THE ASSURE MODEL

All effective instruction requires careful planning.  The ASSURE

model, a procedural guide for planning and delivering instruction
that incorporates media, assumes that training or instruction really
is required (e. g. students don’t know how to use the new
laboratory microscopes, or assembly line workers must learn to
handle safely the toxic materials they work with).  The ASSURE
Model focuses on planning surrounding the actual classroom use
of media.
 A Model to Help ASSURE Learning
 A – Analyze Learners.  The first step in planning is to identify the
learners.  Your learners may be students, trainees, or members of
an organization such as Sunday school, etc.  You must know your
students to select the “best” medium to meet the objectives.  The
audience can be analyzed in terms of (1) specific entry
competencies – knowledge, skills, and attitudes about the topic
and (2) general characteristics (gender/sex, grade level, etc.).
 S – State the Objectives.  The next step is to state the objectives
as specifically as possible.  The objectives may be derived from a
needs assessment or a course syllabus, stated in a textbook,
taken from a curriculum guide, or developed by the instructor. 
Wherever they come from, they should be stated in terms of what
the learner (audience) will be able to do as a result of instruction
(behavior).  The conditions under which the student or trainee is
going to perform and the degree of acceptable performance should
be included.
 S – Select Media and Materials.  Once you have identified your
students/audience and stated your objectives, you have to
establish the beginning (audience’s present knowledge, skills, and
attitudes) and the ending points (objectives) of instruction.  Your
task now is to build a “bridge” between these two points.  There
are three options:  (1) select available materials, (2) modify
existing materials, (3) or designing new materials.
U – Utilize the Materials.  Having either selected, modified, or
designed your materials, you then must plan how the materials will
be used and how much time will be spent using them.  Next,
prepare the class and ready the necessary equipment and
facilities.  Then present the material using the “showmanship”
techniques and suggestions.
R – Require Learner Performance.  Learners must practice what
they are expected to learn and should be reinforced for the correct
response.  The first time they are expected to perform the behavior
called for in the objectives should not be on the examination. 
Instead, there should be activities within the lesson that allow
learners to respond and to receive feedback on the
appropriateness of their performance or response.
E – Evaluate/Revise.  After instruction, it is necessary to evaluate
its impact and effectiveness.  To get the total picture, you must
evaluate the entire instructional process.  Did the learners meet
the objectives?  Did the media assist the trainees in reaching the
objectives?  Could all students use the materials properly? 
Wherever there are discrepancies between what you intended and
what you attained, you will want to revise the plan for the next
attempt.