/component-display.html

Ertmer, P.A, & Newby, T.J. (2013). Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Model. Performance Improvement Quarterly (6) 4. Retrieved http://northweststate.edu/wp-content/uploads/files/21143_ftp.pdf