Alignment Everything

Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 18

Alignment means that critical course elements work together to ensure that students

meet the desired learning outcomes. Alignment refers to the direct link between the
learning objectives, the assessments and measurements, and course content (including
instructional materials, course activities and learner interaction, and course technology).
Under the principle of alignment, course content is driven by and support the learning
objectives.
The concept of alignment is intended to convey the idea that critical course
components work together to ensure that learners achieve the desired learning
outcomes. Measurable course and module/unit learning objectives or competencies
form the basis of alignment in a course.
There are two major reasons for aligning course content with learning objectives. First, alignment
increases the probability that we will provide students with the opportunities to learn and practice the
knowledge and skills that will be required on the various course we teach. Second, when course
content and objectives are aligned, “good grades” are more likely to translate into “good learning”.
When objectives and assessments are misaligned, many students will focus their efforts on activities
that will lead to good grades on assessments, rather than focusing their efforts on learning what we
believe is important.

Introduction
The conceptualizing and writing of aims and objectives are critical to effective curriculum design and student learning.
Well written aims and objectives serve three related purposes. Firstly, at the student level they indicate the content
(knowledge, skills and attitudes) that will be covered and the level of cognitive engagement that students will need to
demonstrate in order to be successful. At the program level they allow the program team to ensure that program level
objectives are systematically and incrementally developed. Lastly, at the course level, well written aims and
objectives are the first step to designing a course so that the aims and objectives are appropriately aligned with
assessment and the learning environment.

Writing course aims


The aims of a course are broad statements of its purpose or intent. The aims encompass the purpose and philosophy
of the course, specifying its overall direction and content. They let students know what you will be teaching them over
a study period and what they may learn by taking the course. Course aims are typically identified in relation to the
broad program aims as well as their relationship to the aims of other courses within the program. To write this
component of the document you will need to understand the role played by your course in the overall development of
graduate qualities across the program. It should be no more than two brief sentences.

Writing course objectives


The course statement requires a course to have no more than seven objectives. The respective point value of the
course is not considered.

The purpose of learning objectives is to be explicit about what it is we want the students to do, and what we need
them to learn in order for the aim to be achieved. Learning objectives may be written with respect to knowledge, skills
and attitudes. For an objective to be claimed it must be assessed therefore there must be an alignment between
objectives and assessments. Typically, it is easier to assess knowledge and skills than attitudes.

Typically, there are three parts to an objective:

1. Starts with a stem


A typical stem would look something like "On completion of this course students will be able to..."
2. Next there is a performance verb
The performance verb indicates the standard that the student is required to demonstrate. A number of tools
such as Bloom's cognitive and affective taxonomies and Biggs SOLO taxonomy can be used to help you do
this. The performance verb should not be placed in the stem of the objective.
3. Lastly, there is the object to which the verb relates, for example:
On completion of this course students should be able to:
- (apply) appropriate management techniques and skills to the research degree process and explain why
these are appropriate within specific contexts

What is the difference between aims and objectives?


It is relatively common for people to have some difficulty differentiating aims and objectives when designing a course.
The principal difference between aims and objectives is that aims represent the broad goal of your course while the
objectives are the steps the students need to take in order to get there.

Despite this core difference they are both written using the same sentence structure and should be written using
active voice and from the perspective of student achievement. The use of active voice is important because it
highlights the role and responsibility that students have to their own learning.

How to Write an Educational Objective


Three Parts:Planning Your ObjectiveWriting Your Educational ObjectiveReviewing Your ObjectivesCommunity Q&A

An educational objective is an important tool for teaching. It allows you to articulate your
expectations for your students, which can inform you as you write lesson plans, test,
quizzes, and assignment sheets. There is a specific formula that goes into writing
educational objectives. Learning to master that formula can help you write excellent
educational objectives for you and your students.
Part 1
Planning Your Objective
1.

1
Differentiate between goals and objectives. Objectives and goals are terms that are
sometimes used interchangeably, but there is a distinct difference between educational
objectives and educational goals. Make sure you understand this difference before
attempting to write your objective.
 Goals are broad and often difficult to measure in an objective sense. They tend to focus
on big picture issues. For example, in a college class on child psychology, a goal might
be "Students will learn to appreciate the need for clinical training when dealing with
small children." While such a goal would obviously inform the more specific educational
objectives, it is not specific enough to be an objective itself.[1]
 Educational objectives are much more specific. They include measurable verbs and
criteria for acceptable performance or proficiency regarding a particular subject. For
example, "By the end of this unit, students will be able to identify three theorists whose
work on child psychology influenced teaching practices in the US." This is a more
specific educational objective, based on the educational for the same hypothetical
course.[2]
2.

