Documentation:FlISWModuleLOsKAT

Time to complete this module

15 minutes

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to

• formulate a learning objective (LO) with all three components of an instructional LO based on provided guidelines

Reflect

Please think back to a time when you where a learner and your instructor used LO’s. (If you never had an instructor use LO’s, you can imagine how that might look or feel like for you as a learner.) In your opinion, what is the advantage of learning objectives from

• the perspective of you as a learner?
• the perspective of the instructor?

Read

What are Learning Objectives

What are Learning Objectives?

• Learning objectives are specific, measurable, short-term, observable student behaviors.
• An objective is a description of a performance you want learners to be able to exhibit before you consider them competent.
• An objective describes an intended result of instruction, rather than the process of instruction itself.

Why Have Objectives

Why have objectives?

• To provide direction to instruction.
• To provide guidelines for assessment.
• To convey instructional intent to others.

Tips For Writing Objectives

• How specific and detailed should objectives be?

It depends on what they are used for! Objectives for sequencing a unit plan will be more general than for specifying a lesson plan.

• Don't make writing objectives tedious, trivial, time-consuming, or mechanical. Keep them simple, unambiguous, and clearly focused as a guide to learning.
• The purpose of objectives is not to restrict spontaneity or constrain the vision of education in the discipline; but to ensure that learning is focused clearly enough that both students and teacher know what is going on.
• Express them in terms of student performance, behavior, and achievement, not teacher activity; they are ALWAYS learner-centered.
• Three components of an instructional objective:

1. Identify the type of activity/task/performance (What should the learner be able to DO? e.g., "dissect," "formulate," "describe" etc.
2. Specify the criteria or standards by which competence in the activity will be assessed (e.g., "in a short quiz," "through presenting their findings in a small group," etc.
3. List any conditions or circumstances required for students to meet the objective (How will the student demonstrate their learning? e.g., "...given two class periods working with the materials at your lab station").

When we write a learning objective, it should ultimately answer the following question: Who – does what – under what conditions – how well?

Discuss

Review the "Objective Tips" handout for a concise introduction to writing learning objectives. You may also wish to see the list of Bloom's Taxonomy Action Verbs Action Verbs

1. Consider the mini-lesson you are planning to teach on Day 1 (or another occasion if you prefer). Write a learning objective that includes all 3 components of an effective learning objective we discussed above. Share it through the comment text box below.
2. Review two learning objectives from other participants and comment on them. What do you like about them? Can they be improved? Please provide your comments and suggestions using the Reply button on the top-right side of their comments.

Go Further

1. For more information, a great list of verbs and how they can be categorized into "domains" (a topic we will cover later in the ISW), can be found here: BCIT Handout on Writing Learning Outcomes