[3] These principles can be used to assist teachers, trainers and instructional designers in developing research-based instructional materials in a manner that is likely to produce positive student learning gains.
[7] There is a growing body of research support for Merrill's First Principles of Instruction.
In one study, researchers surveyed 140 students at 89 different higher education institutions and discovered that students were 9 times more likely to report that they had mastered learning the course objectives when First Principles of Instruction were used and when they spent ample time and effort studying.
[8] Another study observed award-winning instructors at an institute of higher education and found that they used some or all of First Principles of Instruction in their teaching strategies, thereby linking acclaimed instructors with the principles.
[10] Another study found that biology students learning from instruction using First Principles of Instruction had significantly increased confidence in their ability to solve similar problems in the future, compared to other learners.