Teaching facts is relatively straightforward, but can be time-consuming and requires enough engagement of the learner with the material so that the fact is committed to long term memory, and is able to instantly recall the fact later on.
How to Write a Brief Introduction for an Objective
A brief introduction to an objective should have these characteristics:
•Relates the current objective content to what has just been learned.
•Orients the students to what is coming in the segment.
•Motivates the learner by establishing relevance and purpose for learning the material.
Here's an example of a brief introduction to an objective:
In the last segment you became familiar with all of the features and components of the DOP Pentrometer. Now it's time to start using the meter. This segment will cover the first important activity: Calibrating the meter. It is vital to properly calibrate the meter to be sure your are getting accurate readings.
 Note that the introduction is very brief and to the point, while still exhibiting the three components of an introduction: orientation to what was taught before; brief overview of what is coming, and a motivating statement, in this case based on why it is important to learn the material.
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How to Write a Main Idea for a Fact Objective
Write a lead-in statement that introduces the fact. The lead-in statement should basically be a restatement of the objective behavior.
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Include all of the detail necessary to enable the average learner to use the fact correctly.
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How to Write Memory Aids for a Fact Objective
To write memory aids for a fact objective, use:
Facts which can be illustrated should use diagrams of one kind or another to assist learners in retention of the information. Black and white diagrams are preferable to photographs, as the photograph carries a greater cognitive load than a simple drawing.
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Tables and lists reduce cognitive load by organizing information. Factual data is much easier to organize when arranged in logical tables or lists. Organizing fact data into a table also reduces cognitive load on the learner.
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Mnemonics are devices which associate the new information with already understood information
A mnemonic is a device for aiding the recall of factual information. They can take the form of acronyms, poems, jingles, expressions, or images. Mnemonics work by association of the material to be learned with material already understood by the learner.
Example 1
To recall how many days are in each month:
Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November;
All the rest have thirty-one,
Excepting February alone,
And that has twenty-eight days clear
And twenty-nine in each leap year.
Example 2
Recall the order of the planets in our solar system:
My (Mercury)
Very (Venus)
Educated (Earth)
Mother (Mars)
Just (Jupiter)
Served (Saturn)
Us (Uranus)
Nachos (Neptune)
Example 3
Recall the value of Pi (3.14159265358979) to the 14th decimal:
“Now I need a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy lectures involving quantum mechanics"
Learners are more quickly able to remember facts when they can conceptualize the fact in more than one way (audio, visual), or connect the fact with an already known piece of information.
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How to Develop a Special Learning Activity for a Fact Objective
To develop special learning activities for a fact objective, base your activities on the drill-and-practice method.
Factual information is difficult to store in long-term memory. The most effective manner of storing facts in memory for automatic recall is to drill and practice the factual information repeatedly until the information is able to be recalled immediately.
Flash cards, or in eLearning, game-like equivalents, are widely accepted means of providing drill and practice exercises. The important thing for the instructional designer is to keep the drills varied and interesting, so that the learner remains engaged with the drills long enough to permanently store the information in long-term memory.
How to Develop a Practice for a Fact Objective
To provide practice for a Fact objective:
•Provide a scenario and specific example data for each practice item.
Provide general instructions to the student (or to the instructor, if the practice will be administered by an instructor) for how to carry out the practice. Instructions should include things like: where to get equipment, how to use the lesson guide, and who to see for help.
Start the practice instructions with a clear statement of what the learner will do in the practice.
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Be sure to describe the expected outcomes so that the student can tell if they are on the right track at every step.
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Provide several different practice exercises to cover the range of instances required to ensure the student understands the objective and can apply it in the range of circumstances likely to be encountered.
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Provide feedback after every instance or repetition. Practice without feedback is practically useless!
Include feedback after each question that explains "why". Explain why the objective, or any part of the objective, works the way it does.
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