A case study of improving image processing competence by Gagne learning conditional theory

In Taiwan, Adobe Photoshop has been regarded by many departments of Information & Communication and Design as a core course as well as a set of professional techniques. However, throughout the learning process, most teachers have viewed Adobe Photoshop merely as an application software. The shortage of effective instructional events in a classroom often prevents students from acquiring the accurate and effective techniques. As a result of low intention, students have played off spending more than regular time on image processing in an ineffective learning routine. This study aimed to effectively improve students´ competence of image processing through an eight-week course that features a series of professional instructional events. Students were divided into two groups to work on the same set of aerial images. The first 15 students in the control group were left on their own device to process those images. The other 15 students in the experiment group were following instructions designed according to a model consisting of nine steps of instructional events based on the Condition of Learning theory by Robert. M. Gagne. The experiment group students were instructed to go through those steps repeatedly for practice, with respective outcome at each step recorded for comparison with the control group. The results indicated that, compared to those students working on their own, students in the experiment group were better motivated and their works were of higher quality, which indicated that their attitude toward learning and cognitive capability had improved through instructions designed based on cognitive theory and a model of instructional events.