The ARCS Instructional Design
Model: Motivating Learners
Katherine Bandy
EDT 610
St. Thomas University
ATTENTION
Keller’s ARCS Instructional Design Model Stage 1:
◦Attention may be obtained in one of two
ways (Pappas, 2015):
Which one was used on the title slide?
Perceptual Arousal
oGain the learners’ attention with
surprise, doubt, or disbelief (Pappas,
2015).
Inquiry Arousal
oThe stimulation of curiosity by posing
challenging questions or problems to
be solved (David, 2014).
Do children need teachers
in order to learn?
Variety
oThere are a variety of ways to evoke
arousal in a learner by use of media.
oPresenting information in the same
way every time is boring (David,
2014).
oVideos are interesting and fun, but
should not be relied upon exclusively.
Incongruity and Conflict
oPose statements that go against a
learners’ past experience (David,
2014).
oPresent facts contrary to what the
learners believe to be true (Pappas,
2015).
A SugataMitraquote from his 2013
award winning TED talk “The Hole in the
Wall”
“Experiments show that children in
unsupervised groups are capable of
answering questions many years
ahead of the material they're learning
in school. In fact, they seem to enjoy
the absence of adult supervision, and
they are very confident of finding the
right answer” (SugataMitraquotes,
2019).
For more reading on this project visit: http://www.hole-in-the-
wall.com/Publications.html
Humor
oUse with caution (Pappas, 2015)
oUse a small amount, not too much to
be distracting (David, 2014)
(Emily, educationtothecore.com)
Each image is a link to an article
about learner directed education.
Click on the image to learn more
about how to apply them in your
classroom.
Real World Examples
oLearners are motivated by practical
application in real life (Pappas, 2015).
Active Participation
oGreat strategies for getting learners
involved are games, role-play, or other
hands-on methods (David, 2014).
Make observations in
your daily life. What
kinds of learning do you
see happeningwithout
adult intervention?
RELEVANCE
Keller’s ARCS Instructional Design Model Stage 2:
RELEVANCE
Link to
Experience,
Present Worth
and, Future
Usefulness
Modeling
Choice
(Pappas,
2015)
Christopher Pappas on
CHOICE
“Giving learners choice upon their own
instructional strategy is another factor
that increases motivation. This occurs
because of the fact that adult learners
know exactly what they want to learn
and how. They have preferences on
specific learning methods or media
that they may find more effective for
them compared to others” (2019).
Think about your education,
then think about, according to
this research, where
education is headed…
Connect the past with the future
implications. Then connect it to why it
might be important here in the
present…
Do you think there might be a
little more of this:
And a little less of this?
Remember it has already been
proven that:
Experiments show that children in
unsupervised groups are capable of
answering questions many years
ahead of the material they're learning
in school. In fact, they seem to enjoy
the absence of adult supervision, and
they are very confident of finding the
right answer. ~SugataMitra
Read more at:
https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/sugata_mitra
CONFIDENCE
Keller’s ARCS Instructional Design Model Stage 3:
Create a timeline
with a step by
step process
Help the learner
see the goal
clearly and how
to evaluate
progress.
Talk to the
learner about
progress to
reinforce positive
growth.
Success is
dependent on
how much effort
is applied by the
learner.
Facilitate Self Growth
Goal Orientation
Provide Feedback
Hand Over Control
(Pappas, 2015), (David, 2014)
SATISFACTION
Keller’s ARCS Instructional Design Model Stage 4:
Praise or Rewards
“Sadly, in many cases, the assumption that
children are incompetent, irresponsible,
and in need of constant direction and
supervision becomes a self-fulfilling
prophecy. The children themselves
become convinced of their incompetence
and irresponsibility, and may act
accordingly. The surest way to foster any
trait in a person is to treat that person as
if he or she already has it.”
― Dr. Peter Gray (2015)
Fostering a Positive
Atmosphere
Too much praise at the wrong time is
patronizing (David, 2014).
To little at a crucial moment is a
setback.
Know what your learners want, and do
not want, as praise.
Often the achievement is reward
enough (Pappas, 2015).
Immediate Application
Encourage learners to apply their new
skills in real life scenarios (Pappas,
2015).
Go on, try it!
Run a SOLE session in your classroom
(2019):
Click on the image to go to the website
and follow the instructions. Do not forget
to run it by your principal or headmaster.
John Keller’s ARCS Instructional
Design Model for Motivation in
the Classroom
Attention
Relevance
Confidence
Satisfaction
The ARCS Instructional Design Model:
A Practical Application
Katherine Bandy
EDT 610
St. Thomas University
References
David, L. (2014, July 23). ARCS Model of Motivational Design
Theories
(Keller). Retrieved March 25, 2019, from https://www.learning-
theories.com/kellers-arcs-model-of-motivational-design.html
Gray, P. (2015). Free to learn: Why unleashing the instinct to play will
make our
children happier, more self-reliant, and better students for life.
New York, NY:
Basic Books.
Mitra, Sugata(2018, November 12). Retrieved March 27, 2019, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGF3kjgCaMQ at
TEDxNewcastle
Pappas, C. (2015, May 20). Instructional Design Models And
Theories:
Keller's ARCS Model Of Motivation. Retrieved March 25, 2019,
from
https://elearningindustry.com/arcs-model-of-motivation
References continued
Spencer, J. (2019, March 06). Five Ways to Boost MetacognitionIn
the
Classroom. Retrieved March 31, 2019, from
http://www.spencerauthor.com/metacognition/
SugataMitraQuotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved March 28,
2019,
from BrainyQuote.com Web site:
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/sugata_mitra_554169
Tarte, J., Ed.D. (2013, November 1). 5 ways to make your classroom
more
student-centered. Retrieved March 31, 2019, from
http://www.justintarte.com/2013/11/5-ways-to-make-your-
classroom-
more.html
Whitton, D. (2017, July 30). Enhancing Home Education with Self-
Organized
Learning Environments: Innovative methods challenging
traditional