Final answer:
In targeting cusps during the development of behavioral objectives, identifying pivotal skills is the most important consideration. These are skills that facilitate significant positive change and further skill acquisition, aligning with a student's educational goals and the organization's progress.
Step-by-step explanation:
When developing behavioral objectives, particularly when targeting cusps, the most important consideration is whether the skill is pivotal—that is, it must be a critical skill that is likely to lead to a chain reaction of positive behavior changes.
Targeting cusps is essential as they are behaviors or skills that, once learned, create opportunities for the acquisition of other important skills. For example, learning to read can be considered a cusp because it opens up the opportunity to learn from written materials. Moreover, cusps should fit into the overall educational framework and serve the long-term goals of the student, enhancing their ability to succeed in various activities within their practicum. Character traits such as being effective at communication and interpretation of behavior are also important, but they are complementary rather than central to identifying a cusp. Organizations benefit greatly when individuals develop skills that are crucial to progress, and thus emphasis should be placed on identifying and fostering such pivotal capabilities.