Writing Goals, Educational Objectives, & Learning Outcomes

WRITING GOALS, EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES, & LEARNING OUTCOMES

·  Goals are where you want to go.

·  Objectives are how you get there.

·  Outcomes are proof that you have arrived.

Goals

Definition:

A goal:

1.  states a target for a course or program

2.  states the general outcome of a course or program

3.  describes a more general learning outcome

4.  may have several learning objectives

How to write goals:

Examples:

1.  The goal of the art program (course) is to help students acquire relevant art history knowledge, apply it and encourage them to keep working in the field.

2.  The goal of the multimedia course (program) is to present alternatives to expensive software for application in the field of study.

Educational Objectives

Definition:

An educational objective states what the student will learn and be able to accomplish by the end of instruction. It describes a specific behavior which will lead to the desired goal. It is specific and measurable. It has three major components:

1. What the student will be able to do.

2. Conditions needed for the student to accomplish the task.

3.  Norm for evaluating the student performance.

How to write learning objectives:

Learning Objectives emphasize:

1.  students’ performance

2. the end product

3. what students learned

Learning Objectives do not emphasize:

1.  teacher performance

2.  the subject matter

3.  how knowledge was acquired

In order to ensure clear and measurable Learning Objectives, one must focus on:

1.  Performance: Describe what is to be learned in with outcome of performance in mind.

2.  Norm: Describe clearly what outcome is expected and what level of accuracy is expected in order for the learning to be judged adequate.

3.  Settings: Describe the specific circumstances under which the learner is supposed to perform and what tools are to be used

Learning Outcomes

Definition:
Learning outcomes are statements of what a student will be able to do as a result of a learning activity. They are specific, measurable, clear, and assessable statements that define what a student is able to do at the end of a course or completion of a program. These outcomes may involve:

1.  Knowledge (cognitive).

2.  Skills (behavioral).

3.  Attitudes (affective behavior)

All three above statements must show evidence that learning has occurred.

How to write learning outcomes:

When writing learning outcomes:

1.  Focus on what the student can do.

2.  Address the observable outcomes, not what was taught.

3.  Use active verbs since they are easier to measure (see attached list).

4.  Have clear defined expectations concerning the criteria related to the outcome.

a.  Including specific examples of i.e. images, software, tools etc…

b.  Think of the student after they have used or read an artifact, what they should be able to do as a result of using the tools presented for each specific activity.

Example:

1.  Each goal may have several Objectives associated with it.

2.  Each objective will have one learning outcome associated with it.

Goal 1: The Educational Technology course (program) will enable the students to make reliable and accurate assessments of the type of assistive technology needed for a variety of disabilities.

Objective 1: The student will be able to use an appropriate technology to address the needs of autistic children in the classroom.

Objective 2: The student will be able to adapt any assistive technology to address the problems of behavioral problems.

Learning Outcome 1: At the end of the course (program) the student will be able to create lesson plans using Inspiration to teach autistic students how to draw a picture independently.

Learning Outcome 2: At the end of the program the student will be able to create an activity teaching autistic children how to behave in the classroom.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Action Verbs
Knowledge / Comprehension / Application / Analysis / Synthesis / Evaluation
DEF / Remember
previously learned information. / Demonstratean understandingofthe
facts. / Applyknowledge to actual situations. / Breakdownobjectsorideasinto
simplerpartsandfindevidencetosupportgeneralizations. / Compilecomponentideasintoa
new wholeor propose alternativesolutions. / Makeanddefend
judgmentsbasedon internalevidenceor
externalcriteria.
VERB / ·  Arrange
·  Count
·  Define
·  Describe
·  Duplicate
·  Draw
·  Enumerate
·  Find
·  Identify
·  Label
·  List
·  Match
·  Memorize
·  Name
·  Order
·  Outline
·  Quote
·  Read
·  Recite
·  Recognize
·  Record
·  Relate
·  Recall
·  Repeat
·  Reproduce
·  Select
·  Sequence
·  State
·  Tell
·  View
·  Write / ·  Classify
·  Convert
·  Defend
·  Describe
·  Discuss
·  Distinguish
·  Estimate
·  Explain
·  Express
·  Extend
·  Generalized
·  Giveexample(s)
·  Identify
·  Illustrate
·  Indicate
·  Infer
·  Interpret
·  Locate
·  Make sense of
·  Paraphrase
·  Predict
·  Recognize
·  Report
·  Restate
·  Rewrite
·  Review
·  Select
·  Summarize
·  Trace
·  Translate
·  Understand / · Act
· Administer
· Apply
· Articulate
· Assess
· Change
· Chart
· Choose
· Collect
· Compute
· Construct
· Contribute
· Control
· Demonstrate
· Determine
· Develop
· Discover
· Dramatize
· Draw
· Employ
· Establish
· Extend
· Illustrate
· Imitate
· Implement
· Interpret
· Manipulate
· Modify
· Operate
· Paint
· Participate
· Practice
· Predict / · Prepare
· Produce
· Provide
· Relate
· Report
· Schedule
· Select
· Show
· Sketch
· Solve
· Transfer
· Use
· Write
· Utilize / · Analyze
· Appraise
· Breakdown
· Calculate
· Categorize
· Characterize
· Classify
· Compare
· Contrast
· Correlate
· Criticize
· Debate
· Deduce
· Diagram
· Differentiate
· Discriminate
· Distinguish
· Examine
· Experiment
· Focus
· Identify
· Illustrate
· Infer
· Limit
· Model
· Outline
· Pointout / · Prioritize
· Question
· Recognize
· Relate
· Research
· Select
· Separate
· Subdivide
· Test / · Adapt
· Anticipate
· Arrange
· Assemble
· Categorize
· Collaborate
· Collect
· Combine
· Communicate
· Compare
· Compile
· Comply
· Compose
· Construct
· Create
· Design
· Develop
· Devise
· Explain
· Express
· Facilitate
· Formulate
· Generate
· Incorporate
· Individualize
· Initiate
· Integrate
· Intervene
· Invent
· Make up
· Model
· Modify
· Negotiate / · Organize
· Perform
· Plan
· Prepare
· Pretend
· Produce
· Progress
· Propose
· Rearrange
· Reconstruct
· Reinforce
· Relate
· Reorganize
· Revise
· Rewrite
· Setup
· Structure
· Substitute
· Summarize
· Synthesize
· Tell
· Validate
· Write / · Appraise
· Argue
· Assess
· Attach
· Choose
· Compare
· Conclude
· Contrast
· Criticize
· Critique
· Defend
· Decide
· Describe
· Discriminate
· Estimate
· Evaluate
· Explain
· Judge
· Justify
· Interpret
· Relate
· Predict
· Prioritize
· Prove
· Rank
· Rate
· Reframe
· Select
· Summarize
· Support
· Value