From Nine Events of Instruction to the First
Principles of Instruction: Transformationof Learning Architecture for Society 5.0
Katsuaki Suzuki(B)Research Center for Instructional Systems, Kumamoto University,
2-40-1, Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japanksuzuki@kumamoto-u.ac.jp

Abstract. This keynote addresses a needed shift in designing learning architecture for transforming education to meet the needs of Society 5.0, Super Smart
Society. Classroom of the Future Project is reviewed to image the transformationof education being sought in Japan. The Nine Events of Instruction, a traditional
instructional design theory proposed by Robert M. Gagne, will be reviewed as aframework for facilitating human learning based on information processing theory. It will then be compared with a more recent framework of the First Principles of Instruction, proposed by M. David Merrill, reflecting various theories andmodels proposed based on constructivist psychology. Similarities and differences
will be discussed to suggest how to utilize them as an architectural framework
for blended learning design toward a more learner-centered self-directed learning
environment, toward so-called Society 5.0.
Keywords: Instructional design · Nine Events of Instruction · First Principles ofInstruction · Society 5.0 · Classroom of the Future Project1 Introduction
Educational Technology has been a field of study that lasted long and has evolved inrelation to the advancement of technology, from teaching machines, radio and television,
computer-assisted instruction, to Web-based training and online education [1]. It has been
anticipated that a super smart society is just around the corner as the next phase of society
after information and communication technology (ICT) society. Japanese government
selected the term Society 5.0 [2] for such a super smart society, based on Internet ofThings (IoT) technology, to make all the services available anytime, anywhere, and toanybody. It is named Society 5.0, because it comes after the hunting society (Society 1.0),
the farming society (Society 2.0), the industrial society (Society 3.0), and ICT society(Society 4.0). However, as Marc Prensky [3] suggested, we may still be trying to educate
Digital Natives who were born with digital technology, and who will become the major
actors of Society 5.0, with an outdated way of education. Most current teachers whoteach the Digital Natives are Digital Immigrants who had grown up in older societies© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. Li et al. (Eds.): ICBL 2021, LNCS 12830, pp. 3–15, 2021.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80504-3_1

4K. Suzuki

without digital technology. We may still be trying to make our children function well inan assembly line of Society 3.0, if not trying to make them function well now, but soon
be substituted by Artificial Intelligence. It is the time that major transformation should
be brought to education to better meet the new needs of the future, which is not an easytask, but essential to make Society 5.0 a reality.
This paper will discuss how we can prepare such transformation in two ways. First,
a recent attempt by Japanese government will be introduced to form a concrete imageof what can be done to make a major shift in school curriculum. Second, a shift in the
background theories of instructional design will be explained by comparing and making
contrast of two well-known models. It is the author’s hope that the concrete image canbe supported by theoretical architecture so that the transformation will be designed in
all and every contexts of education today.

2 MITI’s Classroom of the Future ProjectAs an example of efforts to transform current schools to fit the needs of Society 5.0,
The Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) has launched theClassroom of the Future Project in 2018 [4]. MITI intends to corporate with The Ministryof Education (MEXT), from the education industry sectors, to make what is written in the
K-12 new standard course of study a reality by the alliance (See Fig. 1). GIGA Schools
Initiative, GIGA as an acronym for Global and Innovation Gateway for All, represents
such METI/MEXT corporation for innovation in education, in which Tablet PCs are to
be provided to all pupils with high-speed network. The initiative has been accelerated
due to the school shutdown occurred in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fig. 1. METI/MEXT Corporation for Innovation in Education in Japan Note: English is provided
by the author as unofficial translation.

From Nine Events of Instruction to the First Principles of Instruction

5

Figure 2 represents MITI’s concept for the Classroom of the Future Project. Although
MITI deals with Education Industry sectors, its current focus lies in the K-12 schools,
with the keywords “Converting school learning to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) with personalized and optimized learning.” The aim is
to form cycles of inquiry-based projects at creation level, with acquisition of necessary
basic knowledge and skills, so that interdisciplinary learning can be started from young
ages and continued to be at the center of the curriculum. The cycles create the reason tolearn basics that could be boring and tedious without clear and immediate needs at hand.
Pupils naturally see the reason why they need to learn the basics, because they are to be
utilized as the project progresses. Without basics, nobody can create meaningful artifacts in any project. However, basics can be acquired on time and on demand, wheneverneeded by the project, without spending so much time learning only basics first. Thisis claimed to be a more exciting way of learning for each pupil, which can be helpedby technology managing personal learning plans and learning pathways of all students
engaging in different projects.

