Overview
Direct instruction is a teacher-centered learning approach that focuses on the style of learning, incorporating clear goals, learning objectives, and structured lessons. This learning design method guides students through step-by-step instructions to develop new, specific skills and ideas. This approach is effective for teaching foundational skills and for learners who benefit from clear explanations and frequent feedback to ensure they are learning and understanding correctly. A common practice of this learning approach is known as the ‘I do, We do, You do’ method.
Key characteristics of direct instruction include:
- Structured lessons: Lessons are planned and structured in a logical order that starts from simple to more complex theories or skills
- Learning Style: First, the teacher explains the concept (“I do”), then does step-by-step practice problems with students (“We do”), then provides students with resources and practice problems to complete individually (“You do”)
- Frequent Feedback: Learners are assessed through questions, exercises, or quizzes either in class, online assignments or during labs/tutorials
To better understand, lets go over the various ways that direct instruction can be implemented in a learning environment:
| Form of Direct Instruction | How it works |
|---|---|
| Teacher Modeling (“I Do”) | The teacher shows examples of the skill or concept step by step |
| Guided Practice (“We Do”) | Students practice with the support of the teacher, by asking questions and receiving feedback |
| Independten Pracitce (“You Do”) | Students practice on their own to build on their knowledge of the subject |
| Structured Lessons | Lessons follow an order to teach, from basic to advanced concepts |
| Frequent Assesment | Small quizes, daily excersies or weekly labs/tutorials for practice |
| Immediate Feedback | Teachers provide feedback for those who are misunderstanding the skills or concept |
| Digital Learning | Online lectures, interactive platforms, videos |
Allignment with our AI Prompt Learning Module Group Project
Direct instruction aligns well with our project because it provides a clear, structured way to teach students how to create effective AI prompts. First, we address common misconceptions about AI to clear questions learners might have. We also model the learning process by demonstrating how to improve weak prompts step by step, guiding students through practice exercises and providing immediate feedback examples. This ensures that learners gain a strong foundation before experimenting independently or collaborating in group activities, making the experiential learning components of our project more effective.
Lets go over some examples of how Direct Instruction was used or not used in our AI prompt learning module:
- ✅ Prompt Examples: Demonstrating bad vs strong prompts (“I do”)
- ✅ Guided Practice: Student review prompts and write critiques on it then compare it to our critiques (“We do”)
- ✅ Independent practice: Students creith their own prompts and test them (“You do”)
- ❌ Group Activities & Reflection: Students reflect or discuss the topic and what they have learned (Not direct instruction, more experimental)
- ❌ Kahoot Quiz: Test knowledge of topic in a short quiz (more of an assesment than instruction)
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