Final answer:
Standards must be attainable and realistic, ensuring they pose a challenge but remain achievable. The answer to the lecture question is A. Standards should be attainable, aligning with SMART criteria for effective goal-setting.
Step-by-step explanation:
In addressing the question on standards, it's crucial to understand that standards must be designed to be attainable. This implies that they should be set at a level that is realistic and achievable, ensuring that individuals have a clear and practical target to aim for. The concept of standards being unrealistic is counterproductive because it can lead to demotivation and a sense of failure. On the contrary, standards should be ideal in the sense that they represent a level of quality or achievement that is desirable and serves as a benchmark for performance.
Based on the provided information, it's evident that while setting goals or standards, individuals need to contemplate not only the end goal but also the journey towards it, which involves detailed planning. Standards should align with the SMART criteria, which means they should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This approach helps in overcoming barriers and aids in the continuous progression towards achieving these goals.
Therefore, the answer to the lecture question is A. Standards should be attainable. This is in line with the principles that standards should be realistic enough to provide a fair assessment of performance while still posing a challenge that drives improvement. Unattainable standards would render the evaluation of individual performance ineffective and could discourage effort towards achieving them.