CPI Instructional Design Principles 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary distinction between formative and summative evaluation in instructional design?
- Formative is done after instruction; summative is done before
- Formative occurs during development to improve the program; summative measures final outcomes (Correct answer)
- Formative uses only surveys; summative uses only tests
- There is no meaningful distinction between the two
Correct answer: Formative occurs during development to improve the program; summative measures final outcomes
Formative evaluation improves instruction during design and delivery, while summative evaluation judges overall program effectiveness after completion.
Question 2: An instructor is designing a course on workplace safety. Which objective is written using proper performance-based language?
- Learners will understand the importance of PPE.
- Learners will appreciate safety regulations.
- Learners will correctly demonstrate donning PPE within 60 seconds. (Correct answer)
- Learners will be aware of OSHA standards.
Correct answer: Learners will correctly demonstrate donning PPE within 60 seconds.
Properly written performance objectives include an observable behavior, condition, and measurable criterion — only the third option meets all three.
Question 3: Which instructional strategy BEST supports transfer of learning to the job?
- Requiring rote memorization of key terms
- Providing realistic practice scenarios that mirror the workplace (Correct answer)
- Delivering content through extended lecture without practice
- Testing only at the end of the program
Correct answer: Providing realistic practice scenarios that mirror the workplace
Transfer is maximized when practice conditions closely resemble the real performance environment.
Question 4: In Kirkpatrick's Four-Level Model, Level 2 measures:
- Learner reaction and satisfaction
- Actual learning — knowledge, skills, or attitude change (Correct answer)
- On-the-job behavior change
- Business results and ROI
Correct answer: Actual learning — knowledge, skills, or attitude change
Level 2 (Learning) assesses whether participants acquired the intended knowledge, skills, or attitudes during training.
Question 5: What is 'chunking' in instructional design?
- Breaking content into small, manageable units to reduce cognitive overload (Correct answer)
- Combining multiple subjects into a single long module
- Using large blocks of text without visual breaks
- Assigning learners to random groups
Correct answer: Breaking content into small, manageable units to reduce cognitive overload
Chunking organizes information into small, related units that align with working memory capacity and reduce cognitive load.
Question 6: Which component is NOT typically part of a well-written learning objective?
- Audience
- Behavior
- Condition
- Instructor biography (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Instructor biography
Mager's three-part (or four-part) objectives include audience, behavior, condition, and degree — instructor biography is irrelevant to objective writing.
Question 7: A training designer uses pre-tests to adjust instruction before a course begins. This is an example of:
- Summative evaluation
- Reaction-level data collection
- Diagnostic assessment (Correct answer)
- Return on investment analysis
Correct answer: Diagnostic assessment
Diagnostic assessments identify learner entry-level knowledge and skills so instruction can be tailored accordingly.
CPI Instructional Design Principles 3
What is the primary distinction between formative and summative evaluation in instructional design?