Page 249 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

Box 11-1 ■ Verbs Describing Performance

Part Question Client Example Employee Example

Learner behavior Do what? Plans a menu for a day Measures sanitizer in a bucket

Conditions Under what Given a list of permitted When cleaning the work area
conditions? foods

Criterion How well? With no errors Using the exact concentration
recommended

Table 11-1 ■ Mager’s Three-Part System for Objectives: Client and Employee Examples

Performance Component

The performance component of an objective describes the activity that the individual will be doing. The
performance may be visible or invisible. An overt or visible performance may be seen or heard such as listing,
reciting, explaining, or operating equipment. A covert or invisible performance requires that the individual be
asked to do something visible or audible to determine whether the objective is satisfied and learning has taken
place. In invisible performance, an “indicator behavior” is added to the objective:

• Is able to identify the parts of the meat slicer (on a diagram or verbally)
• Is able to plan a day’s menu based on the USDA myPlate

Identifying is invisible until the learner is asked to identify the parts on a diagram or to recite them verbally,
which are indicator behaviors. The major intent or performance should be stated using an active verb, and an
indicator should be added if the performance cannot be seen or heard.

Conditions Component

Once the performance is clearly stated, it may be necessary to state whether there are specific circumstances or
conditions under which the performance will be observed. The conditions describe the setting, equipment, or
aids associated with the behavior. With what resources will the individual be provided? What will be
withheld? Conditions are in parentheses in the following examples:

• (Given the disassembled parts of a meat slicer) is able to reassemble the parts in correct sequence.
• (Given a standard menu) is able to calculate the appropriate carbohydrate in the foods.
• (Given a list of foods including both good and poor sources of potassium) is able to identify the good sources.
• (Given a standard menu) is able to select low-sodium foods for a complete day.
• (Without looking at the diet instruction form) is able to describe an appropriate dinner menu.
• (Without the assistance of the practitioner) is able to explain the foods a pregnant woman should eat on a daily basis.

Although every objective may not have conditions, there should be enough information to make it clear
exactly what performance is expected.

Criterion Component

A criterion may be added once the end performance and the conditions, if any, under which it will be
observed are described. The criterion describes a level of achievement measuring how well the individual

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