The challenge area of “Determine subordinate and prerequisite skills and knowledge” is satisfied by another analysis area of the Design Document I created for a preteen drawing workshop focused on building realistic drawing skills. The Design Document, created for my EDCI 572 class (Introduction to Learning Systems Design), contains a complete goal analysis, showing the steps, subordinate skills, and prerequisite skills (called entry skills on the Design Document) that work together to achieve the overall goal of a realistic pencil drawing.

The subordinate and entry skills that point to the instructional goal, as defined as part of the goal analysis, essentially create a map of how the instructional goal is achieved, step by step. Each step is then broken down into its supporting (subordinate) skills, and the baseline knowledge/skills the learner is expected to already have (entry skills). Careful subordinate and entry skill analysis is critical because, according to the Dick and Carey model on which this Design Document is based, “if required skills are omitted from the instruction and many students to not already have them, then the instruction will be ineffective” (Dick et al., 2022, p. 72) and “without these [entry] skills, a learner will have a very difficult time trying to learn from your instruction” (Dick et al., 2022, p. 84). The impact of a solid subordinate and entry skill analysis speaks directly to the effectiveness of the instruction. The Design Document chosen for this artifact showcases this, with a number of subordinate skills being identified, some shared between multiple steps. Additionally, four entry skills were identified through the course of the analysis. All of the subordinate skills and entry skills are shown in the Goal Analysis Diagram on pages 3-5 of the Design Document.

Diagramming the subordinate skills and entry skills in this manner was a newly developed skill in this project, but the determination of subordinate skills and entry skills as an analytical or planning task prior to design was not entirely new. In many projects throughout my career, I have needed to consider the prior knowledge of the target audience, how those skills will fit into the instructional product, and what skills/content will be taught as part of the instructional product. This has frequently been the case when I have been tasked with creating a professional development course (typically eLearning) on a particular leadership topic (notably leading one-on-one meetings, behavioral interviewing skills, etc.). These projects often come with a great deal of autonomy and content freedom that require me to consider the goals, skills, and entry skills that will comprise the overall instructional goal, along with how to approach the instruction in the most effective way.

The goal analysis diagram, along with the narrative description, showcases my ability to determine the subordinate and prerequisite skills. The diagram itself provides a visual roadmap, of sorts, that is used to create instruction. I found that aspect of the project intriguing. It gave me something concrete to reference when I was in later stages of the design and development of the drawing workshop and it helped me ensure I was staying aligned with the overall instructional goal. In future projects, even if not required, I plan to still create a goal analysis diagram showing the main steps, subordinate skills, and entry skills. Along with the personal benefits I realize, I believe that other stakeholders find value in the simple and clear diagram and analysis.

Dick, W., Carey, L., & Carey, J. O., (2022). The systematic design of instruction (9th ed.). Pearson.