The three-stage model of instruction developed at Purdue University--which has been applied successfully in graduate and undergraduate college courses, workshops, and high school courses--is discussed. The system depends heavily on printed instructional material to guide student efforts. The model provides an approach for teaching basic subject matter, higher level cognitive understanding, and applications. Steps in designing a course are formulation of course goals and organizing the content into units. For each unit, a set of materials and activities is planned. The first activity of each unit is a set of directed learning activities designed to transmit basic information with understanding. For this stage the student receives a self-instructional guide. The next stage of activity involves small group projects designed to help the students learn how to use the basic information. Stage three involves doing an individual project. A model syllabus, which is appended, illustrates a college course designed in the three-stage model. A sample course outline, sample information questionnaire, and instructional objectives for the self-instructional guide, the group instructional guide, and the individual projects are included. (SW)