Edgar Dale’s Cone of Experience

Background Years ago an educator named Edgar Dale (Educational Media, 1960), often cited as the father of modern media in education, developed from his experience in teaching and his observations of learners the "cone of experience”. The cone's utility in selecting instructional resources and activities is as practical today as when Dale created it.

THE CONE

People generally remember … 10% of what they read • 20% of what they hear • 30% of what they see • 50% of what they hear and see - video • 70% of what they say or write • 90% of what they say as they do something

Pie Graph on Senses and Perception 1.5% 3.5% 1% 11 % 83%

Retention Rate Levels Hearing, Saying & Doing Reading Hearing Seeing

Interpreting the Cone The cone is based on the relationships of various educational experiences to reality (real life). The bottom level of the cone, "direct purposeful experiences," represents reality or the closest things to real, everyday life.

More Interpretation The opportunity for a learner to use a variety or several senses (sight, smell, hearing, touching, movement) is considered in the cone. Direct experience allows us to use all senses. As you move up the cone, fewer senses are involved at each level.

The more sensory channels possible in interacting with a resource, the better the chance that many students can learn from it. Each level of the cone above its base moves a learner a step further away from real- life experiences, so experiences focusing only on the use of verbal symbols are the furthest removed from real life.

Motion pictures (also television) is where it is on the cone because it is an observational experience with little or no opportunity to participate or use senses other than seeing and hearing. The experiences below this one provide opportunity for the learner to enter into the experience in more ways, using more senses.

Contrived experiences are ones that are highly participatory and simulate real life situations or activities. Dramatized experiences are defined as experiences in which the learner acts out a role or activity.

NOTE THAT: When Dale formulated the cone of experience, computers were not a part of educational or home settings, so they aren't part of the original cone.

Dale’s Cone & Teaching

The importance of Dale's cone of experience is the tool it provides to help a teacher make decisions about resources or activities. Using your knowledge of the cone, you can ask yourself several questions about the potential value of a resource to student learning.

Thank you For listening!