SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN THE BASIC ORIENTATION COURSE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP60-00050A000100080004-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 22, 2003
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: June 3, 1955
• Content Type: MF

LAJRDP60-00050A000100080004-7
une 1953
Success and ?ailure in the Baal Orientation Course
n the use of a pre-training testing pro
s>r, r, 1952, it was anticipated that such a would
on of value in planning and organizi the train
it way pointed out at that time that such problems. for
example, s level of "presentation and course tempo could be most efficier
ly solved if the level and range of abilities represented by etude nets
been conducting limited studies, on a routine basis, of the re
between rforce on the 'rofesaio;ral ployee lest Battery
performance in the WC.
2. These studies have da onstrated quite conclusively that succe
and failure in the in determined primarily on the basis of verbal
(o "intellectual") ability, and skill in ar :2yai aM: absorbing
; :terial quickly* Success and failure in the_ course ca: be predicted,
with an unusually high level of assurance, on the basis-of three items
of inforrmationt
a. Level of educatioii.
level, measured Ter speed conditions.
o abstract and anaiz
d graphs.
Our ability to predict perfor nce in BOC on the basis of these
fatly exceeds the level of similar predicti
nett for college courses. the implications of
ik)G is a; ore acado ic," or i re intellectual in its demands
on the student, than most college courses.
The Inclusion of educational level as a predictor reflects
the importance, in learning, the course curriculum, of
highly developed "learning skills." notwithstanding level
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of ability, the student without a college background
apparently is handicapped by his lack of *JQI_ (level
ir. college courses) in learning from lectures and
:iteria.l.s.
1-istandiag their operational need for the informer
eyed in the U, most persons hout college
and without a high level of academic ability are deriving
latively little benefit from the course. (For the most
part,, these persons appear to be qualified to perform their
assignmel .
i to the difficulty they have with
y unskilled people are unnecessarily embarrassed
he requirement to compete in a weak area. Unfortunately
and
many of these people thus start their Agency careers
their 0T experience under adverse coniditios, with
performance record which could be anticipated and precluded.
4. This relationship between verbal ability and performance in
raises maxq questions relative to the objectives of the courso and
of the Office of Training
Do Agency personnel who cannot
re both the Basic Intelligence and
they need this information, how can it best
d be made
for: and at its present
wide spread of
d students be selected for, or elud,
t on basis of ability and background?
sub-groups on this basis, for appropriate teachi
An additional proUsms also bearing on the objectives
the relationship of the BOC to other courses,
present time, performance in DOG is largely unrelated to performance
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 t jar
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-3_
in s ?. tie is no question that the curricula, the goals, arm t
dsrs of these courses are quite different, and the lack of vela
ship is u-4erstanda le. ever, as a otsic* preli .r , or pro-
requisite cou ~se, the does not provide a basis for screening s
for further operational trai" trig.
Assessment a va
Office of TraininE
2 Jut 1955)
25X
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 Approved For Release 2003/09/26 : CIA-RDP60-0005OA000100080004-7
Approved For Release 2003/09/26 : CIA-RDP60-0005OA000100080004-7