g and development, as well as the teaching and development of young people and children, so do explore them all. Each has its uses and advantages.
dave's psychomotor domain taxonomy
|psychomotor domain (dave)|
|level||category or 'level'||behaviour descriptions||examples of activity or demonstration and evidence to be measured||'key words' (verbs which describe the activity to be trained or measured at each level)|
|1||Imitation||copy action of another; observe and replicate||watch teacher or trainer and repeat action, process or activity||copy, follow, replicate, repeat, adhere|
|2||Manipulation||reproduce activity from instruction or memory||carry out task from written or verbal instruction||re-create, build, perform, execute, implement|
|3||Precision||execute skill reliably, independent of help||perform a task or activity with expertise and to high quality without assistance or instruction; able to demonstrate an activity to other learners||demonstrate, complete, show, perfect, calibrate, control,|
|4||Articulation||adapt and integrate expertise to satisfy a non-standard objective||relate and combine associated activities to develop methods to meet varying, novel requirements||construct, solve, combine, coordinate, integrate, adapt, develop, formulate, modify, master|
|5||Naturalization||automated, unconscious mastery of activity and related skills at strategic level||define aim, approach and strategy for use of activities to meet strategic need||design, specify, manage, invent, project-manage|
Based on RH Dave's version of the Psychomotor Domain ('Developing and Writing Behavioral Objectives', 1970. The theory was first presented at a Berlin conference 1967, hence you may see Dave's model attributed to 1967 or 1970).
It is also useful to refer to the 'Conscious Competence' model, which arguably overlays, and is a particularly helpful perspective for explaining and representing the 'Psychomotor' domain, and notably Dave's version. (The 'Conscious Competence' model also provides a helpful perspective for the other two domains - Cognitive and Affective, and for the alternative Psychomotor Domains suggested by Harrow and Simpson below.)
alternative psychomotor domain taxonomy versions
Dave's Psychomotor Domain above is probably the most commonly referenced and used psychomotor domain interpretation. There are certainly two others; Simpson's, and Harrow's, (if you know any others please contact us).
It's worth exploring and understanding the differences between the three Psychomotor Domain interpretations. Certainly each is different and has a different use.
In my view the Dave model is adequate and appropriate for most adult training in the workplace.
For young children, or for adults learning entirely new and challenging physical skills (which may require some additional attention to awareness and perception, and mental preparation), or for anyone learning skills which involve expression of feeling and emotion, then the Simpson or Harrow models can be more useful because they more specifically address these issues.
Simpson's version is particularly useful if you are taking adults out of their comfort zones, because it addresses sensory, perception (and by implication attitudinal) and preparation issues. For example anything fearsome or threatening, like emergency routines, conflict situations, tough physical tasks or conditions.
Harrow's version is particularly useful if you are developing skills which are intended ultimately to express, convey and/or influence feelings, because its final level specifically addresses the translation of bodily activities (movement, communication, body language, etc) into conveying feelings and emotion, including the effect on others. For example, public speaking, training itself, and high-level presentation skills.
The Harrow and Simpson models are also appropriate for other types of adult development. For example, teaching adults to run a difficult meeting, or make a parachute jump, will almost certainly warrant attention on sensory perception and awareness, and on preparing oneself men