What Performance Technologists Should Know About Public Education: Implications for Professional Development and Training

Performance Technologists view discrepancies in human performance as products of the system (the set of interrelated components that work together to achieve a common purpose). Before designing, developing, implementing, or evaluating an intervention, Performance Technologists first identify and analyze all relevant aspects of the system. Consequently, to make significant and lasting improvements to public education, Performance Technologists must have knowledge of essential educational system elements and their interrelationships. This paper is divided into two parts. Part One specifies ten essential components of an educational system within the context of; the family and community, the public schools, business and industry, government agencies, and institutes of higher education. It describes the function of each component and examines related trends and issues, illustrating both the complexity and necessity of approaching educational improvement from a systemic perspective. Part Two discusses the implications of the systemic perspective for the professional development and training of Performance Technologists. Together, both parts provide a model for organizing and applying information related to key contextual factors in public schools for those interested in preparing PTs for work in K-12 education.