WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

Office of Instructional Support and Materials Production (ISMP)

SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE TEMPLATE

USING THE 4 A’s OR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FRAMEWORK

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 BACKGROUND OF THE MODULE TEMPLATE

1. Why do we need a module template?

One of the university’s goals is to continually and consistently improve classroom

instruction. One way to achieve this is to develop instructional materials that appeal to the learners
and stimulate active learning. Modules are considered valuable learning tools especially when
these are carefully and purposefully developed (Russel 1974; Van Daele 1995; Duldulao 2000).

As a premier institution, we would like to be identified as a university that produces

excellent instructional materials such as modules. Although various colleges in the university have
produced well-developed modules, there is no unified format and framework to follow.

The template presented here, is a move towards developing higher quality module content
as well as a format that identifies WMSU’s instructional modules.

2. What is a self-instructional module?

Russel (1974) defines a module as “an instructional package dealing with a single
conceptual unit of subject-matter. Modules are designed to help the students accomplish certain
well-defined objectives...They may also be used to complement instruction.”

Self-instructional modules allow for individualized learning. The learners can go through
the material at their own pace and their own time. Learning is viewed as largely self-motivated
and self-paced. The role of the teacher is to facilitate discovery by providing the necessary
resources and by guiding the learners in the learning process. Self –instruction stimulates active
learning and provides opportunity for reflection. (Perry 1999; O’Bannon 2002).

3. Who will use this module template?

This module template is intended mainly for WMSU faculty members who want to write
self-instructional modules for their respective classes. The module should ideally go hand-in-hand
with the course syllabus. Teachers in the laboratory schools as well as the non-teaching staff may
also use or adopt this template as a guide to module writing and development in their respective
contexts.

4. What is the framework or model used in developing the module content?

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 With the recent module development trainings (February and April 2013) held in
partnership with SEAMEO INNOTECH, the 4 A’s of Adult Learning or Experiential Learning
Process is deemed appropriate as the framework to be used in developing the self-instructional
module. This framework is based on the Experiential Learning Theory which posits that learning
occurs more effectively through reflective practice of daily experiences. Kolb and Fry (1975), the
early proponents of this theory developed this experiential learning model which is a continuous
cycle consisting of four elements: concrete experience, observation and reflection, forming
abstract concepts and testing new situations. This model is best illustrated through the 4 A’s cycle:
Activity, Analysis, Abstraction and Application.

Four Stages of Experiential Learning

Process
New Experience
1 Activity

4 Application 2 Analysis

3 Abstraction
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In developing the lessons or learning chunks in the module, the model shows that students
begin with an activity, followed by analysis, and then forming abstract concepts through reading
or studying an article, chapter or lecture notes included in the module. The stage ends with an
application of what they have learned.

Additional notes on each stage are described as follows:

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ACTIVITY STAGE:

- A structured experience * To engage the learner

- May be direct or vicarious * To develop a common base for the discussion

that follows

- “What to do” phase

ANALYSIS STAGE

- A reflective feedback * To look more closely at what happened

- A process of inquiry into the activity * Systematic examination

- The “why” phase * Experience sharing

* Learning from others

ABSTRACTION STAGE

- Integration of activity and analysis * To make an inferential leap to life

- Theory inputs * To derive generalizations

- The “so what” stage * To integrate the various concepts in the learning
session

APPLICATION STAGE

- A practical synthesis * Apply generalization to work

- The “now what” phase * Transfer insights into real-life concerns

* Evaluate the effectiveness of sessions

Source: SEAMEO INNOTECH WEBSITE

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5. What is the format of the module?

a. Cover Page:
-The WMSU seal should be on the top right corner and the college seal on the top left
corner.
-The title of the module should be in the middle of the cover and below it is/are the
author/s’ name/s followed by the college name

Color: The color of the cover (and backpage) should reflect the college’s color. For example,
The College of Nursing’s color is Orange. Thus the dominant color of the cover is in
The shade of orange

Design/Graphics on the Cover Page: This should be decided by the college. The graphics or
visuals on the cover should be uniform by college.

b. Font style: Times New Roman is the suggested font style

c. Inside the Module

1. Copyright page (patterned after SEAMEO INNOTECH)

2. Table of contents (see note and sample in the template)

3. Background of the Module (Provides information about the module: what class or
course it’s linked to; info about the main content of the module, etc)

4. Objectives of the Module (What are the overall intents, purposes, aims of the module?)

5. Acknowledgment (optional): The writers may want to acknowledge certain people or

sponsoring agencies in this page.

