Decision Maker Summary

Part C Decision Maker Summary

As a change agent, I reflect on the identification of subordinates and entry skills. I evaluate and expanded my knowledge and experiences on the hierarchical approach that is used to analyze individual steps in the goal analysis that are classified as intellectual or psychomotor skills. It is an approach of identifying the subordinate skills and based on Gagne’s classification of intellectual skills from easy skill to higher-level skill. By asking the question “What must the student already know so that, with a minimal amount of instruction, this task can be learned?” the designer can identify one or more critical subordinate skills that will be required of the learner prior to attempting instruction on the step itself. Repeating that we can reaches a very basic level of performance. That’s the principle of the hierarchical approach. In other words, when we are faced with a problem, we should first consider the rules required to solve the problem. If it is complex higher-level rules, we should dig out the rules it contains. And then analyze each rule independently. The subordinate skills required for any given rule are typically classifying the concepts that are used in the rules. Finally, take the concept as our analyzing goal. To master a concept, one may need to discriminate whether a particular example is relevant to the concept. Sometimes, I find that the goal skill is not a problem-solving skill but a single rule is being taught, then only the subordinate concepts and discriminations would be taught.

Cluster approach is used to analyze verbal information. Verbal information can’t be divided into different levels, because no logical procedure is inherent in the goal. Cluster approach is to identify the major categories of information that are implied by the goal. Ways could be found to cluster the information more efficient. For example, the state capitals might be clustered according to geographic regions and if you are studying economics, you can also cluster them according to the development of the capitals from the undeveloped to the developed. Subordinate skills analysis techniques are right for attitudes analysis. Attitudes can’t be observed. Goal analysis of an attitude identifies the behaviors that would be exhibited if someone held that attitude. That’s to say an attitude can only be identified through getting learners to choose to do a psychomotor or an intellectual skill. If an intellectual skill is chosen, then hierarchical analysis techniques will be applied. If a psychomotor skill is the target, then it is necessary to teach the learner to do the psychomotor skill.

Becoming a lifelong learner, I will continue to learn and grow through my career as an educator. It is common that I find that I’m identifying a combination of subordinate skills from several domains for a goal that was classified as belonging to only one domain. When it happens, I have to combine different analysis techniques. The next part the context discusses is learners’ entry behaviors what learners will already have to know or be able to do before they begin the instruction. Why we have to analyze learners’ entry behaviors? There are many reasons. It is only after I do the analysis, could I be able to teach the skills that fall directly below the skills the already mastered. If learners only know the concepts, I can’t expect them to solve a complex problem directly; if they already have complex rules in mind, I don’t have to teach the basic concepts and it will save a lot of time.

Understanding the discipline and how learners learn, I am becoming a reflective practitioner. I understand why identifying entry behaviors are important. I make a set of assumptions about the learners. But my assumptions may appear to be worry in one or two directions. I try-out sample of group members first by testing and interviewing to determine if most of them have the entry behaviors derived from the sub skills analysis if time is available. It also depends on the purpose; my purpose is to teach a specific group of learners, the test is needed and some modification is necessary. However, if my purpose is just to teach a specific content, then little or no change is required. I get the students’ entry skills by teaching by investigating what curriculums they have learned previously. Maybe an inquiry is needed. Then some extra assignments I will eliminate. The key, however, is actually reaching the goals we set; the different steps that we need to take in order to reach our goals. Conducting a performance analysis, a needs assessment, or a job analysis; identifying problems; listing solutions; setting goals and reaching them... all of those definitely lead to success!