Fig. 2. METI’s concept for Classroom of the Future Project Note: English is provided by theauthor as unofficial translation.

In order to assure enough school time for interdisciplinary STEAM education, it
is suggested to make learning basic knowledge and skills in all subject matter more
personal and optimal, by utilizing EdTech and one-on-one PCs provided by GIGA School
Initiative. The more efficient it becomes to learn basics, the more time it creates for the
STEAM projects. Figure 3 shows such reduction of class time in all subject areas, inaddition to currently allocated time for Integrated Study, would be devoted to STEAM
education at the central core of the curriculum.

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K. Suzuki

Fig. 3. STEAM at the core of curriculum connected with all subject matters Note: English isprovided by the author as unofficial translation.

Many innovative practices have been reported until today. Table 1 shows someexamples.
Table 1. Examples of innovative practices in GIGA School Initiative
Adapted Math drill with
Robot workshops (JuniorHigh School)

Stop whole classroom teaching and substitute it with AI-based
one-on-one math drills to make basic learning more efficient by
adjusting to individual math skills. Apply learned math skills tomanipulate a robot in a STEAM workshop, making it possible
how the acquired math skills are necessary in technology
available in society

Individual allocation oflearning time to overcome
weak subject matters(Junior High Schools)

Utilize individually adapted learning materials to spend time in a
weak subject matter, so different students worked on different
subjects simultaneously. Created more motivation for learning

Teacher’s talk reduced toonly 5-min introduction(Elementary school
arithmetic)

Utilize one-on-one PCs to learn arithmetic individually as well as
cooperatively, to make learning more autonomous and helping
each other. More supportive conversation observed

English writing with helpof international college
students online (High
School English)

High school students engage in self-regulated learning withfeedback given through online by native college students. Moreoutput was produced with more natural composition(continued)

From Nine Events of Instruction to the First Principles of Instruction

7

Table 1. (continued)
Regional Online Learning
Support Center to help
pupils with needs

No-one-left-behind concept was introduced to initiate a new
Learning Support Center, where monthly interviews wereconducted to help all learners create individual learning plan andprovide both online (including real-time and on-demand) andoffline support to monitor the progress

Source: http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/singi/kyouikusaisei/jikkoukaigi_wg/syotyutou_wg/dai2/sir
you2.pdf.
Note: English is provided by the author as unofficial translation.

Many sample materials for STEAM projects can be found in MITI’s STEAM Library
Website (https://www.steam-library.go.jp/). They are products created through cooperation of schools, companies and academic institutions, which have been made available
for the uses by other schools. Each material is linked to UNESCO’s SDGs (Sustainable
Development Goals). Table 2 shows some of the examples.
Table 2. Sample titles and related SDGs in STEAM Library
Title

Related SDGs

Is it possible for humans to survive in the universe? (for Elementary
Schools)

3, 8, 9Veggie Meat (business plan, market analysis, plant-based meat)2, 3, 8, 9

Drone (Society 5.0, design, engineering, presentation)

3, 7, 8, 9

Future Energy (active learning, problem solving)

1, 2, 3, 4

Exploring Comfort (Junior/Senior High School)

1, 2, 3, 6

Disaster Control through Technology (Robot, disaster prevention, natural
disaster, inquiry)

9, 11, 13

Source: https://www.steam-library.go.jp/

3 Learning Architecture Models
Until today, various research outcomes have been made available from educational technology research, focusing on how to construct the architecture of learning environment,in the form of various theories and models for instructional design and technology [5–7].
3.1 Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction
The Nine Events of Instruction is a traditional instructional design theory proposed in
the 1970’s by Robert M. Gagne [8]. It was proposed, based on a framework of cognitive
psychology, to design nine different kinds of activities (instructional events, in his term)

