A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Capacity

(1) Mental, emotional and physical power or capability; the inherent capability of an individual or system to learn or perform specified actions.

(2) One of eight performance factors; a deficiency in capacity can result in poor performance.

Case Study

A case study is a detailed account of an event or a series of events presented for analysis or action by the learners. There are three major types of cases:

• In-basket
• Incident Process
• Critical Instance

Certification

Program and process where a learner completes prescribed training and passes an assessment with a minimum acceptable score. To increase validity and assure authentication, the certification process should be proctored by an independent agent.

Characteristic

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, a characteristic is:

(1) an attribute of a concept. The concept is defined by its set of attributes.

(2) Three factors used to calculate the relative priority of tasks, capabilities, abilities and components: criticality, difficulty and frequency.

Chat

Text-based real-time communication on the Internet. Can be used during Web presentations to let participants ask and answer questions and communicate with each other.

Circumstances

One of FKA’s performance parameters. It defines the surroundings, conditions, or situations in which an ability is performed on the job. It is identified during analysis of a job or competency.

Clarifying

During active listening, if the listener does not understand what the speaker said, the listener can ask for more information to clear up his/her understanding.

Classical Test Theory

The traditional approach to assessment which focuses on developing quality test forms. It can involve item analysis, reliability analysis and validity analysis as well as the criteria used to assemble test forms.

Classification

The process of categorizing test-takers in two or more discrete groups, such as pass/fail or master/non master.

Client

In a consulting relationship, the client can be one person or a group of people. The client has the Money to implement the intervention, the Authority to give approvals, and the Desire to see it through to a successful conclusion (MAD).

Closed Question

Has a limited number of logical answers, e.g., “Did you eat breakfast today?”

Coaching

A form of on-the-job performance support. The process of providing feedback, insight and guidance to individuals to help them attain their full potential in their business or personal life. Coaching can include counseling, mentoring and tutoring activities.

Cognitive Domain

The area of brain function that handles mental processes. Bloom’s Taxonomy divides this domain into six levels, which from lowest to highest are: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation. In general, different action verbs are used for the objectives for each of the different cognitive levels.

Collaborative Role

One of three roles performance consultants can play. The collaborative consultant works jointly with the client to resolve a problem or address a business opportunity. The consultant’s specialized technical knowledge is coupled with the client’s knowledge of the organization in a joint problem-solving relationship. See also Pair of Hands and Expert.

Committee

A type of discussion. A small group is selected to perform a task that cannot be handled efficiently by a large group. They then report back to the large group for direction and evaluation.

Communities of Practice

Networks of people who work together in an organization and who regularly share information and knowledge. Such people may be, but aren't necessarily, part of formal teams or units. They often collaborate on particular projects or products, or they hold the same or similar jobs. They have been described as "peers in the execution of real work." Communities of practice are held together by shared goals and a need to learn from each other.

Brown, John Seely; Gray, Esther Solomon; "The People Are the Company,” Fast Company, February 1997.

Competence, Levels of

In 1982 William Howell described the four levels of competence:

• Unconscious Incompetence – “I don’t know that I don’t know how to do it.”
• Conscious Incompetence – “I know that I don’t know how to do it.”
• Conscious Competence – “I can do it, but I have to think about it.”
• Unconscious Competence – “I can do it without even thinking about it.”

Competency

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, a competence is a cluster of related skills, knowledge and attitudes required by a number of job categories for a very broad population, such as, computer skills or problem-solving skills. It applies to performance on the job and can be measured against well-accepted standards.

Competency Analysis

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, competency analysis examines various capabilities exhibited by individuals in different jobs and organizational levels, e.g., effective communication skills, or critical thinking skills.

Completion Item

A type of test question which requires the test taker to complete a statement by filling in the missing words or phrases in the blank spaces. Also called fill-in-the-blank. Tests recall of knowledge.

Component

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, a component is the first level breakdown of an ability, capability or task.

Computer-Based Training (CBT)

A self-directed instructional strategy using a computer for all three components of the systematic leaning process. Content is presented, learners are given opportunities to apply the skills and knowledge, and feedback is given to the learners’ responses. CBTs can provide much more complex branching programs than paper-based self-directed programs. CBTs do not require access to the Internet as Web-based training does. The terms e-learning and online learning are more commonly used now.

Concept

A concrete or abstract idea; a group or class or objects formed by combining all of their aspects or characteristics, e.g., closed question. Concepts are taught through a series of examples because they cannot be easily defined by a synonym.

Concept Analysis

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, concept analysis identifies the characteristics of a concept and provides examples to clarify the definition. Concept analysis is a vehicle for confirming understanding of the concept with a subject matter expert and planning how it may be effectively communicated to others through the use of examples.

