Writing InstructionalWriting InstructionalGoals and ObjectivesGoals and Objectives

Goals and ObjectivesGoals and Objectives

Listing your course goals and objectives is Listing your course goals and objectives is the clearest way to communicate the clearest way to communicate expectations to students.expectations to students.

The syllabus is a good place for them!The syllabus is a good place for them! Well-written goals and objectives inform Well-written goals and objectives inform

all on what is to be learned, and how all on what is to be learned, and how assessment will occur.assessment will occur.

What is a Goal?What is a Goal?

Goals are broad, Goals are broad, generalized statements generalized statements about what is to be about what is to be learned. Think of them as learned. Think of them as a target to be reached, or a target to be reached, or ““hit.hit.””– Example: Students will be able Example: Students will be able

to apply proper grammar to to apply proper grammar to composition papers.composition papers.

More on GoalsMore on Goals

Goals loosely define what is to be learned, Goals loosely define what is to be learned, but are too broad and but are too broad and ““fuzzyfuzzy”” for designing for designing instruction.instruction.

More specific statements of what the More specific statements of what the learner must learner must ““dodo”” are needed. are needed.

ThatThat’’s where objectives come in. s where objectives come in.

ObjectivesObjectives

Instructional objectives are specific, Instructional objectives are specific, measurable, short-term, measurable, short-term, observableobservable student student behaviors.behaviors.

Objectives lead to related activities and good Objectives lead to related activities and good assessment.assessment.

Objectives are tools to ensure your students Objectives are tools to ensure your students reach your goals.reach your goals.

More on ObjectivesMore on Objectives Different archers have Different archers have

different styles; so do different styles; so do different teachers. different teachers.

You can shoot your arrows You can shoot your arrows (objectives) many ways.(objectives) many ways.

The important thing is that The important thing is that they reach your target (goals) they reach your target (goals) and score that bulls-eye!and score that bulls-eye!

Types of ObjectivesTypes of Objectives

CognitiveCognitive– Mental skillsMental skills

AffectiveAffective– Beliefs and attitudesBeliefs and attitudes

PsychomotorPsychomotor– Physical skillsPhysical skills

Tips for Writing ObjectivesTips for Writing ObjectivesObjectives should specify four main Objectives should specify four main

things:things:– AudienceAudience - Who? Who is this aimed at? - Who? Who is this aimed at?– BehaviorBehavior - What? What do you expect them to - What? What do you expect them to

be able to do? Use action verbs to describe an be able to do? Use action verbs to describe an overt, observable behavior.overt, observable behavior.

– ConditionCondition - How? Under what circumstances - How? Under what circumstances will the learning occur?will the learning occur?

– DegreeDegree - How much? - How much?This is often called the ABCD's of This is often called the ABCD's of

objectives, a nice mnemonic aid!objectives, a nice mnemonic aid!

Examples of Well-written Examples of Well-written ObjectivesObjectives Psychomotor - Psychomotor - ““Given a standard balance beam Given a standard balance beam

raised to a standard heightraised to a standard height, , the studentthe student (attired in (attired in standard balance beam usage attire)standard balance beam usage attire) will be able will be able to walk the entire length of the balance beam to walk the entire length of the balance beam (from one end to the other)(from one end to the other) steadily, without steadily, without falling off, and within a six second time span.falling off, and within a six second time span.””– Audience - Audience - GreenGreen

– Behavior - Behavior - RedRed

– Condition - Condition - YellowYellow

– Degree - Degree - BlueBlue

Examples of Well-written Examples of Well-written ObjectivesObjectives

Cognitive (comprehension) - Cognitive (comprehension) - ““Given examples Given examples and non-examples of constructivist activities in and non-examples of constructivist activities in a college classroom,a college classroom, the studentthe student will be able to will be able to accurately identify the constructivist examples accurately identify the constructivist examples and explain why each example is or isn't a and explain why each example is or isn't a constructivist activityconstructivist activity in 20 words or less.in 20 words or less.””

– Audience - Audience - GreenGreen– Behavior - Behavior - RedRed– Condition - Condition - YellowYellow– Degree - Degree - BlueBlue

Examples of Well-written Examples of Well-written ObjectivesObjectives Cognitive (application) - Cognitive (application) - ““Given a sentence Given a sentence

written in the past or present tense,written in the past or present tense, the the studentstudent will be able to re-write the sentence will be able to re-write the sentence in future tensein future tense with no errors in tense or with no errors in tense or tense contradiction (i.e., I will see her tense contradiction (i.e., I will see her yesterday.).yesterday.).””

