To assign the right person to the right job …
… who masters the required skills…
… in order that one’s work output meets the organization’s needs for operations
and sustainable growth
Isn’t it critical ?
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Claude TrépanierProfessional in measurement, assesssment and development of skills
Extended version of a scientific communication delivered at the 2008 Annual conference of the Canadian Educational Researcher’s Association (http://www.csse.ca/CERA/home.htm)
Content
1. Practical problem addressed
2. Study of research problem
3. Selected a skills typologies
4. Action-research undertook
5. Applications of skills typologies
6. Further scientific researches required
7. Conclusion
8. References
1. Practical problem addressed
Drawbacks : The skills developed don’t yield optimal correlation with skills expected in the job, they don’t yield optimal performance (effectiveness = results) and competence (efficiency = use of resources).
Research object : Skills set of a position
Problem observed: Teachers and workplace trainers cannot easily reuse job skills set, as defined by employers, to design courses aimed at developing skills in a valid and effective fashion.
Cost of the problem
Source : www.worldbank.org/ieg/training,
Cost = billions of dollars $ wasted each year worldwide
“The World Bank finances about US$720 million in training every year, through both its lending projects and its in-house World Bank Institute (WBI).
The evaluation found that while most of the training reviewed resulted in demonstrable participant learning, this learning frequently did not lead to real change in participants' workplace performance.
Poor training outcomes most often resulted from training content that wasn't relevant to the needs and goals of the target institutions, or from the trainees' lack of incentives or resources to apply learning in their workplaces.
These findings highlight how important it is for training to be embedded in broader capacity-building programs that identify and address organizational and institutional capacity constraints alongside human ones.”
2. Study of research problem
Hence enabling us as educational researchers, to become better at:
So … : teachers and workplace trainers can easily reuse job skills
set, as defined by employers, to design courses aimed at developing skills in a valid and effective fashion.
Research problem : How to define the skills set of a position in order to measure,
assess and develop them in a valid and reliable fashion ?
1. Identifiyng skills to develop;2. Teaching skills;3. Measuring ans assessing skills.
2. Study of research problem
1. Problem observed within two Delphi sessions on ICT skills set definition www.ictc-ctic.ca.
2. Studied occupational skills Profile Models (frameworks).
4. Draw specifications for a universal skills typology deemed universal (workplace and classroom).
Methodology
3. Studied various skills typologies.
2.1 Problem observed within Delphi sessions
Occupational levels
The expert discuss until a consensus is reached
A facilitator asked experts of a workplace position (Intellectual Property Manager), to validate proposed set of accountabilities and skills, to precise them and to propose additional ones.
Accountabilities
Skills
What happened
2.1 Problem observed within Delphi sessions
Scope of essential
accountabilities and skills for a job
Observed accountabilities and
skills through practical experience alone
Accountabilities and skills which cannot be observed by practical
experience alone
Intuitive observer
Job
Job experts recalled their experience of the job activities and competencies only through their memory, hence inducing biases : interpretations, unbalanced weightings, emotive recalls, etc..
About the validity of the sessions
How valid were the accountabilities and skills hence defined ?
It is fine for experts to recall past experiences and memories of a position to define accountabilities and skills.
1. How can they be confident they have covered all aspects?
2. How do they know they have not been too focused on certain aspects and omitted some?
3. Can they ensure their wording of competencies and skills can be reused by teachers in order to design courses developing and assessing exactly the competencies sought?
There are hence serious limitations stemming from the absence of an underlying conceptual framework in teaching and learning
But :
2.2 Studied Occupational Skills Profile Models
(frameworks)Logical representation of factors contributing to understanding, developing and managing occupational skills.
Core competencies
Ancillary competencies
Secondary competencies
ICTC
CSTD Training Competency Architecture1. Analyzing performance/training needs2. Designing training3. Facilitating/instructing4. Evaluating training5. Coaching the application of training
DACUM (Developing a Curriculum)
Tasks, knowledge, behaviour, skills, tools and equipment
Competency A Prepare mealsSub-competency A1 Buy foodSub-competency A2 Wash foodSub-competency A3 Cut food
2.2 Studied Occupational Skills
Profile Models (frameworks)
6. Non-systemic, loosely structured frameworks.
3. None based on any theories (educational, organizational, psychological).
4. Equivocal relation between activity, competency and skill : « a skill is the capacity to undertake an activity ». Circular definitions.
5. Wording of skills using a language’s syntax, no framework used. How one can be sure a skill is properly worded ?
Findings :1. Mainly facts, information and tasks-based.
