CONDUCTING A GOAL ANALYSIS

Presented by Larry F. Cobb

What is a Goal Analysis

A goal analysis is the technique used to analyze a goal to identify the sequence of operations and decisions required to achieve it. (Dick, 2009)

There are 2 fundamental steps Classifying the goal statement Identify and sequence the major steps

After the goals are set, it must be determined what skills must be learned in order to complete the goals. The Domain of Learning is the outcome.

Gagne’s Domains of Learning

Gagne’s Domains of LearningIntellectual Skills

Skills that require the learner to perform some unique cognitive activity.

Gagne divides Intellectual Skills into the following subcategories, depending on the complexity of the mental processing involved.

This is a hierarchy, which means that each higher-level skill requires the lower skills as a prerequisite

Types of Intellectual Skills Discrimination - The ability to

distinguish one feature of an object from another based on one or more physical dimensions Distinguishing differences in colors

of socks by pulling out a matching pair

Concrete Concepts - Concrete concept learning involves learning to identify a stimulus as a member of a class having some characteristic in common. Arranging a group of different sized

straws from largest to smallest.

Defined Concepts - Concepts that cannot be identified by pointing them out and must be defined. Justice, Energy, or Family

Rules - Rules make it possible for us to do something, using symbols, and for us to respond to a class of things with a class of performances.

Creating a sentence such as, "The boy went to the store.”

Higher-order Rules - Involves applying complex combinations of simpler rules in order to solve problems, perform tasks, or explain, describe, and predict phenomena or events. Planning a balanced budget, given fixed

income and fixed expenses.

Gagne’s Domains of LearningCognitive Strategies

Refers to the metaprocesses we use to govern our own attending, learning, remembering, and thinking. 

Similar to other intellectual skills, but focus on the learner's own cognitive processes as opposed to external objects and events.

Examples are Rehearsal strategies Elaboration strategies Organizing strategies

Gagne’s Domains of LearningVerbal Information

Skills that require the learner to perform some unique cognitive activity. 

Verbal information often serves as a perquisite for further learning, provides labels required for everyday communication, and functions to provide a vehicle for thought.

Examples are Stating the requirements for

achieving an A grade in a given course.

Reciting the state capitals. Stating the date Columbus landed

in America. Stating the rules for scoring a

tennis match.

Gagne’s Domains of LearningAttitudes

An attitude is an acquired internal state that influences the choice of personal action toward some class of things, persons, or events.

Attitudes represent intrinsically motivated choices people make.

Examples are Choosing to eat healthy. Preferring to read science fiction

over other types of stories. Choosing to camp rather than

stay in motels during a cross-country trip.

Gagne’s Domains of LearningMotor (Psychomotor) Skills

Motor skills represent physical activities requiring movement and coordination of all or part of the body

Examples are Learning to ride a bicycle. Changing a flat tire. Drawing a straight line.

Gagne’s Domains of LearningMotor (Psychomotor) Skills

Motor skills represent physical activities requiring movement and coordination of all or part of the body

Examples are Learning to ride a bicycle. Changing a flat tire. Drawing a straight line.

Goal Analysis

This is done by describing, in step-by-step fashion, what a person would be doing while performing the goal.

It is important to determine if the designer of the analysis has all information necessary to perform the analysis. The may require a Subject Matter Expert (SME) it is not all available.

Next it would be important to list the steps in an outline or bullet format. List on the important steps and fill in any additional steps that may be needed to close the gaps.

From this point, it is recommended that a flowchart of the information that has been listed and sequenced. The steps need to be charted in the most efficient order.

The goal statement should be listed at the top.

Goal Analysis con’t

When there is a call for a decision to be made, those should charted as well.

Goal Analysis con’t

Two goals don’t follow the traditional step-by-step method Verbal Information goal analysis don’t require linking since it is achieve by

topic and by step.

Attitudinal goal analysis requires identifying the behavior that will be exhibited when the attitude is demonstrated

Goal Analysis con’t

Once the main steps are down, you must determine if there are substeps that are required to perform the step. If so, those steps are listed on the flowchart as such.

Goal Analysis con’t

To bring this all together, goal analysis for intellectual and psychomotor skills is an analysis of the steps to be performed, whereas for a verbal information goal, it is a list of the major topics to be learned; either approach can be used depending on the nature of an attitudinal goal.

Goal Analysis Example

I found this flowchart to be great, yet simple, example of goal analysis.

The goal statement is written with an exact goal with the detailed step-by-step instructions used to achieve the goal.

Summary

The goal analysis process can not start without having a clear statement. There are two steps to in the process

Classifying the goal into one of the domains of learning. Identifying the major steps that must be learned to achieve the goal.

The steps should include the skill performed and relevant content. The should also be in the most sequential efficient order. It must be remember that charting for psychomotor and intellectual skills

differs from verbal information and attitudes. Perfection is least likely met on the first attempt. Look at is a draft that

will need refining and evaluating. During evaluation is most often the time find problems that do not fit in

the sequence flow of the analysis.

Reference

Dick, Walter, Lou Carey, and James O. Carey. The Systematic Design of Instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Pearson, 2009.