Component Display Theory (CDT)

Presented by Michelle Bumbaca

What is CDT?

CDT conveys effective learning by:

1. Demonstrating what the students will learn
2. Allowing the students to apply the learning
3. All in the context of real-world scenarios

The principles of the model were developed by a psychologist, David Merrill, and CDT is in the family of cognitive learning theories. The underlying principle of CDT is based on the assumption that there are different kinds of learning outcomes and each of these different kinds of learning outcomes requires unique conditions for learning.
Other principles:

• CDT classifies learning objectives in two dimensions: performance level (remember, use, or find) and content type (facts, concepts, principles, or procedures)
• Primary Presentation Forms: rules, examples, information recall, and practice 
• Secondary Presentation Forms: prerequisites, objectives, help, feedback, and mnemonics
• Instruction is more effective when it contains all of the necessary primary and secondary presentation forms 
• It is possible for instructional designers to provide learners with full control of their own instruction, by letting them adapt content, instructional strategy, as well as the number of practice items 

I highly encourage you to click here to view a brief introduction to Dr. Merrill's thoughts about instructional design.

What is a practical example of CDT?

  

Lesson Example: The objective of this lesson excerpt is that the student will be able to state from memory three significant events in the history of the microscope.

The student will use the cards (see example in picture to the right) for drill. Look at the front and say the information on the back. Shuffle the cards and try again. Repeat until you make no mistakes and your answers are immediate.

The prescription for this lesson is remember instant-fact of CDT.

Where did CDT derive from? 

Introduced in 1983 by M. David Merrill to work alongside Reigeluth's Theory, with the first detailing the “micro elements” of an effective instructional design, though Reigeluth's theory the “macro elements”. The Component Display Theory soon gained popularity among instructional designers and in 1994 Merrill presented a new version of it, known as the Component Design Theory. David Merrill’s Component Display Theory is based primarily on the same assumptions as Robert Gagne’s Events of Instruction. They both agree that different types of learning require different types of procedures for teaching as well as different types of assessment means. However, the component display theory is primarily concerned with teaching individual concepts and arranges instruction to provide learner control.

Links (please click on each one)

• As previously stated above, the brief introduction of Dr. Merrill's thoughts about instructional design provide a great overview of CDT. 

• TED-like experience where David Merrill delivers an approximately seven-minute presentation on toys that talk to each other. In it he discusses how we think and solve problems by understanding and manipulating spacial relationships.

• An in depth information website to help you fully understand CDT. 

References

Big Dog & Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition. (2010). Merrill’s Component Display Theory. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/learning/id/component_display.html

Instructional Design. (2015). Component Display Theory (David Morrill). Retrieved from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/component-display.html

Merrill, D. (2008). Merrill on Instructional Design. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/i_TKaO2-jXA

TED Talks. (2009). David Merrill: Toy tiles that talk to each other. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/david_merrill_demos_siftables_the_smart_blocks#t-10767