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K. Suzuki

to be included as components of instruction for facilitating human learning. If instruction is to be structured in such a way to facilitate human learning effectively, it shouldhave distinct features of assisting learners process information with multiple phases.
It includes alerting for information processing activities, sensing and selecting relevant information, retrieving already learned basics from one’s memory, blending themwith newly presented information to make connections with semantic networks within
the long-term memory, and practicing retrieval and application of the newly acquired
knowledge and skills. Such terms as sensory resister, working and long-term memories,
retrieval practice are taken from the information processing theory of human learning,by making an analogy to information processing phases of computers. Table 3 lists theNine Events of Instruction.
Table 3. Nine Events of Instruction
Events of Instruction

FunctionsIntroduction (Preparation) 1. Gaining learners attention

Alert for the start of learning

2. Informing learners of theobjectives

Help focusing on the goal oflearning

3. Stimulating recall of entry
conditions

Help remembering basics fromprior learning

4. Presenting new information

Show the contents of newlearning

5. Providing learning guidance

Help make connections of new
items with prior learning to
expand semantic network ofknowledge and skills

6. Giving opportunities topractice

Provide chances to retrieve orapply newly learned
knowledge/skills

7. Providing feedback

Give corrective feedback formastery

Evaluation

8. Assessing learning
performance

Confirm the mastery of newlearning

Review

9. Enhancing retention &transfer

Provide review opportunities
with intervals and enhance
application skills

Presentation (Input)

Practice (Output)

Since then, Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction has been widely used as a frameworkfor designing instruction. It has been one of the most frequently utilized frameworks fordesigning instruction, together with his categorization known as five learning outcomes(verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, motor skill, and attitudes).
That is, the nine events are commonly needed for all kinds of learning outcomes, whereas
what should be included in each event would be unique for each learning outcome. For

From Nine Events of Instruction to the First Principles of Instruction

9

example, mnemonics may be effective for remembering verbal information, whereas
showing diversity of instances be effective for acquiring intellectual skills. Human models may be effective for learning attitudes, whereas help forming a mental image of
execution be effective for motor skill learning. They are the variety to accomplish thesame Event 5, Providing Learning Guidance; all other events should also be implementeddifferently, according to the nature of learning outcome.
If one will design individually adaptive and optimal learning material, as an efficient
way of learning the basics in less time, as proposed in MITI’s project described above,
Nine Events of Instruction can be consulted. It will show how much of necessary steps(events) is equipped in each material, whether it is AI-based or not. Any drill-typematerials may not have all the events, but mainly consists of Events 6–8. However, if
a learner has problem too big to be covered by giving corrective feedback, then someelements of tutorials (Events 4 and 5) may be effective addition to such adaptive learning
environment. It may also be beneficial for a learner to be provided a review opportunity(Event 9), based on learning trajectory records of the last attainment date of a mastery.
Although Gagne’s model is traditional that has been used more than 50 years, it may still
be useful to create an adaptive learning architecture for individual learning of the basics.
Appendix A shows some sample instructional strategies based on Gagne’s model.
3.2 Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction
A more recent framework, the First Principles of Instruction, was proposed by M. David
Merrill in 2002, reflecting various theories and models proposed based on constructivist
psychology [9, 10]. It was named the first principles, because the five features consistingof Merrill’s model (see Fig. 4) were claimed to be common in most of the constructivist
instructional design models proposed at that time.

into the learner's world

Let me do it.

real-worldof existing knowledge

Don’t tell me, but show me
Fig. 4. First principles of instruction diagram

According to Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction, every instruction should havethe following 5 elements to be effective, efficient, and engaging, and to become “5-star
instruction”:
1. Real-world Problem: Learning is promoted when learners acquire knowledge andskill via a problem-solving strategy in the context of real-world problem or tasks.