6. Lessons: The way you organize the lessons within the module is up to you. One lesson
may encompass one class period or a week-long unit.

7. Glossary of Terms (as needed)

8. References: The references may be included after each lesson or at the end of the entire
module in a reference or bibliography section. Since majority of academic papers
and theses/dissertations utilize the APA style, this will also be the referencing
style for the module. See the following sample websites for guidelines:

APA: http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-APA-Style-Bibliography
http://spirit.tau.ac.il/empp/downloads/BibliographicCitation.pdf

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 9. Appendices: Worksheets, diagrams, additional readings, etc may be included as
appendices

10. Answer Key: An answer key may be included for short tests/quizzes or other forms of
assessment which you may include in the lesson as part of the application.

6. WMSU Icons

The Module Icons were developed by WMSU faculty members during the SEAMEO
INNOTECH training. These icons signal specific parts of the lesson and stages in the 4 A’s cycle
and should be used in the module.

ICONS GUIDE and Headings

Introduction

Objectives

4 A’s framework for organizing the module/lesson

Try this!
(Activity)

Think Ahead!
(Analysis)

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 Read and Ponder
(Abstraction)

See if you can do this

(Application)

Additional information (This should be under abstraction)

NOTE: In using the 4 A’s, follow the stages in the cycle. The activity should always
be at the beginning of the lesson/module. If you have more than one activity, make
sure they are all within the activity stage. If you want to introduce another activity
after the abstraction or analysis, make sure you go through each of the stages first
(activity, analysis, abstraction, application) then you can start the cycle again.

7. What are some guidelines in developing the module?

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Note: The guidelines below were lifted from the ppt lecture of Dr. Lilibeth Taa, the trainer from
SEAMEO INNOTECH

STEPS IN DEVELOPING SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL MODULES

1. Planning and Analysis

a. Conduct needs assessment.
b. Identify target population characteristics.
c. Analyze the characteristics of the environment.
d. Analyze the characteristics of existing and emerging technologies and their use in
instruction.
e. Develop your content outline.

2. Design and Development

a. Select or modify existing instructional materials (Curating).
b. Develop instructional materials.
c. Design instruction that reflects an understanding of the diversity of learners.

3. Implementation and Management

a. Plan and manage the module development process.
b. Promote collaboration, partnerships and relationships among the participants in the
process.
c. Design instructional management system.
d. Evaluate the module development process for effectiveness.

BUILD ACTIVE LEARNING INTO YOUR MODULE THROUGH:

1. Effective Learning Outcomes

2. Interactive Dialogue
3. Instructional Activities

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE LEARNING OUTCOME OR OBJECTIVE:

I. Student-focused, not professor- or coverage-focused

Ex.: On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Compare distributions graphically and numerically.
NOT Professor- or coverage-focused
This course will discuss:
1. Graphical and numerical distributions.

II. Focused on abilities central to the discipline

Course outcomes should help prepare students for what is
important to the discipline of which the course is a part.

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III. Focused on aspects of learning that will endure
Teaching students new modes of thinking is likely to have an impact on their future; having
them memorize facts tends to be much more short-lived.

IV. Are limited to a manageable number (say, 4-6) key outcomes that have a realistic
chance of being accomplished within a semester

V. Specific enough to be measurable

TIPS ON WRITING STYLE

1. Apply the 4 A’s of adult learning

2. Start with the familiar.
3. Talk to the learner in a friendly and encouraging dialogue.
4. Ask reflective/rhetorical questions.
5. Relate content to learner’s experience/context
6. Give lots of examples!
7. Reinforce/Praise/Encourage learners so they don’t give up
8. Provide a bridge from one topic to the next
9. Use language that is closer to everyday conversation.
Felicitation
Congratulations
At the present time
Now
In the event that
If

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SAMPLE TEMPLATE

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College
Seal

COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE

______________________________________________________

Title of Module

______________________________________________________

Author/s

Name of College

(Note: The color of the cover should reflect the college’s color (i.e. CN-orange; CET maroon).
The graphics/visuals on the cover will be decided by the college)

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WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY
Copyright © by Western Mindanao State University
All rights reserved. Published (Year)
Printed in the Philippines
ISBN 978-971-0487-42-4
No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed
in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or
retrieval system, without prior written permission of
WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY
TABLE OF CONTENTS

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 (The sample below can be the format of the table of contents. This can be generated
automatically in Microsoft Word by going to References, clicking on Table of Contents and
locating this style.)