2
Familiarize yourself with Bloom's Taxonomy. In 1956, educational psychologist
Benjamin Bloom created a framework to classify different types of learning, as well as a
hierarchy illustrating different levels of learning. Bloom's Taxonomy is usually used
when writing educational objectives.[3]
 Bloom identified three domains of learning. The cognitive domain is the domain given
the most focus in the world of higher education. Cognitive is the domain used for
guidance when writing educational objectives. The cognitive domain focuses on
intellectual, scholarly learning and is divided into a hierarchy consisting of six levels.[4]
 The first level is knowledge, which is the ability to memorize, recite, and recall
previously learned materials.[5]
 Example: Memorizing multiplication tables.
 Example: Recalling when the Battle of Hastings occured.
 The second level is comprehension. This means taking the facts you know and
demonstrating your understanding through organizing, interpreting, translating, or
comparing said facts.[6]
 Example: Translating a Japanese sentence into German.
 Example: Explaining why nuclear technology affected President Reagan's political
policies.
 The third level is application. This means solving problems by applying your knowledge
to a variety of situations.[7]
 Example: Using pi to solve various mathematical problems.
 Example: Using "please" to ask for things politely not just with Mom, but other people.
 The fourth level is analysis. This means taking the facts you learned and reexamining
them so you are able to understand why they are true. You are also expected to find
evidence to support new claims or inferences you make during your education.[8]
 Example: Understanding the concept of "fate" as a predetermined destiny.
 Example: A ball thrown on the ground falls, a rock thrown on the ground falls...but what
happens if they are thrown into water?
 The fifth level is synthesis. This means organizing information in a new way and
discovering new patterns or alternative ideas, solutions, or theories.[9]
 Example: Creating a painting.
 Example: Putting forth a new idea about subatomic particles.
 The sixth level is evaluation. This means gaining the ability to present and defend
information and make informed judgments about the opinions of others on a given
subject.[10]
 Example: Creating a short film humanizing immigrants in your community with
commentary on why you believe they deserve respect.
 Example: Writing an essay on why you believe Hamlet really did not love Ophelia.
3.

3
Learn the characteristics that communicate your intent. When writing an
educational objective, there are three characteristics that you need to focus on. These
help you effectively communicate the intent of your class and teaching style.
 Performance is the first characteristic. An object should always state what your students
are expected to be able to do by the end of a unit or class.[11]
 Condition is the second characteristic. A good educational objective will outline the
conditions under which a student is supposed to perform said task.[12]
 Criterion, the third characteristic, outlines how well a student must perform. That is, the
specific expectations that need to be met for their performance to be passing. [13]
 For example, say you are teaching a nursing class. A good educational objective would
be "By the end of this course, students will be able to draw blood, in typical hospital
settings, within a 2 to 3 minute timeframe." This outlines the performance, drawing
blood, the conditions, typical hospital settings, and the criterion, the task being
performed in 2 to 3 minutes.
Part 2
Writing Your Educational Objective
1.

1
Write stem statements. A stem statement should outline the performance expected of
a student. You should use measurable verbs to form your stem statement.
 Your stem statement should begin by referencing the class or lesson. For example,
"After this course, students will..." "After completing this lesson, students are expected
to..."
 Example: After completing this lesson, students are expected to be able to write a
paragraph using a topic sentence.
 Example: After completing this lesson, students are expected to be able to identify three
farm animals.
 Your stem statement outlines the duration of time your students need to have mastered
a certain skill. If you're writing an educational objective for a particular lesson, specify
that lesson in the objective rather than writing something like "By the end of this
course..." Instead, opt for, "By the end of today's lecture..."
 Example: By midterm, all students should be able to count to 20.
 Example: At the end of the workshop, students should produce a haiku.
2.

2
Select the proper verb. The verbs you use are contingent on which level of learning in
Bloom's taxonomy you're conveying. You should write a variety of educational
objectives that all speak to differing levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
 For knowledge, go for words like list, recite, define, and name.[14]
 For comprehension, words like describe, explain, paraphrase, and restate are ideal.[15]
 Application objectives should include verbs like calculate, predict, illustrate, and apply.[16]
 For analysis, go for terms like categorize, analyze, diagram, and illustrate.[17]
 For synthesis, use words like design, formulate, build, invent, and create.[18]
 For evaluation, try terms like choose, relate, contrast, argue, and support. [19]
3.

3
Determine the outcome. The outcome is where you really get to the performance,
condition, and criterion. You are expressing what the students are expected to do at the
end of a course or lesson.
 What performance do you expect? Do students simply need to list or name something?
Should they understand how to perform a task?
 Where and when will they carry out this performance? Is this for a classroom setting
alone or do they need to perform in a clinical, real world environment?
 What are the criteria you're using to evaluate your student? What would be considered
a passing grade or an appropriate performance?
4.

4
Put it all together. Once you've laid out the stem statement, chosen your verb, and
identified the outcome, put it all together to form an educational objective.
 Say you're teaching a high school English class and, for one lesson, you're teaching
symbolism. A good educational objective would be, "By the end of this lesson, students
should be able to analyze the symbolism in a given passage of literature and interpret
the work's meaning in their own words."
 The stem statement identifies that the objective should be met by the end of the lesson.
 The verbs used are comprehension verbs, indicating this task falls under the second
level of Bloom's hierarchy of learning.
 The expected performance is literary analysis. The condition is, presumably, that the
reading be done alone. The expected outcome is that the student will be able to read a
work, analyze it, and explain it in her own words.
Part 3
Reviewing Your Objectives
1.

