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DaleDale’’s Cone of Experiences Cone of Experience

San José State UniversityCopyright 2004

BackgroundBackground  Years ago an educator named Edgar

Dale (Educational Media, 1960), oftencited as the father of modern media ineducation, developed from his experiencein teaching and his observations oflearners the "cone of experience”. Thecone's utility in selecting instructionalresources and activities is as practicaltoday as when Dale created it.

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Modified from workBy E. L. Counts, Jr.

People generally remember 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 dosomething

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Interpreting the ConeInterpreting the Cone

• The cone is based on the relationships ofvarious educational experiences to reality(real life).

• The bottom level of the cone, "directpurposeful experiences," represents realityor the closest things to real, everyday life.

More InterpretationMore 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 areinvolved at each level.

• The more sensory channels possible ininteracting with a resource, the better thechance that many students can learn from it.

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andand

• Each level of the cone above its base moves alearner a step further away from real- lifeexperiences, so experiences focusing only onthe use of verbal symbols are the furthestremoved from real life.

• Think about a student reading material withoutany pictures or other visuals or a studentlistening to a lecture that is nothing but words.

DaleDale’’s Cone & Teachings Cone & Teaching