Concurrent Validity

Measures the degree to which the scores on a test are related to the scores on another, already established test, administered at the same time, or to some other valid criterion available at the same time.

Conditions

The characteristics of the environment within which job performance takes place.

It is one of eight performance factors; unfavorable conditions can result in poor performance.

Confidence Interval

A numeric range, based on a sample, within which the population scores are expected to fall a specified proportion of the time. That is, the confidence level is at least 95%. Confidence intervals are expressed as “plus or minus” a value usually between 3% and 10%. Wider intervals indicate lower precision; narrower intervals indicate greater precision.

Confidence Level

The degree of certainty that a statistical prediction is accurate. Generally, a confidence level of 95% to 99% is considered acceptable; most researchers use 95%. A 95% confidence level means you can be 95% certain that the results from a sample, plus or minus a confidence interval, will hold true for the whole population that the sample represents.

For example, if 82% of a sample group passes a test (and your sample size was adequate), you can predict with 95% accuracy that the population will have the same results, plus or minus the confidence interval: “The population should score 82% ± 5%, 19 times out of 20 (95% of the time).”

Confirming

During active listening, the listener repeats what he/she understood the speaker was saying. The speaker can then validate the listener’s understanding or add more information to clarify.

Constraints

Restrictions affecting the project. These constraints may apply during training design, development or implementation. They should be identified as early as possible in Needs Identification during the Context Analysis. Time, budget, equipment, human resources, and facility constraints are a few examples.

Content Analysis

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, content analysis examines the body of information needed to perform a job, e.g., new product information or health and safety regulations.

Content Validity

Measures the degree to which a test measures the intended content area and samples the total of that area. It is determined by subject matter experts.

Context Analysis

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, context analysis is the process of identifying factors that impact the design, development or implementation of the proposed training solution. The intent of a context analysis is to provide information to the development team that will allow them to make decisions that are effective within the project and job parameters and constraints.

Context Parameters

Sets of design, development, implementation and job considerations that describe the circumstance or environment in which the training project must work.

Copy Response

A weak learning interaction with a test for understanding question in which the learner can see and copy the answer from the presentation. The learner does not need to process the information—this reduces the probability of retention.

Corporate Training Plan

The output of Training Needs Analysis. This document connects a prioritized list of training requirements identified during the analysis to the specific business goals of the organization. It is usually presented as a proposal for management approval.

Cost

In cost-benefit-analysis, the cost is the total dollar value of the cost of the intervention, including analysis, design, development, implementation, validation and evaluation.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

The comparison of the total cost of designing and delivering the training intervention with the anticipated benefit of the resulting improved performance.

Counseling

In a workplace environment, this aspect of coaching should focus on helping the coachee identify and solve his or her own personal or professional problems.

Course

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, a course is the level of training corresponding to one performance in the Model of Performance (MoP).

Course Map

Usually a flow-chart or other illustration showing the modules, and possibly the lessons, and the recommended completion order for these components.

Courseware

(1) Specialized type of software that provides course content instruction via computer programs.

(2) Any instructional materials used by instructors and learners during training.

Credibility

The quality of being believable or trustworthy. Instructors/facilitators/coaches can achieve professional credibility if the learners believe that they have good interpersonal and communication skills, can effectively manage the learning situation and are sufficiently knowledgeable on the subject.

Crediting Feedback

Gives recognition to a person for the purpose of maintaining or enhancing his/her good performance. Effective credits are more than a pat on the back or a vague statement such as, “Good job.” Effective crediting feedback provides information that helps the person maintain adequate or superior performance and motivates him/her to meet or exceed standards.

Criterion

Standard by which something is measured.

Criterion Test

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, the criterion test is the test at the end of a module. It should be designed to assess whether or not the training objective has been achieved.

Criterion-Referenced Tests (CRTs)

Assessment that involves measurements to divide test-takers into two or more distinct groups by comparing their scores to an established standard, not how they compare to other test-takers. Certification exams are usually CRTs not norm-referenced tests (NRTs).

Critical Instance

A type of case study that involves a short, narrative description of an event or situation. The learner is required to explain what is being described and to provide recommended actions to be taken.

Criticality

In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, criticality is one of three characteristics used to rate the relative priority of tasks, capabilities, abilities and components. The other two characteristics are difficulty and frequency

Curriculum

A series of related courses. In FKA’s Instructional Systems Design Methodology, the curriculum is the subset of the Model of Learning (MoL) to be included in formal training after exclusions have been made. Curriculum + bridging strategy = MoL

Cut Score