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?