GILBERT’S PRAXEONOMY _- A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO IDENTIFYING TRAINING NEEDS

GILBERT’S PRAXEONOMY _-  A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO IDENTIFYING TRAINING NEEDS

Introduction

                   Gilbert’s Praxeonomy is the basis for deciding how to limit training  objectives to a practical programme of instruction. This theory is capable of being translated into a system that is easy to use .It is simple and highly relevant in education . Gilbert points out that small difference in acquirement can lead to large difference in accomplishment . This theory establishes relationship between acquirement and accomplishment in terms of achievement . Four rules provides the key to its meaning; They are the following ;

Rule   -1          D = m – I

                This rule for limiting instructional objectives is to remove from the unit of potential objectives any skill in which students are not deficient.

                              D = M – I

   Where,  D  =Deficiency.

                   M = Mastery.

                   I =Initial repertory.

Mastery  : Means the complete list of behavior assumed to be necessary for mastering a subject matter.

Initial  Repertory : Means all of the behavior necessary for mastery  which the student already has when he begins training.

SS: It is that behavior  which we must teach him .It is what is left when we limit our educational objectives by not including those skills which the students can already perform .

                          The real problem of deciding what  we don’t want to teach . This rule is to limit instructional objectives .

1. First we have to list the complete behavior for mastering a subject matter.

2. Then write the behavior already possessed by student.

3. Then write the additional behavior which we want to teach.

4.Then note down the instructional objectives for  teaching additional  behavior .

Example ; To teach to tie shoe lace  5 year old student.

Instructional objectives in behavioral terms

Ø Crosses laces.                                                                              

Ø Crosses second lace over first tight.

Ø Loops laces.                                                                                

Ø Forms second tight .

Ø Pulls laces tight.                                                                          

Ø Pulls both tights to form bow.

Ø Forms first tight .                                                                      

Ø Follow each step in above sequence.

This is precise and ac curate statement of shoe lace tying mastery . This is not an accurate description because virtually every 5 year child know how about shoe lace tying . He knows every thing in our list but not able to do in the order and he may tie complicated knots than his shoes required .We have to teach him the order and knowing this enables us to more shoe lace tying instructions from the                                 

Of these things most hard to teach  to a simple instructional programme . The deficiency of 5 year  child would lead to a simple  instructional programme .This objective is limited to a description of the difference between prescribed mastery and the initial repertory of the student .

                                   Failure to observe with great care the rule that objectives are limited to deficiencies by  the formula has tow serious consequences . Not only does it leaves us to include in instruction a great amount that students have already acquired  but it easy for us to omit essential skills that  the students have not acquired.

Rule  2    Accomplishment   vs   Acquirement.

                           Two aspects of achievement are accomplishment and acquirement. Accomplishment refers to what the student has learned . Acquirement refers to the value we place on what he has learned.

To understand instructional objectives we have to distinquish between the student’s acquirement and his accomplishment . We should measure accomplishment only we are concerned with ultimate performance  objectives .For the application of intermediate objectives we want to know the acquirement.

                                   The most important error is to distinquish systematically  between acquirement and accomplishment has been to over write  individual differences in achievement . Among  students of primary age and culture difference in acquired repertories are usually small when compared with difference in accomplishment. We have to measure accomplishment when we are concerned with promotion or job placement .

Rule  3     Knowledge  and  Execution:          

 Employees exhibit deficiency in execution  (De) and not in knowledge (Dk).This is to be removed from our list of training objectives . Remedies must be determined by special study and not by training .

We must distinquish between De and Dk. One method is to ask the person whether he would perform correctly if his life depended on it. If answer is ‘yes’ there is De. It can be minimized by watching the personal do the task . There are four cases for faulty execution.

1) Inadequate  Feedback: There are two ways a person can get feedback from an outside source and from himself. Special training can overcome the effects of inadequate feedback from outside source by providing internal feedback . De in a task does not require instruction but some from of job manipulation Such deficiencies should be removed from the list of potential instructional objectives because they deserve separate attention and different techniques.

2) Task Interference : De results from demands interfere with the task . They are to be removed from instructional objectives  because they deserve specialized treatment personal problems , day dreaming , other things to do, telephone, etc. are some examples . What is important is to distnquish between deficiencies caused by inferences and Dk which deserve real instruction.

3)Punishment :Some tasks are  oppressive ,grueling or punishing . Those who manage other people frequently forget the punishing nature of tasks they have once done and don’t even know the punishing nature of tasks they have never done. When punishment is the cause of deficiency instruction will remove its sting.

4) Lack of motivation: If there is De in a setting in which the tasks are not particularly grueling and interference is small and if person has enough opportunity to see the result of his work only then do we have either a lazy man or one whose ambition has been extinguished. The unmotivated man can be forced. He can be given extra money or other equivalent in centive or he can be allowed to go his careness way.

Inshort when we separate De from Dk we reduce list of potential instructional objectives. Four classes of execution deficiencies are inadequate feedback , punishment, lack of motivation task interference.

To remove inadequate feedback we can redesign the task so that information about performance result are readily available to each individual affected and the individual can be taught whatever theory will help to uniform himself  task inference can be avoided by time management  systems. First we have to diagnose punishment. Then create an equally punishing   alternatives or to institute a bonus system .We can fine the persons or provide incentives.

Rule  4    Establish Economic Priorities

                  Of the things that are included in a course some have more importance then others. Judgement of importance are often made unconsciously and emotionally.

                       In limiting objectives on the basis of deficiencies we are concerned with the acquirement which is the content of a repertory. In considering importance we look at accomplishment or the value of repertory . A repertory then becomes important because it has some atleast partially measurable value . We can’t judge the importance of a goal mearly in terms of its value however we must weigh the cost of attaining that goals.

                 Our list of potential instructional objectives needs to be ordered on the basis of priority. These have highest ratio of value to cost come just. This is a useful guide to assess importance of priority of an instructional priority is;

                                             

C = Cost of instruction

V= Value of over coming a deficiency.

N = Number of people we can instruct.          

 The value of overcoming a deficiency (V) is the difference between the value of repertory before instruction (Vm) and value of technicians existing skill (Vi)

                                       V = Vm – Vi.

Instructional costs have three components .

1. Hourly cost of a man’s time in training.

2.  No. of hours of training .   

3. Cost of developing a course of instruction is usually a minor part of the total instructional cost .

             

Revised priority formula is;          

                                                         =(Vm – Vi)N / K.H.T.N.

                                                        = Vm – Vi / K.H.T.

Where ;              N = No. of trainees .

                            H = Hourly cost.

                            N = No. of trainees.

                                         

CONCLUTION

In short Gilbert’s Praxeonomy  is simple and highly relevant in education. It establishes the relationship between acquirement and accomplishment in terms of achievement.