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Writing Quality Learning Objectives

Learning objectives (often called performance objectives or competencies) are
brief, clear, specific statements of what learners will be able to perform at the
conclusion of instructional activities. Learning objectives stem from course
objectives; course objectives are broad statements reflecting general course
goals and outcomes, while learning objectives are targeted statements about
expected student performance. Generally, learning objectives are competency-
based as the designate exactly what students need to do to demonstrate mastery
of course material. With this in mind, learning objectives are always stated in
terms of student outcomes. The purpose of learning objectives is to:

- Facilitate overall course development by encouraging goal-directed planning

- Inform students of the standards and expectations of the course

- Provide information for the development of assessments by identifying the types

of evidence that students need to produce to demonstrate understanding

- Clarify the intent of instruction and guide the formation of instructional activities
(textbook selection, teaching resources, instructional methods, etc)

- Provide a framework for evaluating student understanding and progress

- Serve as an implicit contract between instructor and students setting up a basis

for accountability

- Drive curriculum planning (such as the development or revision of courses)

- Create a framework for evaluating overall effectiveness of an educational

program

- Provide evidence of student learning to be utilized for accreditation

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Guidelines for Writing Effective Learning Objectives:

Effective learning objectives highlight expected student behavior as well as the

specific conditions and standards of performance.

- Behavior - Write learning objectives in terms of an observable, behavioral

outcome; essentially, learning objectives should provide a description of what
the student will be able to do. When writing the objective in performance
terminology, the selection of an effective action verb is of utmost importance.
The use of a clear, targeted verb provides directions about the expectations of
student performance at the completion of instructional activities. Because the
verb provides the desired direction of emphasis, it is important to choose a verb
that is focused and targets a level of performance appropriate for the course.

- Student-Centered - All learning objectives should focus on the student. An

effective learning objective will explain expectations for student behavior,
performance, or understanding. To ensure that learning objectives are student-
centered, a good objective should appropriately complete the statement "The
student will..."

- Conditions - Learning objectives should be specific and target one expectation

or aspect of understanding and highlight the conditions under which the student
is expected to perform the task. The conditions of the objective should
communicate the situation, tools, references, or aids that will be provided for the
student.

- Standards - Each learning objective should be measurable and include the

criteria for evaluating student performance. Generally, standards provide
information to clarify to what extent a student must perform to be judged
adequate; thus effective learning objectives indicate a degree of accuracy, a
quantity of correct responses or some other type of measurable information.
Standards serve the dual purpose of informing students of performance
expectations and providing insight as to how achievement of these expectations
will be measured. Since students will utilize the standards to guide their
performance, be sure to use specific terminology that has limited interpretations
and ensure that all students understand the same interpretation.

Tips for Improving Learning Objectives:

- Learning objectives have two parts: an action verb and a content area. Utilize
the action verb to specify the desired student performance followed by a specific
description of the course-specific content target.

- Keep statements short and focused on a single outcome. This allows instructors
- to determine whether or not an objective has been met without having to
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distinguish between partial completion or success.

- To ensure that learning objectives are effective and measurable, avoid using
- verbs that are vague or cannot be objectively assessed. Use active verbs that
describe what a student will be able to do once learning has occurred.

- Learning objectives should be student-focused and target the expected student

outcome. To assist in maintaining a student-centered emphasis, start learning
objectives with the phrase "The learner/student will be able to. . ."

- Learning objectives should be SMART (specific, measurable, acceptable to the

instructor, realistic to achieve, and time-bound with a deadline).

- Include complex or higher-order learning objectives when they are appropriate.

Most instructors expect students to go beyond memorization of facts and
terminology; learning objectives should reflect instructors’ expectations for
student performance.

- Utilize learning objectives as a basis for course preparation. Learning objectives

should match instructional strategies and assessment requirements. To ensure
the connection between various course activities, it is useful to construct a table
highlighting the relationship. For example:

Learning Objective Instructional Assessment

Activities
Differentiate between Lecture, group activity Exam #1,
qualitative and Assessment Portfolio
quantitative #1, Mastery
assessment Questions
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Using the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives to Write Learning

Objectives:

Depending on the course goals, learning objectives may target a range of skills
or cognitive processes. Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy of educational objectives
differentiates between three domains of learning: cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor.

Domain Target Focus

Cognitive Knowledge, intellectual Mind
skills
Affective Attitudes, interests, Spirit
feelings, values,
adjustments
Psychomotor Motor and manipulations Body
skills

Most courses in higher education focus on the cognitive domain, thus it is

important to examine various levels of cognitive understanding. The cognitive
domain is broken-down into six categories: knowledge, comprehension,
application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Generally, instructors will want to
design learning objectives to target a range of levels of student understanding.
The phrasing of learning objectives will help guide both instructional activities and
assessment, thus instructors should carefully select the emphasis of learning and
the relevant verb.
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Domain Emphasis Relevant Verbs

Cognitive Knowledge Recall, identify, recognize, acquire, distinguish,
state, define, name, list, label, reproduce, order
Cognitive Comprehension Translate, extrapolate, convert, interpret, abstract,
transform, select, indicate, illustrate, represent,
formulate, explain, classify, comprehend
Cognitive Application Apply, sequence, carry out, solve, prepare,
operate, generalize, plan, repair, explain, predict,
demonstrate, instruct, compute, use, perform,
implement, employ, solve
Cognitive Analysis Analyze, estimate, compare, observe, detect,
classify, discover, discriminate, explore,
distinguish, catalog, investigate, breakdown,
order, determine, differentiate, dissect, contrast,
examine, interpret
Cognitive Synthesis Write, plan, integrate, formulate, propose, specify,
produce, organize, theorize, design, build,
systematize, combine, summarize, restate, argue,
discuss, derive, relate, generalize, conclude,
produce
Cognitive Evaluation Evaluate, verify, assess, test, judge, rank,
measure, appraise, select, check, judge, justify,
evaluate, determine, support, defend, criticize,
weigh, assess
Affective Agree, avoid, support, participate, cooperate,
praise, help, offer, join
Psychomotor Adjust, repair, taste, bend, measure, perform,
operate, use, move

Avoid using verbs that are difficult to measure objectively. The following verbs
are difficult to assess, thus should be used with caution:

- know - familiarize - gain knowledge of

- comprehend - study - cover
- understand - be aware - learn
- appreciate - become acquainted with - realize

If you utilize verbs like "know" or "understand", make sure that you state how
"knowledge" or "understanding" will be demonstrated. Remember, a good
learning objectives is one that can be assessed to determine students’ mastery
of course material.
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Review Checklist:

_____ Does the learning objective stem from a course goal or objective?
_____ Is the learning objective measurable?
Does the learning objective target one specific aspect of expected
_____
performance?
_____ Is the learning objective student-centered?
Does the learning objective utilize an effective, action verb that targets the
_____
desired level of performance?
_____ Do learning objectives measure a range of educational outcomes?
Does the learning objective match instructional activities and
_____
assessments?
Does the learning objective specify appropriate conditions for
_____
performance?
Is the learning objective written in terms of observable, behavioral
_____
outcomes?
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