6. Gerlach & Ely educational design model Ten steps to an effective learning environment. The design begins with specification of content and objectives. These steps are connected by arrows pointing to each, indicating that either can begin the process and that both are so closely related that they work with one another as the beginning step. (Roig, 2011). The teacher is ultimately responsible for selecting what parts of the content will be taught when. These decisions can be based on many things, including state/local guidelines, supervisors, personal experiences, and long-range goals. (Grabowski, 2003).