Edgar Dale’s Cone of Experience

Reporter: Marjorette Hamhamo

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In 1946, Edgar Dale developed his theory on Cones of
Experience. It is a visual representation of the types of
experiences human beings encounter as they prepare to
synthesize the knowledge and convert it to understanding.
Dale mentioned that humans can encounter different types
of experiences. Each level of experience results in a different
level of effectiveness as it relies on the process of
knowledge.

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What is Dale’s cone of experience?
The cone of experience is a pictorial device use to explain the
interrelationships of the various types of audio-visual media, as
well as their individual “positions” in the learning process. The
cone's utility in selecting instructional resources and activities is
as practical today as when Dale created it.

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The Cone is a visual analogy and like all analogies, it does not bear an exact and
detailed relationship to the complex elements it represents.
-Edgar Dale
The success of a learning situation depends to a large extent on the skillful intervention of a
professional person, the teacher. There are intervention or helping points in teaching process.
These points encompass the key elements or the so-called 8 M's of teaching. These are:
1. Milieu: The Learning Environment
The classroom is the usual although not the exclusive environment of learning at school. 
2.  Matter: The Content of Learning.
This refers to the what is to be learned as specified in the instructional objective.
3.  Method" The teaching-learning Strategy.
This consist of purposeful, planned activities and tasks that are undertaken by the teacher and the
students in the classroom to bring about the intended instructional objective.
 4. Material: The Resources of Learning.
Materials are resources available to the teacher and learners which serve as stimuli in the teaching-
learning situation. 

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5.  Media: Communication in Teaching and Learning.
This pertains to the communication system in the teaching-learning situation. This serves dual
purpose: to promote common understanding in instruction and to set and maintain a healthy
psychological climate in the classroom conducive to learning.

6. Motivation: Arousing and Sustaining Interest in Learning.

Motivation is the cardinal principle in learning. A learner will learn only those things he wants to
learn.

7. Mastery: The Be-all and End-all of Learning.

This means internalization of learning resulting in automatic or habitual change behavior through
meaningful repetition and application.

8. Measurement: Getting Evidence of Learning.

This is the final stage in the teaching-learning sequence, involving the systematic collection of the
evidence of learning.

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The elements of the Cone of Experience are the 2 M’s of instruction namely the
media and the material. It guides the teachers in choosing the kind of
instructional materials in teaching.

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Principles on the cone of Experience:
The cone is based on the relationships of various educational
experiences to reality (real life), and the bottom level of the
cone, "direct purposeful experiences," represents reality or the
closest things to real, everyday life. The opportunity for a
learner to use a variety or several senses (sight, smell, hearing,
touching, movement) is considered in the cone.

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The Bands in Dale’s Cone of Experience

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Verbal Symbols is the principal medium of communication
Bear no physical resemblance to the objects or ideas for which
they stand may be a word for concretion, idea, scientific principle,
formula or philosophic aphorism.
They are not like the objects or ideas for which they stand. They
usually do not contain visual clues to their meaning.  Written words
fall under this category. It may be a word for a concrete object
(book), an idea (freedom of speech), a scientific principle (the
principle of balance).

Disadvantage: highly abstract.

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Visual Symbols
Fits the tempo of presentation of idea, topic or situation
very easy to procure and prepare. This no longer involves
reproducing real situations. Chalkboard and overhead projector
are the most widely used media. It helps students to see an
idea, event, or process.
Examples: chalkboard/whiteboard, flat maps, diagrams,
charts
Limitations: lack of ability to use the media size of visuals
simplification of visual materials leads to misconceptions.

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 Recordings, Radio, Still Pictures
Attention – getting, particularly projected views concretize verbal
abstraction. Can often be understood by those who cannot read.
Helpful to students who cannot deal with the motion or pace of a
real event or television. These are visual or auditory devices which
maybe used by an individual or a group.
Examples: Time Life Magazine, Listening to old radio broadcasts
Listening to music.

Limitations: Size of pictures or illustrations expensiveness of

projected materials and equipment timing difficulties between radio
shows and classroom lessons.

