Content Types – When to use

Whether you are developing learning material of type WBT, ILT, Videos, or Rapid e-learning, you will need to identify and categorize content. Often, the first step in the design phase is to identify the content types. Then, you map those content snippets identified to be of a particular content type to the Bloom’s level. Then, you create smart objectives for a lesson.

These five primary types of content (Clark, Mayer, 2007) along with an information type could help you organize/categorize your content for better learning design:

• Facts
• Concepts
• Processes
• Procedures
• Principles
• Structure

Content Type	Definition / Description	When to use
Fact	Basic information that is unique and specific or one-of-a-kind information.	When learners need to use specific and unique information more of less the same way each time. Job aids could be more helpful in memorizing more facts.
Concept	A group of objects, symbols, ideas, or events that are designated by a single word or term, share common features, and vary on not so common features.	When learners need to: build a mental model that will generalize identify tools or technical terms they will be using. define something and its critical features know which of several alternative instances of a concept fits their situation or will need to adapt a generic structure to a specific situation
Process	Descriptions of how something works or of what happens when something is done. Processes have phases or stages. Processes are not tasks done by one person, but may be done by many persons or organizations.	When learners need to solve a problem based on how something works.
Procedure	A set of steps that can be performed by one person and that are always done the same way each time.	When learners need to: perform a task the same way every time. make decisions of an “if…. Then….” Nature
Principle	Guidelines for performing a job task in varied situations. It is also a statement of a cause and effect relationship which provides guidelines for action.	When learners need to: solve problems by applying guidelines. know the consequences of applying, or not applying, the guidelines. to make a judgment or decision about how the information is applied. build a flexible mental model of the task that will have to be adapted to diverse and unpredictable work situations
Structure (information type)	Description of components of an item or an object	When learners need to understand the components of a structure or item and how the interact. Use a diagram to show how the parts fit in the whole structure.