A 

cohort is a group of students who work through a curriculum together to achieve the

same academic degree together. Cohortians are the individual members of such a group.[1][2]

Instructional Design Models and Theories:

Individualized Instruction Model
The Keller Plan, which is often referred to as “The Personalized System of Instruction”, was
developed in the middle sixties by Fred Keller, J. Gilmour Sherman, and a number of other
researchers and educational theorists, and relies upon the Individualized Instruction Model.

The Quintessential of The Individualized Instruction Model

The key idea behind the Individualized Instruction Model is that learners will not
only be able to better understand the materials that are being presented, but that
they will be able to effectively retain information for much longer. Those who
have the ability to grasp a particular concept in a short amount of time can move
on to the next subject, while those who are having a difficulty understanding the
concept can move at a slower pace, in order to delve further into the topic. As
such, every learner is given the opportunity to get the most out of the experience,
even if he/she is in a group with other learners who possess different skill levels
or strengths.

Another key application for the Individualized Instruction Model within the
educational environment is to offer learners of various skill levels and learning
styles different learning materials. For example, if a learner is more of an auditory
one, instructors can use multimedia presentations via the computer, which
he/she can complete at his/her own pace. On the other hand, if a learner is more
of a visual one, then the instructor can use graphic textbooks to better illustrate
the points of the concept.

The Method of Individualized Instruction Model

Individualized instruction is an instructional method tailored to fit the educational

needs and skills of an individual learner. This involves changing the pace the
information is delivered, the methods through which the content is offered, and
the materials distributed.

According to the Individualized Instruction Model, learners are provided with in

depth and effective educational materials, such as interactive media or
textbooks. Lecture time and presentations are usually kept to a minimum, and
learners are encouraged to review, research, and learn the materials on their
own. This allows each learner to acquire knowledge at his/her own pace, and is
particularly useful in classrooms that have a high learner to teacher ratio.

The 4 Principles of the Individualized Instruction Model

The main principles of the Keller Plan and the Individualized Instruction Model
are the following:

1. Learners should complete the work on their own, in order to grasp all
concepts.
2. Assessments should be performed at the end of each section, to determine if
the concept has been “mastered” by the learner. This is known as the “unit-
perfection requirement”.
3. Learners are encouraged to use the written materials. Presentations are
generally only utilized as a supplementary instructional tool.
4. Proctors are supposed to be helping learners and to incorporate a social
element into the learning process.