Sessional Teaching Program: Module 1: Introduction

Sessional Teaching Program: Module 1: Introduction

Teaching Goals and Learning Objectives

1. Reflection

Let's start with your own experience:

Exercise 1

Try to recall a course where you, as a student, knew exactly what
you were expected to learn.

How and when did you know this?

(tick the box for each item that applies to you)

It was obvious

It was stated in the course outline

It became clear in the assignments

We were told at the beginning of the course

We were told at the beginning of each session

We were told at the end of the course

Other

1.  Which of these were most useful to your learning?

2.  Can you use your learning experience to suggest some DOs and DONTs for your own course of lesson planning and teaching?

Now think about a particular course you are teaching or planning to teach.

3.  What do you want your students to gain from your course?

4.  How will your students know that this is what you want them to learn? (i.e.that these are your Learning and Teaching Goals.)

It should be obvious

It's stated in the course outline

It's clear from the assignments

I tell them at the beginning of the course

I tell them at the beginning of each session

I tell them at the end (of the course/session ???)

Other

2. What would you like to learn from this module?

I would like to learn about... / YES / Not Yet / NO/NA
1. goals and objectives - what are they?
(see 3.1 below)
2. the need for goals (3.2)
3. a range of course goals (3.3)
4. formulating course goals and learning objectives (3.4)
5. communicating course goals and learning objectives to students (3.5)
6. practical tips (4)
7. more detailed information (3.6)

Module 1: Introduction: page 1

Sessional Teaching Program: Module 1: Introduction

3. Principles

3.1 Goals and Learning Objectives - what are they?

It is important that students know what it is that they are expected
to learn from any given course or lecture or workshop.

Goals are general statements: what a lecturer wants to ACHIEVE in a course.

Learning Objectives are specific statements: what a lecturer expects students to be able to DO.

Let's take this Module as an example.

The Goal for 'Sessional Teaching Program: module 1' is...

That new academic staff at the University of Adelaide understand and apply the principles of setting goals and learning objectives for the courses they teach.

Specific Learning Objectives for this module are...
Those completing this module will be able to:
·  distinguish between course goals and learning objectives and their purposes
·  identify a broad range of relevant course goals and learning objectives
·  formulate goals and learning objectives for their own courses
·  communicate goals and learning objectives to their students in a variety of ways and at appropriate times

3.2 The need for goals and objectives

Why specify course goals and learning objectives?

For all involved / They provide a common understanding of the scope, focus and priorities of the course among staff, and between staff and students
For staff / They help decide
·  what we teach
·  what we get students to do
·  how we assess students' learning and
·  how we evaluate our teaching
For students / They help students to
·  know what we expect of them
·  gain an overview, a sense of direction, and a guide to their learning, revision and assessment.

3.3 A range of course goals

Exercise 2

From the list of knowledge, skills and abilities below, identify those that you would like your students to gain students during that course.

content knowledge

ability to identify appropriate sources of information
for their learning and assignments

ability to critically evaluate and use the information they find

skills in problem solving

teamwork skills

oral and written communication skills

referencing skills

responsibility for their own learning

proficiency in using MyUni

appropriate use of the internet

professionalism

awareness of ethical and cultural issues

more...

To make sure that your students know what you expect of them, you will need to formulate a range of specific learning objectives for the course.

After that, make sure that they are effectively communicated to the students.

3.4 Formulating course goals and learning objectives

Here are some examples of course goals and words used to formulate specific learning objectives:

EXAMPLES OF COURSE GOALS
LAW / MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES / GEOPHYSICS
To develop an understanding of the concepts and principles which underpin Environmental Law / To develop problem solving skills using the techniques of linear algebra / To develop the skills in interpreting and mapping geophysical data sets
To formulate Learning Objectives based on these Course Goals,
use verbs such as... Students will be able to:
define re-state
recall discuss
list describe
name translate
relate explain
repeat identify / locate
examine
analyse
synthesise
interpret
judge
solve / identify
appraise
categorise
hypothesise
compare
construct
apply

For writing learning objectives, see also CLPD website at

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/curriculum/objectives/

3.5 Communicating course goals and learning objectives to students

Exercise 3

When and how might you communicate your Course Goals and Learning Objectives to your students?

Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the following possibilities:

Communicating Goals
& Learning Objectives / Your view as applied to your course:
Advantages (if any) / Disadvantages (if any)
a) WHEN?
At the beginning of each topic
At the beginning of each lecture/tutorial
Before exams
In response to student questions
Other...
b) HOW?
In the course outline/handbook
In your PowerPoint presentations
On MyUni
Orally (in class or individually)
As part of feedback on assignments

Your views may well be different for each course or student group. You will need to decide what is the most appropriate in each course and in different contexts.

3.6 Reading

Biggs, J. & Collis, K. (1982) Evaluating the quality of learning: the SOLO taxonomy (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome). Academy Press, London.
Barr Smith Library 370.15 B5925e

Bloom, B., Engelhardt, M., Furst, E., Hill, W., & Krathwohl, D. (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. David McKay Company, New York.
Barr Smith Library 370.1 B65

For a general overview of the topic see the “Teaching Goals & Learning Objectives" (Module 1) Reading on the CLPD Sessional Teaching website.

Go to the STP Modules web page

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/sessional/stp/

4. Tips

Some practical suggestions to help you set Course Goals and Learning Objectives

·  start with the University's Graduate Attributes; select those relevant to your course and formulate course-specific goals

·  expand these course goals into specific learning objectives - using the banks of verbs (such as recall, explain, calculate, argue) contained in Bloom's and the SOLO taxonomies, for example (from CLPD website):

Knowledge / define, repeat, record, name
Comprehension / restate, discuss, explain, describe, sketch
Application / translate, interpret, apply, employ, demonstrate, criticise
Analysis / distinguish, analyse, differentiate. appraise, calculate
Synthesis / compose, plan, design, formulate, arrange, estimate, measure
Evaluation / judge, appraise, rate, compare, revise, predict, critique

·  decide on a number of ways and times for communicating the goals and objectives to the students and make explicit how they are realised through the course and its assessment

5. Application to your own practice

To conclude, reflect on your own experience:

·  Select a course or section of a course that you teach.

·  Map its goals and objectives against a selection of the graduate attributes and against the curriculum, the learning experiences and the assessment taks.

·  Check that the goals, learning objectives and tasks match each other

·  Make changes where there are any mismatches

·  Decide on one practical strategy you will implement:

Your implementation Plan
Strategy
what? / how? / Your plan to apply it
(when?)
Use the University's graduate attributes in setting course goals
Use appropriate verbs to set specific learning objectives
Communicate course goals and learning objectives at appropriate times and in a variety of ways
Other...

6. Your comments

Your comments on the ideas, materials or exercises in this module are valued.

Click on the following link:

Go to the STP Online Feedback Form

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/sessional/stp/feedback.html

Module 1: Introduction: page 1