Post on 14-Dec-2014
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KMS2014Design & Management of Training Programmes
Unit 3:
Formulation of training objectives
Objectives
At the end of this unit you will be able to: Describe the meaning and the need for training
objectives Explain the factors to be considered when
selecting objectives Explain the framework in writing objectives Write clear objectives for a training programme Communicate training objectives
Introduction
Before training can be prepared, before training procedures or subject matter or material can be selected it is important to state clearly just what the results of that training will be
A clear statement of objectives will provide a sound basis for choosing methods and materials and for selecting the means for assessing whether the training has been successful
What are objectives Description of what trainer wants learners to be able to
exhibit before considering learners competent Describes an intended result of training rather than the
process of training Effects change
– Cognitive (knowledge)– Psychomotor (skills)– Affective (abilities)
Measurable– Quantitative or qualitative
Why do we need objectives
Provides basis for selecting or designing training materials, content and methods
For evaluating or assessing the success of training
For organizing the trainees own efforts and activities for the accomplishment of the important training events
Provides basis for improving existing training programmes
Objectives framework
Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (1949) – Ralph Tyler– Addresses educational purposes, educational
experiences to be provided to attain the purposes, effective organization of educational experiences & determining whether these purposes are attained
Objectives framework (ctd) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (1956) – Benjamin Bloom et.al
– Classifies objectives into 3 parts• Cognitive domain – recall or recognition of knowledge &
development of intellectual abilities and skills• Affective domain – changes in interest, attitudes & values and
development of appreciations and adequate adjustment• Psychomotor domain – changes in movement, coordination
and use of motor-skill areas Preparing Instructional Objectives 2nd ed. (1975) – Robert Mager
– Proposed useful objectives to possess 3 characteristics – Performance, Condition & Criteria
Setting learning goals Should learning goals statements articulate the
outcomes we want to achieve? Recognize that some types of learning differ from
others: affective, behavioral and cognitive learning
Is it possible to design the training programme with only one of these types of learning or design a programme that incorporates all of the types?
Are the objectives a response to specific organizational programmes?
Affective learning
Involves attitudes, feelings and preferences When there is a “won’t do” situation i.e. a lack of
desire to use new knowledge or skills– Learners to place a VALUE on certain situations,
procedures or product or to be more aware of feelings or reaction to certain issues or new ideas
– Example: in a bank• Managers examine to what extent their orientation is either
customer focused or inward looking
Psychomotor learning
Involves the development of competences in actual performance situations
When there is a “can’t do” situation i.e. a lack of skill– Learners to PRACTICE skills that were
demonstrated and receive feedback on the performance
– Example: in an R&D seminar• Participants practice creative thinking techniques by
applying them to problems at the workplace
Cognitive learning
Involves the acquisition of information and concepts related to knowledge
When there is a “don’t know” situation i.e. a lack of knowledge– Learners to comprehend new knowledge and also to
analyze and apply it to new situations
– Example: in a “The Law and the Workplace” seminar• Participants learn the legal definition of sexual harassment and
applies it to issues in their own jobs.
Training programme – all learning goals More likely to result in last change Example:
– A short course on understanding group dynamics that devote a session on the task and maintenance roles that members need to play in groups
– The goals are• Identify the current and future preferences for task
maintenance goals in a group (affective)• Utilize new task and maintenance behaviors when conducting
meetings (psychomotor)• Differentiate between task and maintenance behaviors
exhibited by colleagues at a group meeting (cognitive)
Selecting objectives
Distinguish between objectives that would be nice to achieve and those that are necessary
Consider the following:– Comprehensiveness and representativeness of the
learning outcome: proper balance amongst the three learning types
– In harmony with the basic principles of learning especially adult learning needs: readiness, motivation, retention and transfer value
– In harmony with the philosophy of the organization
Specifying objectives How do we specify objectives?
– A set of learning goals (general) broken down into specific training objectives. Each learning goal will have one or more specific objectives
Why do we need to specify objectives?– Specify objectives in the form that will make them effective tools
for managing, monitoring and evaluating the training– It will give specific criteria to determine if the course design is
appropriate especially when the training programme is more technical in nature:
• State what, under what conditions and according to what standards
Stating and expressing objectives Written in a style that is easy to understand and
straight to the point Select verbs that must clearly convey the intent,
most precisely specify the learner’s behavior and avoid commonly misinterpreted terms
Use a format: “upon completion of the course, the participants will be able to ……..(list specific objectives)”
Mager’s behavioral objectives– Concerned with clarity and communication– Statements of objectives should include three components:
behavior, conditions and criterion
The behavior component Describes in clear terms what a learner has to do
in order to demonstrate successful learning – terminal behavior
Concerned about words used (e.g. know, understand, appreciate) that describe mental operations which can’t be observed but have to be inferred from behavior
Need to describe the activities which demonstrate understanding and appreciation, using words which are open to fewer interpretations
The conditions component
States the conditions or limitations under which the learner has to perform
Need to specify any tools or equipment available to aid the task, or the range of problems to be solved or equipment to be mastered
If it is desired that the learner use a particular method, then this should be stated, together with any special requirements about location
The criterion component
Provides the standard of performance: how well the learner had performed in order to be considered successful
Concerned with speed, quality or accuracy Can be conveyed by specifying how many
questions, problems or tasks have to be answered, solved or completed correctly
Common errors in stating learning objectives Describing the trainer’s behaviour rather than the
trainee’s behaviour Stating the learning objective in terms of the
learning process rather than in terms of the learning result
Listing simply the subject matter to be covered Including more than one type of learning outcome Over-specifying the training objectives
Communicating training objectives to others An important skill to develop Amongst problems encountered:
– Confusion with language or jargon– Put off by the format– Difficult to read or comprehend– Lengthy because of over-specification of
training objectives
Guidelines for defining training objectives State the general training objective as the expected
learning outcome Place under each general training objective a list
of specific learning outcomes that describe the terminal behaviour that learners are to demonstrate when they have achieved the objective– Begin each specific learning outcome with a verb that
specifies definite, observable behaviour– Keep the specific learning outcome free of course
content so that the list can be used with different units of training
– Be certain that each specific learning outcome is relevant to the objective it describes
When defining the general objective in terms of specific learning outcomes, revise and refine the original list as needed
Be careful not to omit complex objectives (e.g. critical thinking etc) simply because they are difficult to define in terms of specific learning outcomes
Consult reference materials for help in identifying the specific types of behavior that are most appropriate for defining the complex objectives
What did I learn from this unit?