How do I Pre-Plan?

What is Pre-Planning?

How do I assign units?

How do I assign lessons?

How do I determine the lesson length in periods?

How do I determine the terminal and enabling objectives for the units and lessons?

How do I determine the K-level and skill for a learning objective?

How do I select the assessment type for a learning objective?

What is Pre-Planning?
Pre-Planning involves inputting information related to your units, lessons, terminal objectives, and enabling objectives into "Charting a Course."

Note: You do not have to complete the Pre-Planning Tab if the information for the course for which you are personalizing a lesson is already in the "Charting a Course" system.

How do I assign units?
In order to Pre-Plan for a course, you first need to enter the unit name. You can find the unit name in the Curriculum Outline of Instruction (COI) which is located in the Training Course Control Document (TCCD).

How do I assign lessons?
To assign a lesson you will need to enter the lesson name. This information in listed in the Curriculum Outline of Instruction (COI) which is located in the Training Course Control Document (TCCD). The lesson names are listed under their corresponding units.

How do I determine the lesson length in periods?
The lesson length in periods can be found in the Course Master Schedule, which is located within the Training Course Control Document (TCCD). The Course Master Schedule lists a schedule for the entire course, organized sequentially by weeks and days.

If a lesson takes more than 1 period to complete, the lesson name will be listed multiple times (along with the corresponding period number). To determine the lesson length in periods, count the number of periods it will take to complete a given lesson by adding up the number of times the lesson name appears.

How do I determine the terminal and enabling objectives for the units and lessons?
The terminal and enabling objectives for the units and lessons are listed in the Curriculum Outline of Instruction (COI) which is located in the Training Course Control Document (TCCD). They are listed underneath the unit and lesson to which they belong.

How do I determine the k-level or skill for a learning objective?
K-levels are only assigned to "knowledge" objectives. Skill is assigned to all skill objectives. Only one K-level can be assigned to an objective. Perform the following steps to select and assign a K-level to your knowledge objectives:

Read the objective carefully and make sure it is a knowledge related objective. If the duty or task is not a knowledge objective, you should not assign a K-level. Instead, you should select Skill for that objective. If it is a knowledge objective, continue to the next step.
Assign the K5 (Analyze/Synthesize/Evaluate) level for any of the following:

The student is required to understand the elements of data and the relationships among data. In other words, the student must demonstrate the ability to break a whole down into parts.
The student is required to put parts together to form new patterns or structures. In other words, the student must demonstrate the ability to conceptualize information.
The student is required to make a judgment based on given standards or criteria. In other words, the student must demonstrate the ability to judge the value or effectiveness of procedures or solutions based on data, criteria and standards.

Assign K4 (Apply) if the student is required to use acquired knowledge in a situation not specifically demonstrated during instruction. The student must demonstrate knowledge by explaining "how to" perform a given component of an objective.
Assign K3 (Comprehend) if the student is required to understand rather than simply memorize what was taught. In other words, the student must be able to interpret, explain, translate, or summarize information.
Assign K2 (Recall) if the student is required to remember specific terms, facts, and rules. Note that the student must respond from memory rather than simply recognizing what was taught.
Assign K1 (Recognize) if the student is required to identify specific terms, facts, rules, methods, principles, and objects by sight or sound. In other words, the student must demonstrate knowledge of "what is" by sight or sound, by selecting from alternatives.

Source: NAVEDTRA 130A, Volume I, 8-3-1 to 8-3-4)

How do I select the assessment type for a learning objective?
An assessment type is the specific method used to test the skill or knowledge specified by a learning objective. There are two major types of assessment types: Formal and informal.

Formal assessments must be graded and are used to determine student achievement of the course objectives. There are three types of formal assessments: Knowledge progress tests, performance progress tests, and comprehensive tests. You will make decisions about the type of formal assessment in the Scheduling and Grading Tab.

Informal assessments should be used to assess all objectives with a low criticality rating that will not be formally assessed. Informal assessments may also be used in addition to formal assessments to assess highly critical LOs. Informal assessments may or may not be graded. If informal assessments are used in calculating the course grade, they must be standardized. Informal assessments can also be used to provide extra practice and instructor feedback for the learning objective. There are four types of informal assessments:

Homework - any activity or assignment that is done outside of the class time.
Quiz - a short test used by the instructor to measure achievement of material recently taught.
(NAVEDTRA 135B, Appendix J-9).
Practical work - may be a lab assignment and/or an in-class assignment.
(NAVEDTRA 130, Volume I, 8-3).
Question and answer - when students are asked questions during the course of the lesson and/or activity.

Procedures for selecting assessment types:

1. Review the criticality of the LOs.

Comparing criticality is one method of determining which LOs should be formally assessed. Criticality is calculated by rating the LOs as high, medium, or low in the following areas: Safety, performance frequency, importance to on-the-job performance, and importance to overall course mission.

High criticality indicates that the LO is critical to safety, frequently applied in a performance setting, of high importance to job performance, and/or an integral part of the course mission.

Medium criticality indicates that the LO is of secondary importance to safety, performed on an occasional basis, influences job performance, and/or influences ability to achieve the overall course mission.

Low criticality indicates that the LO is not very significant in ensuring safety of personnel and equipment, is rarely applied in a performance context, has little influence on job performance, and/or is of minimal importance to the course mission.

(NAVEDTRA 130A, Volume I, 8-3-4)

2. Determine if the LO should be formally assessed.

Use the criticality ratings to determine which LOs should be formally assessed.

If a LO has not been automatically selected for formal assessment, you may still choose to formally assess it.

For example, you may choose to formally assess an LO that has a low overall criticality rating because it has a high on-the-job performance score, because it is important to the course mission, or because you cannot assess it through the testing of other LOs for the course.

3. Determine if informal assessments should be used.

Informal assessments may be used for many reasons. However, due to constraints, such as time and resources, it is not appropriate to use every type of informal assessment for every objective. Informal assessments are most useful when:

The LO has NOT been scheduled for formal testing. All LOs should be assessed in some way. Any LO that is not formally tested should be informally assessed.

The LO is for a skill that has a knowledge component, which will not be formally assessed. For example, if an LO has a knowledge component that will be assessed in a performance test, it is useful to informally assess the knowledge component and provide feedback to the student before the performance test is given.

The LO has a history of being difficult for students. If a LO has been difficult for past students, an informal assessment will provide both you and the students with information about the student learning and misconceptions. This feedback should be used to correct the students' errors before the formal assessment occurs.

The LO has a high criticality score. In general, the importance of learning the LO increases with the criticality score. Extra practice and feedback through informal assessments will increase student achievement.

4. Determine the type of informal assessment that should be used.

The type(s) of informal assessments chosen should depend on whether the informal assessment will contribute to the course grade. Additionally, constraints and resources (course time, activity length, budget, and personnel) will influence the type of assessment.

For example, if a piece of radar equipment is needed to do the activity, homework may not be ideal, because the students cannot take the equipment home with them. In this case, practical work and/or question and answer may be appropriate.