Table of Contents
I. Introduction to Computer Technology......................................25
Concept of a Computer System..............................................25
What is a Computer?.....................................................29
Types of Computers......................................................30
Features of a Computers.................................................31
Computer Hardware and Computer Software........ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Input Devices................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Processing Unit.............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Storage Devices.............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Output Devices............................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
II. Introduction to Computer Programming......... Error! Bookmark not defined.
What is a Computer Program?.................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
What is Computer Programming?.................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Process of Program Design...................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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BACKGROUND OF THE MODULE (What is the module about?)

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OBJECTIVES OF THE MODULE

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT (optional)

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 LESSON TITLE

Lesson (number)

Introduction (Give a short introduction to the lesson or an overview of the

learning experience)

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Objectives (Think of objectives that will promote higher thinking skills. You
may look at Bloom’s taxonomy as a guide: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html)

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1.
2.
3.
4.
Etc..

Topic Outline (This is optional.)

1.
2.
3.
4.
Etc..

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 Try this!

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

(Note: This is the first stage of the 4 A’s which is an Activity. You can have additional activities
if desired. You can also add pictures, graphs, flowcharts, etc..at any part in the module)

Think ahead!
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Note: This is the analysis section. This phase requires students to do reflective feedback;
process of inquiry into the activity; experience sharing and the like.)

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 Read and Ponder

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Note: This is the Abstraction Stage. This is where the theories, concepts or lecture notes
regarding the topic are placed for the students to read and ponder, and integrate the prior activity
and analysis done. )

See if you can do this!

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

(Note: This is the Application or assessment stage. This is where the students do a practical
synthesis of what they have learned, apply generalizations to work and transfer insights into real-
life tasks.)

[The 4 A’s cycle is now complete. If you wish, you can continue with another cycle to expand on the topic or to further enrich the
learning experience.]

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS (If needed)

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REFERENCES

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APPENDICES

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ANSWER KEY

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Sample lesson from the College of Engineering module

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 I. Introduction to Computer Technology

Concept of a Computer System

Computers, nowadays, have become a common device at work, school and at home. You might
already have a general knowledge of what a computer is. But have you ever used a computer? If you
answered yes, that’s great! You have a good start. If you answered no, do not worry. You might not know
it yet, but maybe all along you already have a computer right at your fingertips!

One of the most popular innovations that man has ever built is the computer. You might have
watched a movie or a show in TV where robots walk around like humans? Or maybe humans almost like
robots, like Iron Man? Well, in reality, there are already robots developed but it doesn’t have its own
intelligence yet to be like us. For now, it is only limited to the imagination of the movie creators of what a
possible future will be like. But you will never know. Some of the technology that we have now, like your
mobile phone, used to only be a possible future decades or centuries ago.

The robots might be so advanced, but its development comes from the same basic concept of
computer technology that we have now. From the personal desktop computers, the computer technology
has evolved to a lot of other innovations like laptops, mobile phones, smart phones, tablets, and the like.
These innovations in technology have made most of humans’ work easier and definitely, faster!

Objectives:

At the end of this section, you should be able to:

1. Describe the basic features of computers

2. Differentiate between hardware and software
3. Identify the different components of a computer system
4. Differentiate between input and output devices

Topic Outline:

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 I. Concept of a Computer System
a. What is a Computer?
b. Types of Computers
c. Features of a Computer
II. Computer Hardware and Computer Software
III. Hardware Components of a Computer
a. Input Devices
b. Processing Unit
c. Storage Devices
d. Output Devices

Try This!