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K. Suzuki

2. Activation: Learning is promoted when learners activate an existing mental model
as a foundation for new skills.
3. Demonstration: Learning is promoted when learners observe a demonstration of theskill to be learned that is consistent with the type of skill being taught.
4. Application: Learning is promoted when learners engage in the application of their
newly acquired knowledge and skill that is consistent with the type of content beingtaught.
5. Integration: Learning is promoted when learners reflect on, discuss, and defend their
newly acquired skills.
In recent works of instructional design literature, Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction has been adopted as the foundation for common knowledge base [6], as well as
toward creating learner-centered education [7]. More detailed situational design principles have also been proposed to elaborate on Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction
for such diverse sets as discussion approach, experiential approach, problem-based approach, and simulation approach [6]. Another book further elaborated for steps towardlearner-centered paradigm of education, in relation to maker-based instruction, collaborative digital multimedia creation projects, gamification and game-based instruction,and instruction for self-regulated learning [7].
If one will design STEAM project as the second core of transformed school education, with adaptive and optimal individual learning, as proposed in MITI’s projectdescribed above, First Principles of Instruction can be consulted. It will be a useful tool
to examine if the main features of the 5 principles are covered in the design of STEAM
project. How each and every First Principles of Instruction can be implemented that fitschosen approach toward problem-based projects? Is there better approach available fora given project to a given set of learners? Those questions can be answered by referringto the First Principles of Instruction themselves, as well as more elaborated situational
principles proposed later. Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction can be adopted as
the theoretical architecture when designing STEAM projects, with which a firm understanding of human learning can be incorporated in the project design, as well as practicalsuggestions can be obtained. Appendix B shows some sample instructional strategies
based on Merrill’s model, with author’s interpretations to better fit of them in the context
of transformation toward Society 5.0.

4 Conclusion
This paper discussed how we can prepare transformation toward realizing Society 5.0
in two ways. First, Classroom of the Future Project was introduced as a recent attempt
by Japanese government to form a concrete image of what can be done to make a major
shift in school curriculum. Second, a shift in the background theories of instructional
design was explained by comparing and making contrast of two well-known models:Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction and Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction. It is theauthor’s hope that the concrete image can be supported by theoretical architecture, sothat the transformation will be designed in all and every contexts of education today, ina better and surer way. Society 5.0 needs be proactively designed from transformativeFrom Nine Events of Instruction to the First Principles of Instruction

11

efforts in Education sectors, so that children would be able to contribute to shape sucha society, not to be struggled in rapid changes of society.

Appendix A: Instructional Strategy Sampler Based on Gagne’s Nine
Events of Instruction
1. Gaining Learner’s Attention
Let the students ready to start learning by:
 Start off with some episode, anecdotal, or some issue directly related to the main
theme.
 Start off your instruction with something unusual, strange, and abrupt.
 Seek for something fresh so that the students will not feel “Oh, this one again?” Use issues, conflict, new fact to override students existing frame of mind.
2. Informing Learner of the Objective
Activate student thinking and let them concentrate key points by: Make the theme of the lesson visible and clear so the students will not spend timemindlessly
 Establish learning contract with students as to what to teach and what to learn
 Use plain language of the students to convey the learning objectives clearly List the checkpoints as to what are the key points of the unit
 Help the students find the value by showing how the unit at hand will be useful intheir future Verify where the goal is so that the students themselves can realize when they
accomplish it.
3. Stimulating Recall of Entry Conditions (Prior Learning)
Help the students retrieve what they have already learned from their brain by:
 Provide a review to refresh students’ mind about basics needed for the unit at hand Specifically identify how the basics of previous learning will relate to today’s learning Embed in the material triggers for remembering the basics, assuming that everything
the students have learned in previous unit/lesson is already forgotten Use small quiz, question, or short review at the beginning of each unit for reviewing
the basics.
4. Presenting New Information (Stimulus Materials)
Show the students what are the things they are expected to learn by: Clearly organize the new information to show the students rules and examples of newlearning
 Use concrete and familiar examples of new concepts or rules, not just vague statementsof concepts or rules themselves

