Pam Morgan

Gorgas Library

• A statement that describes an activity that can be observed, indicating that learner has mastered the knowledge or skill.

• A learning objective answers the question: What is it that the students should be able to do at the end of the class session that they could not do before?

• A learning objective makes clear the intended learning outcome rather than what form the instruction will take.

• Learning objectives focus on student performance.   

• Can help with assessment process

• Helps students understand expectations

• Helps instructor plan instruction (especially if you only have 50 minutes!)

• Goals are broad statements that state general learning outcomes.

• Objectives are very specific, short term measurable and observable.

• Goals broadly describe an activity to be accomplished, while objectives identify tasks that must be completed to reach the goal.

• Goal: Students will know how to use Academic Search Premier

• Objective: Using the library homepage, students will be able to find the link to Academic Search Premier.

• Objective: Using preselected keywords, students will construct a database search in Academic Search Premier.

• Objective: On a database record with no full-text, students will be able to use the article linker to determine whether full text of the article exists elsewhere.

• Per Maryellen Allen: “Learning outcome is more of a goal”

• Idea is to turn something abstract into something that can be measured

• Declarative

• Procedural

• Problem Solving

• Knowledge that can be stated and goes beyond memorization.

• Example: Describe the difference between scholarly and popular journals

• Example: Describe the role of an abstract• Example: Describe the what a subject

heading/descriptor is

• Knowledge of how to do something

• Example: Demonstrate how to set up a database search

• Example: Show how to filter search results by journal type

• Builds on prior two forms of knowledge.

• Learners must take previously learned information and use it to solve problems.

• Example: Find and evaluate database articles for a research paper

• Suggested steps to create objectives are to think about the instruction session and determine what you want learner to be able to do at the end. For assessment purposes, what measurable activities would prove that learner has mastered activity?

• Describe the activities with action verbs (demonstrate, identify, list, describe, etc.) rather than with “know ing” or “feeling” words (understand, appreciate, believe, know, etc.)

• To fully utilize written objectives, three components should be present: performance, conditions, and criterion.

• Performance indicates the task to be accomplished, what the learner should be able to do.

• Conditions describe the situation and the tools that can be used.

• Criterion is defined as the quality and quantity of work expected and the time allowed to complete the job.

• Using the library homepage, students will be able to find the link to Academic Search Premier 100 percent of the time.

• Condition: Using the library homepage

• Performance: students will be able to find the link to Academic Search Premier

• Criterion: 100 percent of the time

• Using preselected keywords, students will construct a database search in Academic Search Premier.

• Condition: Using preselected keywords

• Performance students will construct a database search in Academic Search Premier

• Criterion: n/a

• On a database record with no full-text, students will be able to use the article linker to determine whether full text of the article exists elsewhere 100 percent of the time

• Condition: From a database record with no full-text

• Performance: students will be able to use the article linker to determine whether full text of the article exists elsewhere

• Criterion: 100 percent of the time

Most resources that discuss creating learning objectives mention using Bloom’s Taxonomy to help with formulation, especially with verbs.

• Many resources exist on the web; I have included some in the Department Diigo account.