1
Make sure your objectives are SMART. You can make sure your objectives work by
measuring them against the criteria outlined in the acrostic SMART.
 S stands for specific. Do your learning objectives outline skills that you are able to
measure? If they're too broad, you might want to revamp them.[20]
 M stands for measurable. Your objectives should be able to be measured in classroom
setting, through testing or observed performances.[21]
 A stands for action-oriented. All educational objectives should include action verbs that
call for the performance of a specific task.[22]
 R stands for reasonable. Make sure your learning objectives reflect realistic
expectations of your students given the timeframe of your course. For example, you
can't expect students to learn something like CPR by the end of a week-long unit. [23]
 T stands for time-bound. All educational objectives should outline a specific timeframe
they need to be met by.[24]
2.

2
Evaluate whether objectives are being met. Solid educational objectives can help
you stay on task as a teacher. Periodically review your course to make sure your
students are meeting your objectives.
 Obviously, tests, papers, exams, and quizzes throughout the semester effectively
measure if educational objectives are being met. If one students seem to be struggling
with an objective, it might be an issue of that individual's performance. If every student
seems to struggle, however, you may not be effectively relaying the information.
 Give your students questionnaires and surveys in class, asking them how they feel
about their own knowledge of a given subject. Tell them to be honest about what you're
doing right and wrong as a teacher.[25]
3.
3
Revise your objectives if necessary. Educational objectives are important. Many
educators return to them during a semester if students seem to be slipping. If you're
having any issues with teaching, return to your objects and review them carefully. See
how they might be revised in a way that would allow you to be a better teacher.

Why should assessments, learning objectives, and instructional


strategies be aligned?
Assessments should reveal how well students have learned what
we want them to learn while instruction ensures that they learn it.
For this to occur, assessments, learning objectives, and
instructional strategies need to be closely aligned so that they
reinforce one another.
To ensure that these three components of your course are
aligned, ask yourself the following questions:
 Learning objectives: What do I want students to know how to
do when they leave this course?
 Assessments: What kinds of tasks will reveal whether students
have achieved the learning objectives I have identified?
 Instructional strategies: What kinds of activities in and out of
class will reinforce my learning objectives and prepare students
for assessments?

What if the components of a course are misaligned?


If assessments are misaligned with learning objectives or instructional strategies, it can undermine
both student motivation and learning. Consider these two scenarios:
Your objective is for students to learn to apply analytical skills, but your assessment measures
only factual recall. Consequently, students hone their analytical skills and are frustrated that the exam
does not measure what they learned.
Your assessment measures students’ ability to compare and critique the arguments of different
authors, but your instructional strategies focus entirely on summarizing the arguments of different
authors. Consequently, students do not learn or practice the skills of comparison and evaluation that
will be assessed.

When we are working on designing an online course,


the objectives are followed by activities and resources, and finally the
assessment. While this sequence may be the logical order for the
course, it is not necessarily the most effective approach for the design
process, especially when alignment is a critical focus.
Quality Matters (QM) is an organization that has done extensive
research on alignment, the direct correlation between
course/lesson objectives and the activities and materials/resources that
support success in demonstrating accomplishment of
those objectives through the assessments. The QM rubric for
assessing this alignment has helped many instructional
designers focus their course content on what the students should learn
as opposed to what the instructor wants to teach. With this focus in
mind, the alignment between the objectives and assessments is
imperative. Designing the activities and selecting the materials/resources
become central to
this alignment between objectives and assessments. Therefore, I
propose a design sequence that is different from the sequence of the
published course that students see.
Design the assessments first in directing alignment with
the objectives. If an objective states that the learner will analyze data,
craft the assessment so that the learner demonstrates data analysis. If
the objective states that the learner will create a product, or research a
concept, craft the assessment so that the learner demonstrates
specifically what the objective says the learner will demonstrate. If
the objectives are not measurable and you have the authority to revise
the objectives, then tweak them as you design
the assessments. Objectives will need to be measurable if you are to
align the assessments to those objectives. When alignment is
achieved, the objectives will look very much like a description of
the assessments.
Once you have the assessment developed, then you can focus on
developing activities that support the learners' success. With each
activity, such as readings, exercises, gaming, viewing videos and
listening to audio segments, question its inclusion using this
criteria: does this activity support the learner's successful demonstration
of the objective through the assessment? The same criteria holds true
for the materials and resources that you include. Evaluate each one to
determine if it moves the learner toward success in meeting the
objective. Without that questioning, instructional designers may find
themselves including interesting materials/resources that nonetheless
are not directly in support of meeting the objectives.

You might also like