Gagne's and Laurillard's Models of Instruction Applied to Distance Education: A theoretically driven evaluation of an online curriculum in public health

Authors

  • Peggy Hannon
  • Karl E. Umble
  • Lorraine Alexander
  • Don Francisco
  • Allan Steckler
  • Gail Tudor
  • Vaugn Upshaw

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v3i2.105

Abstract

This article presents an overview of the instructional models of Gagne, Briggs, and Wager (1992) and Laurillard (1993, 2002), followed by student evaluations from the first year of an online public health core curriculum. Both online courses and their evaluations were developed in accordance with the two models of instruction. The evaluations by students indicated that they perceived they had achieved the course objectives and were generally satisfied with the experience of taking the courses online. However, some students were dissatisfied with the feedback and learning guidance they received; these students’ comments supported Laurillard’s model of instruction. Discussion captured in this paper focuses on successes of the first year of the online curriculum, suggestions for solving problem areas, and the importance of the perceived relationship between teacher and student in the distance education environment.

Author Biographies

Peggy Hannon

Peggy A. Hannon, Ph.D., M.P.H. (phannon@fhcrc.org) is a postdoctoral fellow in the Bio-behavioral Cancer Prevention and Control Training Program in the Department of Health Services at the University of Washington. She is currently involved in the design, implementation, and analysis of a variety of research programs at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Karl E. Umble

Karl E. Umble, Ph.D., M.P.H., joined the North Carolina Institute for Public Health at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill School of Public Health in 1998, where his focus is on instructional assessment and program evaluation related to continuing education and distance learning. His main research areas are continuing professional education, distance learning, program planning, and assessment and evaluation. Dr. Umble email address is: karl_umble@unc.edu

Lorraine Alexander

Lorraine Alexander, Ph.D. is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently coordinates the core course in epidemiology. Dr. Alexander's email address is: lorraine_Alexander@unc.edu

Don Francisco

Don E. Francisco, Ph.D., is a clinical professor and director of the Undergraduate Program in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering in the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He currently teaches the on-line core course in environmental sciences and engineering. His email address is: don_francisco@unc.edu

Allan Steckler

Allan Steckler, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education in the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He currently teaches the online core course in health behavior and health education. His email address is: allan_steckler@unc.edu

Gail Tudor

Gail Tudor, Ph.D., is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics in the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently teaches the on-line core course in biostatistics. She can be reached via email at: gtudor@bios.unc.edu

Vaugn Upshaw

Vaughn Upshaw, Ed.D., M.P.H., is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Administration in the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently teaches the online core course in health policy and administration. She may be reached at: vaughn_upshaw@unc.edu

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Published

2002-10-01

How to Cite

Hannon, P., Umble, K. E., Alexander, L., Francisco, D., Steckler, A., Tudor, G., & Upshaw, V. (2002). Gagne’s and Laurillard’s Models of Instruction Applied to Distance Education: A theoretically driven evaluation of an online curriculum in public health. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v3i2.105

Issue

Section

Research Articles