7. None enable alignement of workplace and human capital resources.
2. Most are groupings of competencies in homogeneous categories, sometimes in a sequence of visible tasks.
2.3 Studied various skills typologies
•Affective•Cognitive
•Conceptual•Moral
•Perceptual•Psychomotor
•Social
1. Based on groups of skills applications (areas in which they are used)
Typology of skills typologies
2. Skills based on a framework of learning styles and experiential learning theory (domain specific)
• Knowledge• Attitude• Know-how
• Knowledge• Declarative Knowledge• Process knowledge
• Very loosely defined. Not grounded much in theories• No clear statement guidelines. Proned to interpretations.• Proned to mainly state visible behaviors (tasks)
• Cognitivism-based• What about other people’s dimensions ?
Affectivity, social, imagination, physical skills ?
• Not integrated within a framework preventing inclusion of common skills traits
• Grounded in theory• Observable and measurable behaviors• Cover most of a person’s skills areas
Educational researchers beware !
If skills typologies lack :
1. Grounds in psychological and educational theories;
3. Universal, objective, observable and measurable criteria to define specific skills …
2. An underlying framework/model depicting the functioning of a person;
Is … similar to looking through capped binoculars
Drawbacks of typologies of skills studied
… hence yielding researchers and educators to …
Characteristics sought from an ideal skills framework
2. Skills cover all of a person’s set of observable and measurable behaviors (including internal dimensions affecting demonstration of behaviors)
5. Prescribes a clear, unequivocal structure to state skills;
1. Skills are observable and measurable behaviors;
3. Grounded on an integration of theories pertaining to personal functioning and development;
4. Skills of the same type are grouped within functions;
7. Universal uses : personal development, interpersonal relationships, teaching learning and coaching within a classroom as well in workplaces with persons of all age ranges, allowing to align personal and professional development.
6. Prescribes a clear, unequivocal structure to link skills with competencies, teaching models and measurement and assessment instruments;
3. Selected a skills typology
• Selected the Synergistic Person’s typology of skills (Racine, 2003)
• Based on how a person functions (behave) and learn
Paradigm and theories underneath a proposed skills typologies
• Positivist paradigm putting a person’s functioning model at the core of the teaching and learning system (observable and measurable behaviors)
Cognitivism A person’s observable behaviors are linked to skills which we may measure.
Constructivism One learns and develops skills through tasks or roles learned socially. One fuses and integrates, through weighting them according to their moment’s importance, many skills achieved beyond a performance threshold: hence building knowledge and skills.
Functionalism (Claude Bernard)
Every organ has a function (a task). A person regularly using skills of a same type, crafts his/her personality : « We become what we do ».
The synergistic person model©
Resources• Material• Human• Financial•
Information
Inputs
Results of functions in action
OutputsFunctions-based process transforming
inputs in outputs
PhysiquePhysical
Imaginative
Affective
Social
Cognitive
Each function integrates a typology of skills
Skill : Definition, structure and formula
Definition: Any learned human process deemed with a certain value acting on an object and generating a product (effect).
Formula
Skill = Object (resource)
Process (activities processing resources in outputs)
Product (output is an observable and
measurable behavior or deliverable
generated by the act)
+ +
Structure A skill is composed of three elements:
1. An object2. A process
3. A product
Typologies of skills of the Synergistic person
Functions
Synergy levels
5
4
3
2
1
Imaginative (Gestalt)
To meditate (to give a meaning)
To solve problems
To create artistically
To produce images
To visualize images
Affective (Krathwohl)
To characterize
self
To organize self around a
value
To value an option
To respond
To accept
Racine, S. (2003)
Physical (Harrow)
To speak in public
To express non verbal language
To live a healthy life
To act with dexterity and
adroitness
To perceive (5 senses)
Cognitive (D’hainaut)
To mobilize cognitive resources
To explore
To apply
To conceptualize
To reproduce knowledge
Social (Saha)
To negotiate collegially
To cooperate
To help
To listen
To act with courtesy
Skills : Examples
I4 To solve (process) a problem (object) to generate a solution (product)
A4 To organize (process) self around a value (object) in order to live by those values (product)
C3 To apply (process) rules (object) in order to generate a deliverable expected by our role/position (product)
S3 To help (process) customers satisfy their needs (object) in order they take decisions in their best interest (product)
P5 To convey a message (object) through speaking in public (process) in order to inform, entertain, convince or mobilize (product)
A thoroughly validated typology of skills
Validity based on :1. How well a respondent recognizes one’s PFT (over 97%)2. Content validity :
• Skills’experts through consensus within a Delphi session• Measure of how well items are linked to a function
3. Construct validity : Through structural equation modeling, confirmatory factor analysis
4. Diverging validity : Divergence between negative and positive items (forced choice items)
5. Predictive validity : Regression indice6. Internal coherence = Internal fidelity : Homogeneity of test with sub-test7. Theoretical validity : link between items and taxons
Validated with over 5,000 persons who completed a personal functioning test (PFT) on 7 occasions.(Racine, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Competence : Definition, structure and formula
Definition
Socially acceptable human activity;
integrating various skills of various functions (imaginative, affective, physical, cognitive and social);
realised beyond a measurable performance threshold.