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K. Suzuki Ask the students to evoke the images that are familiar to their own experiences orenvironments
 Provide a simple, representative case first, then proceed to more complex cases withvariations
 Use illustrations, figures, and tables to easily capture new materials as a whole, theposition of an element, and relationships of that element to other elements.
5. Providing Learning Guidance
Help the students to remember new information/skills in a meaningful way by: Connect the newly presented information to what the students already know so thatthey can form a network of information in a meaningful way Use mnemonic devices, anecdotal, comparisons to more familiar basics, to provide ahint for remembering the new information
 Give the students many hints for understanding, and let them accustomed to the useof hints.
6. Giving Opportunities to Practice (Eliciting Performance)
Let the students have opportunities for practicing new contents by: Give the students enough chances of practice in a risk-free situation so they can findtheir weak points without punishment
 Let them try first, without seeing examples, so they know if they can do it by themselves
 Provide cues for earlier stages of practice, and gradually remove them as they masterthe skill When application skills are required, have them practices in diverse settings.
7. Providing Feedback
Help the students find weak areas to improve their knowledge/skills by: Provide informative feedback messages for incorrect answers so the students realize
how to fix the problem
 Avoid negative feedback to highlight their failures
 Give the students appraisals for correct answers, and guidance for incorrect answers.
8. Assessing Learning Performance
Provide tests to verify what the students have become able to do, and feel good about
their accomplishment by: Give the students enough practice opportunities before they are to take a test Construct a test with enough number of items so that only those who mastered thecontents, not the lucky students, can pass the test Match the test with previously stated objectives and the contents of learning materials,
no surprise on the test. Do not test what the students have never been taught.

From Nine Events of Instruction to the First Principles of Instruction

13

9. Enhancing Retention & Transfer
Help the student sustain what they mastered and make the new learning applicable toother situations by:
 Schedule re-tests when they will be forgotten the new learning, since everyone
remembers very little as time goes by When reviewing, do not let them study the materials that contain answers, but let themtry practice items first without seeing the text, to find out how much they remember
 Provide application scenarios so that they can use the newly learned knowledge/skills
 Provide advanced exercises as an option at the end of each unit, but not as arequirement.
Note: Originally created by Katsuaki Suzuki in 2017.

Appendix B: Instructional Strategy Sampler Based on Merrill’sFirst Principles of Instruction
1. Real-World Problem
 Show the task that they will be able to do or the problem they will be able to solve asa result of completing a module or course (i.e., Learning objective).
 Challenge the learners if they can solve real-world problems (i.e., Pretest).
 Engage the learners with the whole-task problems, not just the basic operation or
action level.
 Let the learners solve a progression of problems that are explicitly compared to one
another.
2. Activation for Diagnosis
 Let the learners try to solve the problem by activating relevant previous experiences
before teaching. Diagnose missing parts in their solution; if their solution is satisfactory,
then no need for training thus finish training without teaching (cf. TOTE model).
 Direct the learners to recall, relate, describe, or apply knowledge from relevant pastexperiences that can be used as a foundation for solving this new problem.
 Provide with a relevant experience that can be used as a foundation for the newknowledge.
 Give the opportunity to demonstrate their previously acquired knowledge or skill.
3. Demonstration
 Demonstrate what is learned, rather than merely telling information about what is tobe learned.
 Make demonstration consistent with the learning goal: (a) examples and non-examples
for concepts, (b) demonstrations for procedures, (c) visualizations for processes, and (e)modeling for behavior.

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K. Suzuki

 Provide with appropriate learner guidance including some of the following: (a) learners are directed to relevant information, (b) multiple representations are used for thedemonstrations, or (c) multiple demonstrations are explicitly compared.
 Make media play a relevant instructional role.
4. Application
 Require the learners use their new knowledge or skill to solve similar but new problems.
 Make application (practice) and the posttest consistent with the stated or implied
objectives: (a) information-about practice – recall or recognize information, (b) parts-ofpractice – locate, name, and/or describe each part, (c) kinds-of practice – identify new
examples of each kind, (d) how-to practice – do the procedure and (e) what-happens
practice – predict a consequence of a process given conditions, or find faulted conditions
given an unexpected consequence.
 Guide the learners in their problem solving by appropriate feedback and coaching,including error detection and correction, and when this coaching is gradually withdrawn.
 Require the students solve a sequence of varied problems.
5. Integration
 Encourage learners transfer to the new knowledge or skill into their real-life job
settings.
 Give the learners an opportunity to publicly demonstrate their new knowledge or skill.
 Let the learners reflect-on, discuss, and defend their new knowledge or skill.
 Let the learners create, invent, and explore new and personal ways to use their new
knowledge or skills.
Note: Originally created by Katsuaki Suzuki in 2021.

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Press (2001)
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9. Merrill, M.D.: First principles of instruction. Education Tech. Research Dev. 50(3), 43–59(2002)
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