Learningobjectives
Alearningobjectiveisanoutcomestatementthatcapturesspecificallywhatknowledge
and skills learners should be able to exhibit following instruction. It is often implicitly
predicatedwith,“Ifsuccessfullycompleted,thestudentwillbeableto...”
Awaytomakeyourlearningobjectivesclear,direct,andmeasurable:
• Course learning objectives should precisely describe what the students
willlearnandbeabletodoiftheysuccessfullycompletethecourse
•
Usetermsthatarespecificandobservableenoughtobemeasured-refer
to the verbs in Bloom's Taxonomy (Examples of terms to use: select,
develop,demonstrate,collaborate,complete,etc.)
•
State the learning objectives from the student’s perspective (allow for
non-native speakers to easily grasp the meaning of the learning
outcomes expected; avoid using educational jargon & unexplained
terminology) •
Learningobjectivesshouldbeintegratedthroughoutthecourseandnot
justlistedinthesyllabus
Questionstoaskyourselfbeforewritingthelearningobjectives:
• Whatarethemostimportantthingsastudentshouldgainfromyour
course?
•
Whatskillsdoyouwantyourstudentstoattain?
•
Howwouldyoumeasureorknowtheextenttowhichstudentsare
learningwhatyouintendfromyourcourse?
MeasurableLearningObjectives
Belowaretendifferentlearningobjectives.Highlightedaretheobjectivesthatarenot
measurable.
1. Delivereffectivebusinesspresentationsthroughawebinarcommunication
format.
2. Writeresearch-basedessaysthataregrammaticallycorrectanduseappropriate
MLAstyle.
3. Understandcommunicationtechnologies.
• “Understand”isnotameasurableterm.Insteaduse“identify”or“list”or
“compare.”(Forexample:Identifyfiveeffectivecommunication
technologies.)
4. Debatebothsidesofcapitalpunishmenteffectively,usingreferencesanddata.
5. LearnthebasicsofEnglishgrammarandpunctuation.
“Learn”isnotameasurableterm.Insteaduse“create”or“construct.”
(Forexample:Createwell-formattedsentencesandparagraphsusing
correctEnglishgrammarandpunctuation.)
Constructclearlywrittenproofsthatusecorrectterminologyandciteprevious
theorems.
BecomefamiliarwiththeAmericancriminaljusticesystem.
• “Becomefamiliar”isnotameasurablephrase.Insteaduse“describe”or
“investigate.”(Forexample:Describethehistory,frombeginningupto
thepresent,oftheAmericancriminaljusticesystem.)
Assesstherelationshipbetweenopportunitycostsandmakingdecisions.
Investigatetendifferentstrategiesofsocialmediamarketing.
Gaininsightintothephilosophyofreligionincontrasttoreligiousphilosophy.
• “Gaininsight”isnotameasurablephrase.Insteaduse“articulate”or
“define.”(Forexample:Articulatethemeaningofphilosophyofreligion
andhowitdiffersfromreligiousphilosophy.)
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6.
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Examples Non-measurable verbs: amplify, appreciate, be acquainted with, be aware,
becomefamiliarwith,explore,gaininsight,understand,realize,improve,increase,know,
learn