W.-M. Roth (ed.), CONNECTIONS ‘03 (pp. 91–99).
© 2003 Leslee Francis Pelton
The Enhanced Instructional Presentation (EIP)
Model: Adapting Linear Presentations to Meet
Learner Needs
Leslee Francis Pelton & Timothy Ward Pelton
ABSTRACT: Linear presentations aim to maximize overall learning effects for a target
audience by identifying the state of understanding and needs of the average learner and
building the content to meet those needs. Unfortunately, this industrial model does not
work well for many learners. Because the intended audience is an amalgamation of learn-
ers, any given presentation will include varying amounts of content redundancy and delay
for some learners and insufficient content variation or development for other learners.
Learners know from experience that they will not be able to process all of the content,
reconcile every contradiction or explore all perplexities in the allotted time. If they allow
themselves to reflect upon any portion of the content, their inattention to the content and
connections in the ongoing linear presentation can cause them greater confusion. The
learners’ conditioned response when viewing film or video is to disengage from the con-
tent whenever the pace of information exceeds their ability to cope or their patience. Lin-
ear presentations promote passivity and stymie questioning. Our Enhanced Instructional
Presentation (EIP) model is intended to guide the transformation of traditionally con-
structed linear content into more effective, interactive hypermedia presentations. The
ideal EIP will seek to engage the learner, allow for reflection and promote the asking and
consideration of questions, while providing for individual learner needs with respect to
background experience, learning orientation, learning style and cognitive abilities. The
EIP model is an instantiation of van Merrienboer’s 4C/ID model. We will present and de-
scribe the development of an EIP prototype.
KEYWORDS: computer assisted learning and instruction, hypermedia, authoring tools,
learner control