Strategic planning: theoretical approaches

In this article, Ellis maintains that a number of studies have explored how strategic planning impacts task performance. Ellis explains that in the case of giving students the task work plan and leaving them to decide for themselves what to plan, the results have shown that priority was given to content over form. Ellis quotes from Foster and Skehan that when students have the opportunity to receive guidance they have the tendency to prioritize content which results in the improvement in complexity when performing the task. Following a number of studies on strategic planning, Ellis describes that findings have demonstrated that with a very short period of planning, accuracy is positively benefited, whereas longer planning time is required for improving complexity.