Competence structure
integration of skills of various functions in an action:
Skill of the I function = object –> process –> product
Skill of the A function = object –> process –> product
Skill of the P function = object –> process –> product
Skill of the C function = object –> process –> product
Skill of the S function = object –> process –> product
Skill #1Skill #2 Skill #
3
Skill #4 Skill #5
Skill #6
Competence formula
Comp. = (Iskill * weightI)+ (Askill * weightA) +
(Pskill * weightP) + (Iskill * weightC) + (Iskill * weightS)
Comp. = Σ weighted skills
Examples:
I To know thyself (A2) in order to give a meaning to one’s life (I5) and a direction
A To organize self (A4) and to explore (C4) with others means of living in harmony (S4)
C To write a technical report according to industry’s guidelines (C3), which help target readers make sound decisions based on the findings (S3)
S To help people (S3) find what they are looking for, through applying bureaucratic rules (C3) and showing them a hand-made picture (I3)
P To express verbally (P5) one’s emotions (A2) in order to willingly cooperate with others in solving relationship issues (S4)
A definition of learning
Learning is :
1. A change in a person’s imaginative, affective, physical, cognitive and social functions;
2. as aimed by the objectives (operational formulation of skills and competencies based on typologies);
3. amplified by the teaching (application of the appropriate teaching models) and;
4. noticed through using appropriate measurement and assessment instruments.
4. Action-research undertook
Methodology followed
4. Used the skills position profiles as exit profiles in the design of three university courses.
3. Analysed results, gathered experts for a Delphi session until consensus was reached.
5. Delivered the courses.
1. Identified experts for each position.
2. Devised questionnaires to draw competency profiles for the positions.
6. Measured and assessed the developed skills.
Goal: To design three competency-based university courses according to the competency profiles of the sought positions : R&D Manager, IP manager, Events organizer.
5. Delphi sessions for three workplace positions
Position Course
R&D Manager Technology management
Intellectual property manager
Intellectual property protection
Events organizer Sponsorship and special events
Synergistic Workplace System Model
Every job transforms inputs into outputs through a process using 5 functions :
Outputs
1. Accomplishment of job’s mission meeting organizational requirements
2. Impacts in community
3. Environnemental impacts
Feedback loops
Inputs
• Resources• Material• Human• Financial• Information
To assess :to process informationCognitive
To communicateSocial
To execute tasksPhysical
To choose Affective
To conceiveImaginative
Corresponding job functions
Person’s functions
Process
Defined a position competency profile
1. Sent a survey questionnaire to experts of the positions.
2. Synthesized results.
3. Set-up a Delphi session to reach a consensus.
4. Used a job-person matching test to weigh I, A, P, C and S functions deemed most desirable in the position.
Author: Serge RacineAvailable for free on : www.synergimax.com
Job-Person Matching Test©
Auteur:
- Serge Racine. Ph.D
Desired Position Functioning Profile
Once skills set required are known for a job, skills of a person (candidate to the job or worker actually filling the job), have to be
assessed. Then, one has to assess gaps between …
Gaps suggest some learning is required !
… and those of an individual… skills deemed desirable in the job…
Result of the Job-Person Matching Test (JPMT) (consensus of experts)
Results to the skills test
Colored cells suggest the level of skills required in each function, (based on the typology of skills)
Identification of skills requiring developmentTo meditate (to give a meaning)
To speak in public
To solve problems
To organize self around a value
To express non verbal
language
To explore
To create artistically
To value an option
To live a healthy life
To apply To help
To produce images
To respond To act with dexterity and
adroitness
To conceptualize
To listen
To visualize images
To accept To perceive (5 senses)
To reproduce knowledge
To act with
courtesy
Results of the JPMT : Skills sought in the
job=>
Results to a skills test ; Skills mastered by an
individual=>
To meditate (to give a meaning)
To speak in public
To solve problems
To organize self around a value
To express non verbal
language
To explore
To create artistically
To value an option
To live a healthy life
To applyTo help
To produce images
To respond To act with dexterity and
adroitness
To conceptualize
To listen
To visualize images
To accept To perceive (5 senses)
To reproduce knowledge
To act with
courtesy
Skills requiring development=>
Upon having identified, within the skills’typologies, the generic skills within the I, A, P, C and S functions which are deemed desirable for a particular role or job, one has to tailor them to a particular role or job.
