Exposing Common Misconceptions about Criterion-Referenced Instruction

Deep in the mists of history, three misconceptions were somehow born and seem to have grown stronger over time. These wrong-headed notions are:

1. All criterion-referenced instruction (CRI) is self-paced;
2. Self-paced instruction must be delivered in print;
3. Self-paced or group-paced are two mutually exclusive choices.

It's time to expose these misconceptions for what they are - obstacles in the path of efficient, effective training.

All CRI is NOT Self-Paced

First of all, nowhere in the CRI literature will you find self-pacing listed as a necessary characteristic of criterion-referenced instruction.

Second, criterion-referencing has to do with whether or not instruction is designed to accomplish objectives stated in advance of the development; pacing has only to do with how the instruction is delivered. Apples and oranges.

Third, a criterion-referenced course can deliver the instruction through any combination of media and procedures (delivery system) appropriate to accomplishing the objectives. The Mastering the Art of Instructor-Led Training Workshop, for example, is criterion-referenced, that is, it is designed to accomplish pre-specified objectives, but it is mostly group-paced. There is enough self-pacing to allow variable amounts of practice, but the nature of the objectives demands practice in a group situation.

Self-Paced Instruction Does NOT Have to be Delivered in Print

The misconception that all self-paced instruction must be delivered in print probably arises from the fact that most self-paced courses use print as the medium through which to direct students to the other media and activities (as in "Go watch Video C-7;" "Find a colleague with whom to _____.") But like the first misconception, the assertion that self-paced instruction must be delivered in print is also untrue. While print may be cheap and easy to maintain, and while print has no moving parts to get out of whack, it simply isn't always appropriate for the objectives to be accomplished. In the "Select Delivery System" module of the Instructional Module Development Workshop, one learns to select media that are most appropriate for both content and practice of an objective, best suited to the target population, least costly, and most available and easy to use and maintain. Nowhere is a pacing choice confused or entwined with the choice of media.

While it is true that some media control the pace at which students may progress (for example, video or lecturers), nothing prevents the use of these media within a self-paced course. Students who are occasionally directed to view a short videotape or to participate in a discussion when they are ready to do so are engaging in media-paced activities within a self-paced course.

Self-Paced or Group-Paced are NOT Mutually Exclusive Choices

In truth, self-pacing and group-pacing are the poles of a continuum, and most efficient and effective delivery systems make use of a combination of the two modes, depending mainly on the nature of the objectives to be accomplished.

For example, situations such as these suggest a need for group-pacing:

• Skills must be practiced as a group, as when a team of six must wrestle an airplane fuselage onto a trailer cradle, when football teams must practice executing their plays, or when orchestras practice their music.
• Skills must be practiced in the presence of a group, as when an individual delivers a practice presentation to others.
• The session is informational and/or motivational, rather than instructional, as in "awareness" sessions (when no change in behavior is prescribed or expected).

Other situations suggest a need for self-pacing, such as when:

• · Skills are practiced and/or performed individually (for example, interpreting balance sheets, writing reports, riding a unicycle).
• Skills are learned individually, even though ultimately used in group performance, such as learning a musical instrument, practicing a speech, throwing a ball, or making a sales presentation.
• Amount of practice required varies widely within the target population, as with interactive audio-spoken language lessons.
• The target population will have frequent or lengthy interruptions during training, as with most onsite (particularly managerial) training.
• There is reluctance (or it simply isn't possible) to wait to get a group together for training, as in today's slow-to-hire but impatient-for-competency environment.

Often, the best course is a combination of group-paced and self-paced components, of which the Criterion-Referenced Instruction Workshop is an example. Though primarily self-paced, group-paced sessions are included by design, and additional group sessions are planned by the participants themselves.

(Hint: If you are experiencing reactions against self-paced instruction, do a Performance Analysis centering around instructor behaviors. If you were an instructor with strong intuitive stand-up skills who hadn't yet been equipped for the performance-based environment brought about by CRI, you might be reacting unfavorably too!)

This article is adapted from the work of the late Marianne Hoffman, who served as a Mager Associate for many years.