Consider the devices below. Pair with a classmate and look for these devices around you, at
the computer laboratory, internet cafes, just at your friend’s house, or maybe at your own
house. Identify the parts that you can see from these devices and compare the different parts.
Identify some of the common parts between the devices. Also take note of the uses of these
devices in our daily lives.

Figure 1.1c
Figure 1.1b
A desktop computer
Figure 1.1a A mobile phone
A calculator

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 Think Ahead!

1. Provide the details below by answering each question and identifying what is being asked. Fill-out your
answers for each of these devices.

Desktop
Device Details Calculator Mobile Phones
Computers
What are the major
functions of these
devices? You can
write at most three
(3) functions.

Which part(s) of
the device do you
use to enter data?
NOTE: Data can be
text, sound, image,
or video.

Which part(s) of
the device do you
use to display or
output data?

Which part(s) of
the device is used
to process the data
you enter?

Which part(s) of
the device is used
to store your data?

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2. Identify five (5) advantages of using these devices in our daily lives?

SN ADAVANTAGES

You may not own yourself any or all of these devices but you were able to identify its parts as well
as its advantages in the world that we live in. Congratulations! You have taken another step towards being
techno-savvy!

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 Read and Ponder!

The use of these devices has greatly affected how people do their tasks. You might know how to
compute using pen and paper, but the calculator makes it easier to compute bigger numbers and faster.
You might go to a friend’s house and tell him/her the latest news but text messaging or calling using
mobile phones makes it more convenient. Any employees in a company can create their documents and
store it manually in a cabinet somewhere but the creation, editing, and retrieval using a personal
computer not only makes it faster, it also makes management of files hassle-free and almost error-free.

What is a Computer?

So, what exactly is a computer? A computer is a collection of electronic devices operating under
a set of instructions stored in its own memory. It accepts data (Input), manipulates the data (Process), and
outputs its results (Output), and stores these results for future use (Storage) (Discovering Computers,
2002).

Figure 1.2 below illustrates these general tasks of a computer. The arrow between process and
storage means that results can be directly stored by the computer without displaying it to the user. Just
think of IPOS, i.e. Input, Process, Output, and Storage.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT STORAGE

Accepts data Process data to Produces results Store results
produce information

Results may be a
Data are raw facts (in display on the screen Results are stored in
a form of a text, Information is a or a sound from the computer’s own
sound, image or processed data that is speakers or a memory or a separate
video) meaningful to a user hardcopy from the storage device like
(such as reports) printer. your flash drives.

Figure 1.2 IPOS: Tasks of a Computer

In the simplest sense, a calculator as well as a mobile phone may be considered as a simple
computer. You enter your data into the keypad, the device will process your data, and a result will be
displayed in the small screen. For some calculators, you can even save your previous computations. Just
exactly what we have mentioned before, computers at your own fingertips!

However, the term “computer” is now commonly associated with desktop or personal computers
(PC). These are the type of computers that you see inside an internet café. With this, you can enter data
in different formats such as texts, images, sounds, or videos… it can process large amount of data… it can
display outputs in different formats as well… and it can store up huge data from megabytes (MB), to

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gigabytes (GB), to terabytes (TB). Some of the new generation computers have also same capabilities or
even better but comes in small packages like laptops and tablets.

Types of Computers

In general, computers can come in different sizes depending on its specifications. It could come in
a form of a wristwatch or as big as the size of the classrooms or maybe even as big as a building. It could
also be used for different purposes. We could use PCs for personal use or supercomputers for big science
research.

Computers can be categorized based their operation and specifications. Specifications include its
size, speed of its computations, and the storage capacity. Figure 1.3 below shows the different categories
or types of computers.

COMPUTERS

Analog Digital Hybrid

Mainframe
Super Computers Mini Computers Micro Computers
Computers

Figure 1.3 Types of Computers adopted from (Computer Basics, 2009)

The following are the different types of computers (Fabien, 1999):

 Analog Computers – These are computing devices that use analog signals that are
represented a continuous range of values. It generally deals with physical variables such
as voltage, pressure, temperature, speed, etc. You can see some of these devices at
research institutes, hospitals, and flight centers.