– Audience - Audience - GreenGreen– Behavior - Behavior - RedRed– Condition - Condition - YellowYellow– Degree - Degree - BlueBlue

Examples of Well-written Examples of Well-written ObjectivesObjectives

Affective - Affective - ““Given the opportunity to work in a Given the opportunity to work in a team with several people of different races,team with several people of different races, the the studentstudent will demonstrate an positive increase in will demonstrate an positive increase in attitude towards non-discrimination of race,attitude towards non-discrimination of race, as as measured by a checklist utilized/completed by measured by a checklist utilized/completed by non-team members.non-team members.””– Audience - Audience - GreenGreen– Behavior - Behavior - RedRed– Condition - Condition - YellowYellow– Degree - Degree - BlueBlue

Examples of Well-written Examples of Well-written ObjectivesObjectives Notice:Notice:

– Higher cognitive skills = fuzzier objectivesHigher cognitive skills = fuzzier objectives– Affective objectives are the hardest objectives Affective objectives are the hardest objectives

to write and assess. to write and assess. – The verbs you use to describe the overt, The verbs you use to describe the overt,

measurable activity can be tricky to write.measurable activity can be tricky to write. Use action verbs that can be observed and Use action verbs that can be observed and

measured.measured.

Objectives & Assessment:Objectives & Assessment:A Psychomotor ExampleA Psychomotor Example Goal - Walk the length of a balance Goal - Walk the length of a balance

beam.beam.

Objective Derived From GoalObjective Derived From Goal– Given a standard balance beam raised to Given a standard balance beam raised to

a standard height, the student (attired in a standard height, the student (attired in standard balance beam usage attire) will standard balance beam usage attire) will be able to walk the entire length of the be able to walk the entire length of the balance beam (from one end to the other) balance beam (from one end to the other) steadily, without falling off, and within a steadily, without falling off, and within a six second time span.six second time span.

GIMNASIA MADRE_MATILDE

Objectives & Assessment:Objectives & Assessment:A Psychomotor ExampleA Psychomotor Example Goal - Walk the length of a balance Goal - Walk the length of a balance

beam. beam.

TestTest– The student must walk the entire length of a standard The student must walk the entire length of a standard

balance beam raised to a standard height steadily, balance beam raised to a standard height steadily, without falling off, and within a six second time span. without falling off, and within a six second time span. (Note how this part reflects the objective.) (Note how this part reflects the objective.)

– Three judges will observe a given individual perform Three judges will observe a given individual perform this task three times, using a given scoring rubric to this task three times, using a given scoring rubric to assign a score for each trial. assign a score for each trial.

– The trial score for each trial is the average of all the The trial score for each trial is the average of all the judge's scores. judge's scores.

– The overall score for the individual is the average of The overall score for the individual is the average of the three trial scores.the three trial scores.

GIMNASIA MADRE_MATILDE

Objectives & Assessment:Objectives & Assessment:A Psychomotor ExampleA Psychomotor Example Goal - Walk the length of a balance beam. Goal - Walk the length of a balance beam.

Assessment RubricAssessment Rubric5 - Walks the balance beam flawlessly. Does not need to check 5 - Walks the balance beam flawlessly. Does not need to check

balance, does not pause. Completes the walk within six seconds.balance, does not pause. Completes the walk within six seconds.

4 - Walks the beam, but is somewhat unsteady. Completes the walk 4 - Walks the beam, but is somewhat unsteady. Completes the walk within six seconds.within six seconds.

3 - Walks the beam, but is somewhat unsteady. May pause one or more 3 - Walks the beam, but is somewhat unsteady. May pause one or more times. Takes more than six seconds to complete the walk.times. Takes more than six seconds to complete the walk.

2 - Walks the beam, but is very unsteady, almost falling off, may pause 2 - Walks the beam, but is very unsteady, almost falling off, may pause one or more times, and/or takes more than six seconds.one or more times, and/or takes more than six seconds.

1 - Falls off the beam before completing the walk.1 - Falls off the beam before completing the walk.

0 - Falls off the beam immediately.0 - Falls off the beam immediately.

Test Yourself!Test Yourself!

What is this objective missing? What is this objective missing? ““The The student will be able to run 100 yards in student will be able to run 100 yards in less than 50 seconds.less than 50 seconds.””

The The conditioncondition is missing. Under what is missing. Under what conditions? On a track? Up a hill with a 45 conditions? On a track? Up a hill with a 45 degree slope? See how leaving this part degree slope? See how leaving this part out can drastically affect what and how out can drastically affect what and how you teach?you teach?

Test Yourself!Test Yourself!

What is this objective missing? What is this objective missing? ““Given the Given the appropriate text, the student will recite a appropriate text, the student will recite a famous Haiku poem from that text.famous Haiku poem from that text.””

The The degreedegree is missing. How must the is missing. How must the student recite it? Flawlessly? With student recite it? Flawlessly? With expression? Leaving this component out expression? Leaving this component out makes it very difficult to assess student makes it very difficult to assess student performance.performance.

Choose a Partner…Choose a Partner…

Choose a partner and write an objective.Choose a partner and write an objective.

When youWhen you’’re finished, read it to the rest re finished, read it to the rest of the group.of the group.

The group then will evaluate your The group then will evaluate your efforts!efforts!

The EndThe End