CONTENTS 1.0
2.0
Introduction Objectives 3.0 Main Content
3.1 Psychomotor domain 3.2 Reflex movements
3.3 Basic Fundamental movements 3.4 Perceptual abilities.
3.5 Physical abilities 3.6 Skilled movements
3.7 Non-discursive communications 4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor Marked Assignment 7.0 References/Further Readings
1.0 INTRODUCTION
In the last two units you have worked through our discussions of the
cognitive and affective domains of the educational objectives. You have to note that emphasis on either the cognitive or the affective domain will not develop the interdependence between both. They cannot operate without the third domain – psychomotor. We can only produce an educated individual when the three domains come to play objectivescannot be complex without the psychomotor domain. This is why we
have discussed this domain of educational objectives in this unit.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
After working through this unit, you should be able to:
i.
ii.
iii.
Explain the psychomotor domain of instructional objectives.
Discuss the six levels of psychomotor domain Give examples of the activities needed in each level.
3.0 MAIN CONTENT 3.1 Psychomotor domain
In unit 5.0 you learnt that cognitive domain has to do with mental
abilities. You also noted in the last unit that the affective domain deals
with feelings, emotions, values etc. In the same way the psychomotor
domain has to do with motor skills or abilities. It means therefore thatthe instructional objectives here will make performance skills more prominent. The psychomotor domain has to do with muscular activities.
It deals with such activities which involve the use of the limbs (hand) or the whole of the body. These tasks are inherent in human beings and
normally should develop naturally.
Can you think of such abilities or skills. Consider the skills in running, walking, swimming, jumping, eating, playing, throwing, etc. One would
say that these skills are material.
Yet, for affective performance or high level performance of a wide variety of tasks, it is necessary for educators to develop various skills of
more complex nature in addition to the inherent ones. For instance, more
complex skills can be developed through learning in such areas as driving, drawing, sports, etc. like the cognitive and affective, psychomotor domain is sub divided into hierarchical levels. From the
lowest, we have (i) Reflex movements (ii) Basic Fundamental movements (iii) Perceptual abilities (iv) Physical abilities (v) Skilled movements and (vi) Non-discursive communication. Now let us take
them one after the other and discuss them briefly.
3.2 Reflex Movements
At the lowest level of the psychomotor domain is the reflex movements
which every normal human being should be able to make. The movements are all natural, except where the case is abnormal, in which
case it may demand therapy programmes.
Apart from the abnormal situations, educators are not concerned with
these movements. Now let us think of some examples.
Can you mention some of them? Your mind may have gone to; the twinkling of the eyes, trying to dodge a blow or something thrown at you, jumping up when there is danger, swallowing things, urinating or
stooling by a child, etc.
3.3 Basic Fundamental Movements
Like the case of reflex movements, these are basic movements which are natural. Educators have little or nothing to do with them, except in an abnormal cases where special educators step in to assist. There are three
sub-categories at this stage. These are:
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i.
ii.
Locomotor movement: which involves movements of the body from place to place such as crawling, walking, leaping, jumping etc.
Non-locomotor movements: which involves body movements that do not involve moving from one place to another. These include muscular movements, wriggling of the trunk, head and
any other part of the body. They also include turning, twisting etc of the body.
iii. Manipulative movements: which involves the use of the hands or limbs to move things to control things etc.
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
Give five examples of each of reflex movements and basic fundamental movements.
Your answers may have included:
i.
ii.
Reflex movement examples = twinkling of the eyes, swallowing things, urinating or stooling by a chilkd, dodging a blow, jumping up when there is danger, falling asleep, etc.
Basic fundamental movements: examples are, jumping, leaping, crawling, walking, muscular movements, wriggling of the trunk, head, turning, twisting, etc.
3.5 Perceptual abilities
This has to do with the senses and their developments. It means therefore that educators have not much to do here except to direct the
use of these sense in association with certain conditions. Perceptual abilities are concerned with the ability of the individuals to perceive and
distinguish things using the senses. Such individuals recognise and compare things by physically tasting, smelling, seeing, hearing and touching. You can identify the sense organs associated with these activities. With the use of particular taste, smell, sound, appearance and
feeling, you can associate and understand certain objects or situations
will and feelings in your mind. These senses with now help you to
determine conditions and necessary course of action.
3.6 Physical abilities
These abilities fall in the area of health and physical education. You know that in athletics and games or sports in general, you need physical
abilities and that these abilities can be developed into varying degrees of
perfection with the help of practices. This is why sports men and womenalways practice in other to improve on their skills of endurance, strength, flexibility and agility. For instance, if you are a goal keeper,
you will need to improve on these skills to perform.
3.7 Skilled Movements
This is a higher ability than the physical abilities. Once you have acquired the physical abilities, you now apply various types of these
physical abilities in making or creating things. You can combine skills in manipulative, endurance and flexibility in writing and drawing. You can combine the neuromuscular movements together with flexibility to help you in drawing. An individual can combine strength, endurance, flexibility and manipulative movements in activities like combat sports
such as wrestling, boxing, karate, tackwando, Judoka, weight lifting, etc.
For skills like drumming, typing or playing the organ or the keyboard in music, you will need a combination of manipulative movements and
some perceptive abilities and flexibility.
There are three sub-levels of the skilled movements. These are simple