1. There are six parts to the model.
The ASSURE model is an ISD (Instructional Systems Design) process that was modified to
be used by teachers in the regular classroom The ISD process is one in which teachers and
trainers can use to design and develop the most appropriate learning environment for their
students. You can use this process in writing your lesson plans and in improving teaching
and learning.
1- Analyze Learners (5 points)
The first step in planning is to specifically define your audience. You must know the learners
if you are to select the best strategies to meet the objectives you have set. The audience can
be analyzed in terms of their general characteristics (grade level, age) and specific entry
competencies (prior knowledge, skills, and attitudes about the topic, and learning styles).
2- State Objectives (5 points)
The next step in planning is to specifically state the objectives for the lesson or presentation.
Objectives must be stated in terms of what the learner (not the teacher or presenter) will do
(stated in behavioral terms) as the result of instruction. Your lesson should include 2-3
specific objectives. Objectives typically contain 4 basic parts:
A simple statement that describes the intended Audience. For example, "The first grade
student will . . . " or "The tenth grade English student will . . . "
A statement of the expected student Behavior that will occur as a result of your instruction.
This behavior needs to be observable, so it can be evaluated. For example, action verbs like
add, alphabetize, arrange, build, choose, classify, contrast, define, describe, diagram, identify,
kick, label, locate, make, multiply, name, produce, pronounce, select, sketch, sort, specify,
state, throw, underline, verbalize, and write are very useful. Avoid words like know,
appreciate, grasp, or understand. These do not represent observable behavior. Remember that
the behavior stated is that of the student, not the teacher.
A statement of the Conditions under which performance is to be observed. What resources
will the student be allowed to use (e.g., a map, a dictionery)? What tools or equipment will
the student be allowed to use? Will the student be allowed to use notes or an outline when
writing an essay?
A statement of the Degree of accuracy or proficiency the learner must display in order to
move on. The criteria should be based on some real-world requirement, not stated in terms of
a score on a multiple choice test. Time and accuracy are frequently meaningful for many
objectives. Should an eleventh grade English student be able to write a five paragraph theme
within 50 minutes? If a third grade student can complete at least seven of ten single-digit
multiplication problems, can the teacher assume he or she has mastered the concept?
3- Select Media and Materials (5 points)
Now you have set the beginning point (the audience's present knowledge, skills, and
attitudes) and the ending point (objectives) of your instruction. Now your job is the build an
instructional bridge that will connect the two points. You may select available materials,
modify existing materials, or design new materials to help accomplish this task. You may
1

2. select several different types of media to use with the unit. Any of the media/technology
discussed in the text will be appropriate.
4- Utilize Media and Materials (5 points)
Now you must decide how the materials will be used by the students. Preview the materials
and practice the lesson. Next, prepare the room and be sure the necessary equipment and
facilities are available and ready for your use before you actually use the lesson.
5- Require Learner Performance (2 points)
Learners need to practice what they have learned. Describe how the learners will actively use
the materials you have selected. Correct responses should be reinforced. There should be
activities included in the lesson or that allow learners to respond and receive feedback before
any type of evaluation is administered.
6- Evaluate and Revise (3 points)
After instruction, you must evaluate the entire instructional process. Did the learners meet the
objectives? Did the media/materials assist the learners in reaching those objectives? Could all
learners use the materials properly? If there are discrepancies between what you intended and
what actually happened during the lesson, make appropriate revisions before making the
lesson again.
Most teachers understand that integrating technology into the curriculum is the best way to
make a positive difference in education. While many specific strategies can be used to add
technology to the mix, the following model is one example of how to integrate technology
into your future lessons.
The ASSURE model was developed by Heinich, Molenda, Russell, Smaldino (1999) and is
an instructional model for planning a lesson and the technology that will enhance it. The
ASSURE model contains six steps and the letters in ASSURE form an acronym. The “A”
stands for Analyze the learner. Who are your students? While this seems to be common
sense, the step is important to mention because keeping your students in mind will help
ensure that you work diligently to find those materials and resources that will be most
appropriate and useful to your students. You should know who your students are (e. g. ,
demographics, prior knowledge, learning styles, academic abilities) on a multitude of levels,
and use this knowledge in every lesson you plan.
The first “S” stands for State objectives. You will have a curriculum to teach in your
classroom, with specific objectives that will become the focus of individual lessons. What are
these objectives? What should be the outcomes of the lessons that your students will know or
learn? Each lesson will probably be tied to curricular objectives and this step reminds you to
keep these objectives as the focus of the student learning.
The second “S” is Select media and materials. When choosing the media and materials to
help you teach a lesson, you will first choose a method for delivering your instruction. For
example, you might decide that having your students work in small cooperative groups is
2

3. most appropriate, or you might determine that a lesson is best taught using a tutorial. You
then select the media that best supplements or enhances the method of teaching you have
chosen. The media could include technology solutions (e. g. , CD-ROMs, DVDs, calculators,
software, Internet resources, videos); print resources, such as a textbook; or any combination
of the various media types. You will have to decide which materials and media can best help
your students master the learning objectives you have identified.
The “U” stands for Utilize media and materials. In the last step you identified specific
media and materials to help meet your learning objectives. In this step, the lesson is actually
taught and the media and materials get implemented. This is also the step that should have a
backup plan in place. Technology solutions can break down, so an alternative solution should
be available. For this reason, a teacher should always test the media first, to help prevent
disappointment. In other words, make sure you have tried the software or device to ensure
that it is age appropriate, grade appropriate, usable, and valid for the lesson and objectives
being taught. Evaluating the media will also raise any red flags (e. g. , is any training going to
be required? Is an extension cord going to be necessary?).
The “R” stands for Require learner participation. Your students are going find learning
more meaningful when they are actively involved in the learning process and not sitting there
passively. Are there strategies you can use to get your students practicing? Thinking?
Solving? Creating? Developing? Analyzing? More often than not, a lecture is not going to
allow your students to move beyond passive learning. On the other hand, integrating
technology into a lesson almost necessitates that you use a teaching method beyond lecturing.
How can you best facilitate the learning process?
Finally, the “E” stands for Evaluate and revise. This is one of the most important steps, but
is often overlooked. Becoming a good teacher requires that you constantly evaluate your own
teaching, evaluate the student learning, and make needed revisions for the next lesson and for
the next time you teach the current lesson. Always striving to improve is the first step to
becoming a better teacher. Evaluation occurs when you determine the worth of your teaching
methods and the media you used. During the evaluation stage, you should ask yourself
questions such as, “Did this lesson meet the objectives?” “Did students gain from this
lesson?” “Can this lesson be improved?” “How so?” “Could individual work or group work
have been more effective for parts of this lesson?” “Was the media appropriate?” “Are there
other technology solutions that might have worked better?” While this is not a comprehensive
list of questions, this should provide you with some direction for the evaluation stage. You
might also ask students to reflect on their learning and the experience they had in the lesson.
Perhaps your students will have feedback that could help you to improve the lesson for next
time, or feedback that could help you improve future lessons for them. Having things go
wrong does not make a teacher a bad teacher. However, failing to take corrective and
preventative actions for the future is bad teaching.
The ASSURE model is just one strategy to effectively integrate technology into curriculum.
Some teachers will create an ASSURE poster to help them remember the steps of the model.
As you become a more experienced teacher, you will probably find that the steps in the
ASSURE model are second nature and that will lead to better teaching. As you revise lessons
from year to year, remember to keep in mind new and emerging technologies that might be
more effective.
3

4. 4