Page 259 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

Mechanism
Mechanism, the fourth level, refers to habitual response. At this stage, the learner demonstrates an initial
degree of proficiency in performing the task, which results from some practice.

EXAMPLE Is able to use the meat slicer properly.

Complex Overt Response
The fifth level, complex overt response, suggests that a level of skill has been attained over time in performing
the task. Work is performed smoothly and efficiently without error. Two subcategories are resolution of
uncertainty, in which a task is performed without hesitation, and automatic performance. Performance is
characterized by accuracy, control, and speed.

EXAMPLE Is able to demonstrate considerable skill in using the meat slicer with a variety of foods.

Adaptation and Origination
Adaptation requires altering manual skills in new but similar situations, such as in adapting slicing procedures
to a variety of different foods on the meat slicer. The final level, origination, refers to the creation of a new
physical act, such as slicing something that has not been done before.

An understanding of the psychomotor domain, which may be helpful to recall the process of learning to
drive an automobile: responding to the physical and visual stimulation, feeling mentally and emotionally ready
to drive, learning parallel parking by trial and error under the guidance of an instructor, developing a degree of
skill, and finally starting the car and driving without having to think of the steps. With time, sufficient skill is
developed so that the person can adapt quickly to new situations on the road and create new responses
automatically.

SELF-ASSESSMENT 4

Plan a performance objective for each level in the psychomotor domain in a similar subject
area.

Determining the Content of Learning Plans

A close examination of the learning objectives helps to identify the content of the learning plan. Each
objective states what the learner will be able to do when instruction is complete and defines the content to be
taught. The preassessment may have eliminated certain objectives as unnecessary; those that remain are used
in planning content.

Using the taxonomies ensures that the objectives of learning are applied to the needs of the learner. Some
people may need to start at the lowest level in the taxonomy, whereas those who have already mastered the

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