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Motion pictures (also television)
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. 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.
• Bring immediate interaction with events from around the world.
• Edit an event to create clearer understanding than if experienced
actual event first hand.
Examples: Viewing, seeing and hearing experience. Can re-create events
with simplistic drama that even slower students can grasp

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Television and Motion Pictures
A solution to time and space constraints provides “windows
to the world” effective for presenting movement, continuity of
ideas or events substitute for dangerous direct learning
experiences.
The unique value of the messages communicated by film
and television lies in their feeling of realism, their emphasis on
persons and personality, their organized presentation, and their
ability to select, dramatize, highlight, and clarify.

Limitations: Expensive viewing problems timing with classroom

lessons misconceptions about time, size, and ideas.

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Exhibits
This present objects such as artifacts, posters, and pictures
inside the classroom exposure to acquire new ideas,
discoveries, inventions.

Problems that may be encountered: too little space

time – consuming maintenance.

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 Field Trips/ Study Trips
This is undertaken primarily for the purpose of experiencing
something that cannot be encountered within the classroom a
rich experience in learning about objects, systems, and situations.
• Watch people do things in real situations.
• Observe an event that is unavailable in the classroom
• These are excursions, educational trips, and visits conducted o
observe an event that is unavailable within the classroom.
Example: Field Study
Disadvantages: time-consuming expensive high exposure to
danger /accidents inadequacy of the community’s resources.
.

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 Demonstrations
This visualized explanation of an important fact or idea or process may
require nothing more than observation or students may be asked to do what
has just been shown how to do.
A visualized explanation of an important fact, idea or process by the use
of: Photographs, Drawings, Films, Displays, and Guided motions. Showing
how things are done.
Example: How to play the piano, How to lift a fingerprint Demonstrations are
a great mixture of concrete hands-on application and more abstract verbal
explanation.
Disadvantages: ideas or processes might not be interpreted or conceived very
well visibility to all learners.

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Dramatized Experiences
This help get closer to certain realities that are no longer available at
first hand stirring and attention getting participant learns to understand
intimately the character he portrays teaches cooperative work. It is called
the “Reconstructed Experiences "because it can be used to simplify an
event or idea to its most important parts.
Divided into two categories: Acting (Role Playing)– actual participation
(more concrete) and Observing – watching a dramatization take place
(more abstract)
Examples: plays, puppets, pageant, pantomime, and tableau

Disadvantages: time consuming without commensurate results

participation is limited to few individuals.

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Contrived Experiences
This is an “editing” of reality substitutes for confusing or
unmanageable first – hand experiences easier to handle, manipulate
or operate.  Necessary when real experience cannot be used or are
too complicated.
Examples: Conducting election of class and school officers and Mock
up of a clock

Disadvantages: simplification leads to misconceptions, distorted

views, and incomplete pictures of reality no freedom to handle
expensive or fragile models, mock – ups, specimens, etc.

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Direct, Purposeful Experiences
“First hand Experiences”. It unabridged version of life itself. We
need direct participation with responsibility for the outcome and the
basis for the most effective and lasting learning. It uses of all our
senses.
Examples: Working in a homeless shelter, tutoring younger children

Disadvantages: not all things can be learned through direct, first

hand experiencing.

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Modes of learning
Edgar Dale introduced the Cone of Experience exhibits headway from direct, first-
hand experience to graphic representation and purely abstract, symbolic expression.

The Cone of Experience corresponds with three major modes of learning

a. The inactive or direct experience involves practicing with objects (the student
actually ties a knot to learn knot-tying). This kind of experience involves concrete,
immediate action and use of the senses and body.

b. The iconic experience involves interpreting images and drawings (the student
looks at drawings, pictures or films to learn to tie knots). Such experiences are once
removed from the physical realm and limited to two or three senses.

c. The symbolic experience involves reading or hearing symbols (the student reads
or hears the word “tie” and forms an image in the mind). Usually, in such
experiences, the action is indifferent and the experience is limited to thoughts and
ideas. | UNIVERSITY OF CAGAYAN VALLEY
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Thank
Thankyouyoufor
for
listening!!!
listening!!!

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