Merrill’s first principles as a studio checklist

What this lesson covers

1. 01

   A problem, then four promotions

   Merrill (2002) argued that learning is promoted when learners solve real-world problems and when instruction activates prior knowledge, demonstrates the skill, lets them apply it, and integrates it into their work. This is a quality check on a storyboard, not a project-plan template.

2. 02

   Appendix — Gagné nine events as a QC pass

   Gagné’s nine events (gain attention → inform objectives → stimulate recall → present content → provide guidance → elicit performance → provide feedback → assess → enhance retention/transfer) can be a post-storyboard quality pass: did you miss a beat? They do not replace Merrill’s problem-centered checklist or Moore’s action map. If a screen exists only to “gain attention” with no link to an observable action, cut it.