| Abstract: | There has been a continuing increase in the application of hierarchy theory to the problems of instruction and evaluation, since Gagné first used the term  hierarchy in his theory of how human beings acquire complex skills and knowledge. This article, based on a 1970 symposium of the American Educational Research Association, presents an overview and analysis of the use of learning hierarchies in instruction and research, examines some current research on learning hierarchies, and considers the implications of this research for instructional psychology and for theories of cognitive development.Lauren B. Resnick is with the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
