Robert F. Mager

Written as conversations between a sharp fifth‑grader and a parent, the book critiques common school practices and outlines specific, actionable changes that would help schools produce graduates who can do what’s required to thrive as educated, responsible adults.

An autobiographical account of Mager’s career and eclectic interests, describing experiences that shaped his approach to learning, performance improvement, and the development of CRI and his best‑known books.

A concise handbook for diagnosing why people are not performing as expected and for selecting solutions matched to root causes. Using a decision flow, it distinguishes skill gaps from environmental, incentive, or process issues and outlines remedies beyond training when appropriate. Includes dozens of real‑world examples and a fold‑out flowchart.

Presents a five‑step process for translating vague, abstract goals ("fuzzies") into observable, assessable performances. It shows how to define evidence of attainment, refine statements into measurable outcomes, and test the completeness of performance descriptions; includes many practice exercises.

A practical guide for stating clear, performance‑based learning objectives. The book explains the qualities of well‑written objectives and shows how to specify performance, conditions, and criteria so instructional outcomes align with goals. It includes checklists and practice to help distinguish strong objectives from vague statements and to ensure objectives guide design and assessment.

Explains how to determine whether instruction achieved its objectives by developing appropriate measurement tools. In clear, non‑technical language, it shows how to align test items with objectives, collect evidence of learning, and document the value of training; includes extensive practice exercises and a pull‑out reference card.

Focuses on building and sustaining learner motivation and positive attitudes toward learning. It offers practical techniques to increase learners’ willingness to engage and to use what they have learned, plus a checklist to assess whether instructional practices support confidence and interest or inadvertently create negative attitudes.

Step‑by‑step guidance for designing and developing instruction that is lean, motivating, and effective. It translates the full course design process into manageable tasks, offers tactics for sequencing content, and provides tools and examples that help ensure instruction achieves stated objectives.