Tailoring of skills selected from typologies, to a role or a job
Application for a trainer’s role :
Function of a person Skills
Imaginative To initiate : To set the teaching’s perspective, competencies and skills
Affective To manage : to organize the teaching/learning framework and to commit
Physical To teach : To deliver teaching and learning activities
Cognitive To assess : To measure and assess learning as well as job and business impacts
Social To communicate : To help participants and to acknowledge successes
Functioning types deemed most desirable for the three positions surveyed
R&D Manager Intellectual property manager Events organizer
1
Social skills
Cognitive skills
Physical skills
Affective skills
Imaginative skills
Skills typologies
2
Models of teaching
3
Measurement and assessment instruments
Used the skills position profiles as exit profiles in the design of three university
courses
Allows to grade
change in skills as a
scorecard in Excel
Kirkpatrick’s level #2
Delivered the courses, measured and assessed the skills
5. Applications of skills typologies
1. Personal Functioning Test2. Job-Person Matching Test3. Course design (choice of objectives, teaching models
and measurement and assessment instruments)
4. Course satisfaction assessment5. Competence and skills measurement and
assessment 6. Assessment of educational research7. Diagnostic of an organization8. Achitecturing information/content/template tools
within organization’s databases
Framework for any task aimed at measuring, assessing and developing any human organizational element:
Th
e u
se o
f th
e sa
me
fram
ewo
rk i
nsu
res
con
gru
ent
lin
ks
• Production of a formative and sommative evaluation• Prescription of skills enhancement activities
Organization’s diagnostic
Measurement and assessment ok key performance indicators :
Functions : Direction, Management, Production, Assessment and Sales
Management dashboard, Prescription of enhancement activities
Competencies and skills profiles : Imaginative, Affective, Physical, Cognitive and Social
skills sought in a role or a job
Job situational assessment
Competencies development program :
Program, Course outlines, Pre-test, Educational material, Measurement and assessment instruments, post-test
6. Further scientific researches required
1. Further validate skills by function with skills experts (Delphi)
2. Further define statement of skills by type (I, A, P, C and S) and provide application examples for various roles and jobs
3. Validate corresponding teaching models and measurement and assessment instruments
4. Validate with lots of positions (hundred subjects per position)
7. ConclusionSkills typologies are an invaluable
science-based tool, an enabling technology, used at the heart of humans and organization’s functioning.
1) Know more precisely how we behave;
2) Significantly learn better through more adapted teaching, thus becoming empowered;
They allow us to:
3) Assign the right person in the right job in order to deliver the expected performance, in alignment with the organizational‘s objectives.
8. References• BANDLER, R. GRINDER, J. (1982), Les secrets de la communication,
Actualisation edh.• D'HAINAUT, L. (1988), Des fins aux objectifs de l'éducation, Labor Nathan, Coll
2000.• GORDON, W. J. (1987) The New Art of the Possible: The Basic Course in
Synectics, Cambridge: Porpoise Books.• HARROW, A. (1972), a Taxonomy of the Psychomotor Domain. McKay.• KOHLBERG, L. (1969), Stage and sequence: The cognitive-developmental
approach to socialization.• KRATHWOHL, D.R. & al. (1964), Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Handbook
II: Affective Domain, McKay.• RACINE, S., (2003), La personne synergique : théorie et applications, Ste-Foy :
Septembre.• RACINE, S., (1996), A dynamic and holistic model for formulating competence,
choosing teaching strategies and evaluating synergic effects. In H.M. Kandarakis (Ed.) New Horizons in learning assessment: Conference Proceeding of the 21st annual meeting of the International Association for Educational Assessment. Montréal, Que: Université de Montréal).
• RACINE, S., (2007) Étude de validation du test de fonctionnement personnel, www.synergimax-international.com.
• TORRANCE, E. P. (1966), Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. Normal Annual, Research Edition, Personnal Press.
About Claude TrépanierProfessional services consultant in Human Capital Management, educational researcher, educational advisor, university lecturer in management and free-lance corporate trainer.
Undergoing theoric and field researches along the organizational competencies development chain, from needs assessment to the assessment of competencies developed.
Develops practical in-class and workplace practices and tools for the measurement, assessment and development of skills and competencies.
Has delivered since 1998, more than 1 000 hours of courses with syllabus.
Has developed and delivered since 2003 more than 15 competency-based courses, developed and used numerous performance assessment tools (skills assessment, teamwork’s diagnostic, project’s diagnostic, organization’s diagnostic).
Electronic portfolio : http://eduportfolio.com/[email protected] Ph. : 450-674-5904 (Canada)
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