 Digital Computers – These are computing devices that use electrical inputs, ON or OFF.
With these devices data are represented by 0s (OFF) and 1s (ON). Digital computers can
get more accurate and faster results. It is best suited for solving complex problems in
engineering and technology. The most popular example of this type of computer is PC.

o Super Computers – These computers are the best, in terms of processing capacity,
which means it is the fastest type of computer available. It can process about
billions of instructions per second. However, this is also the most expensive.
These are mainly used for complex scientific simulations and calculations like
nuclear energy r, stock analysis, and weather forecasting.

o Mainframe Computers – These computers are also considered high-speed

computers which can process about millions of instructions per second. Just like

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 a super computer, it is also expensive. It is mainly used for the applications in
banking, airlines, and railways.

o Mini Computers – These computers have lower speed than mainframes and also
less expensive. Sometimes it is considered as a small-scale mainframe. In general,
it is also capable of supporting multiprocessing system for about 200 users. It is
mostly used as servers some major business applications.

o Micro Computers – These are the most common type of computers used today.
The invention of single chip processors (CPU) creates cheaper but powerful
microcomputers. The most widely used amongst microcomputers are the
desktop computers or PC. Other devices such as laptops, handheld devices like
tablets and personal data assistants (PDA) also belong to this type.

 Hybrid Computers – These computers are very unique because they combine the
operations of analog and digital computers. They operate by using digital-to-analog
converter and analog-to-digital converter that will transform the data into a more suitable
form for either type of computation. These devices are mainly used for specialized task.
An example of this is the hospital’s ICU. The device measures the patient’s temperature,
blood pressure, and other vital signs. These data are converted into numbers using the
digital components of the device so that medical personnel will be able to monitor the
values and be able to send signal if there are abnormal values.

Features of a Computers

In whichever type, size, or configuration the computers may be, there’s no doubt that it is able to
make some complicated tasks simple. In general, it makes most of human’s tasks faster than any other
tool available. In the previous activity, you have list down some of the advantages that the use of
computers have contributed into our daily lives. Here are some of the features that made all these
advantages possible:

 Speed – As we have already mentioned before, computers works at a very high speed. We
are talking thousand (milliseconds), millions (microseconds), and billions (nanoseconds)
of instructions per second. Technically, it can read a book in a bat of an eyelash.

 Accuracy – Not only are computers fast, it is also accurate, not unless the user (you) gives
a wrong data or instruction. In this sense, computers are 100% accurate.

 Consistency – Unlike humans, computers can work efficiently continuously for many hours
without taking a rest. It also maintains its speed and accuracy. As long as it has power, it
will not stop working out of tiredness or fatigue.

 Versatile – Computers can do a variety of tasks from complex science simulations to

simple computations like playing your favourite games. It is used in variety of fields and
industry.

 Storage – Computer can store large amount of data. Imagine the stacks of files and

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 documents in the office cabinets. The entire files and documents in your office can be
stored in a single flash drive which you can carry with you in your packets.

 Reliability – Since computers works fast, accurate, and consistent, you data and other
works may be easily assessable for future use. You can be assured that it will be available
for you when you need it.

See if you can do this!

Now that you were able to know the characteristics of computers, do your research and provide
actual examples of the different types of computers. Note that supercomputers and mainframes are
grouped as one, and minicomputers and microcomputers for the other group. List down five (5) examples
for each group and identify where the computer is used or applied.

Examples of Super Computers or Mainframes:

SN Super Computers or Mainframes Application

Examples of Mini Computers and Micro Computers:

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SN Mini Computers or Micro Computers Application

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Congratulations for a job well done!

________________________END______________________________________________

MODULE TEMPLATE DEVELOPERS

ISMP TEAM

1. Dr. Raquel Tomasa R. Ho OIC-Director, ISMP

Members

1. Dr. Mario Obra

2. Engr. Cielito C. Olegario
3. Prof. Lucia M. Santos
4. Prof. Florenchita R. Somblingo
5. Prof. Eric Roland R. Natividad
6. Prof. Ruth Miriam Racho

WMSU Icons Developer

1. Mayridel Pasamata (CEd Faculty)

2. Sheila Rosales (CEd Faculty)

WMSU Icons Digital versions

1. Martin Manuel (CET student)

MODULE TEMPLATE REVIEWER

Dr. Lilibeth Francisco-Taa

Senior Officer SEAMEO INNOTECH

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