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Module 2
Lecture Notes - Part 1a

 

Learning Objectives: What and Why

A. Topics versus Goals versus Objectives

 
Instruction topics, learning goals, and learning objectives are, at once, closely related and distinct.

• Instruction topics outline the knowledge areas addressed in a course or course module
• Learning goals describe the specific portion(s) of a given knowledge area that students are expected to master through participation in a course or course module (akin to instruction sub-topics)
• Learning objectives distill the learning goals into concrete statements of what students should be able to accomplish with the help of the mastered knowledge.
  They are direct statements of observable, student-centered behaviors that
  i) describe the type and degree of expected mastery and
  ii) are assessable through participation in some yet-to-be-determined learning activity

Is it a topic, a goal, or an objective?
(adapted from the Illinois Online Network Resources)
 
Typical 'objective' from an introductory chemistry course
 
       "Understanding the concept of gas pressure"
 
But, what does "understanding gas pressure" mean to the students? Does it mean performing pressure unit conversions? Does it mean describing how a barometer works? Does it mean knowing the relationship between temperature and pressure?
How would the instructor know whether or not students understood the concept of gas pressure? Simply asking for a definition would not suffice as it does not differentiate between memorization and understanding.
 
Rewording the "gas pressure" goal into a set of relevant objectives
 
Learning objectives outline observable actions. Stating how students will be able to demonstrate by action that they "understand" gas pressure involves stating many different observable and measurable behaviors.
The "understanding gas pressure" goal can thus be distilled into a variety of "objectives" sets, with the number, focus, and scope of the objectives in each set depending on the audience. Here is a sample set of objectives:
 
    "Converting gas pressure values among all relevant units"
    "Systematically predicting the effect of temperature on gas pressure"
    "Systematically predicting the effect of altitude on gas pressure"
    "Listing the barometer functions involved in atmospheric pressure
     measurements"

Drafting learning objectives constitutes the principle outcome of Step 1 of the backward design process (i.e. "identify desired results").
However, producing well-designed, clear, effective, and motivating objectives assumes a tight link among topics, goals, and objectives. This is usually accomplished through an iterative back-and-forth among all three during the design stage of a course.

For example, the design of a course may start with
 
    a) an instruction topic
        (e.g. research as philosophy, process, and method),
    b) a list of learning goals or subtopics
        (e.g. basic understanding of the research-process steps and their
         relationship),
    c) statements of expected student accomplishment (i.e. objectives)
        (e.g. drafting and analyzing anticipated research-process steps for a
        given combination of research topic, philosophy, and method), or
    d) some combination of the above.
 
Regardless of the starting point, instructors must work towards a close and clearly communicated relationship among what students will be accomplishing, because of what new knowledge, and as part of what general course topic. 

In its final format, a course module will most often present students with the instruction topics and the associated learning objectives, but not with the learning goals (see, for example, the first page of all DOTS modules). Assuming creation of assignments that are well aligned with a module's learning objectives (more on alignment shortly), it is possible to only present students with the instruction topics. In this case, the learning objectives have been embedded in and can be easily inferred by addressing the module's assignments (as in the film music course reviewed during Module 1).

Self-test
 
a) Consider the following 'learning-objective,' accompanying a course on "The History of the Second World War":
    "Demonstrate significant understanding of the events leading to the war and
     of the war’s consequences”
Why is this is not an effective learning objective?
 
b) The following statement appears quite often in the list of graduate courses' learning objectives:
    “Students will develop analytical and critical skills and employ them in
    decision making”
Why is this is not an effective learning objective? What are the learning objectives underlying this statement?
 
c) These sample objectives come from an "Introduction to Psychology" course:
    "The objectives of this course are to provide you with a general background
    of psychophysical and physiological perception research and of the
    relevance of such research beyond the academia (e.g. in communications,
    marketing, art, heath services, etc.). Developmental perception topics will be
    incorporated throughout the semester. This course will place an emphasis
    on vision, and secondarily, on audition; however, all five senses will be
    covered."
This is clearly a course description, not a set of course objectives. What learning objectives can you distill from the above description? 
 
Spend a few minutes thinking through these questions on your own and then read what we think.

  

B.  Features and Types of Learning Objectives

(adapted from the Teaching Excellence Center Web site, Stephen F. Austin State University)
 
Effective learning objectives are

• Student Centered
  (i.e. the language of the objectives is active and outlines student competencies),
• Measurable
  (i.e. the outlined student competencies can be systematically evaluated and assessed), and
• Clear and Concise
  (i.e. only the components to be measured are included).

Examples:
 
Not Student Centered
   Different theories of personality development will be explored through
   lectures, readings, and assignments
Student Centered
   Students will be able to name each theory of personality development and
   describe the key characteristics that distinguish each theory
 
Not Measurable
   The student will understand symbolism
Measurable
   Students will be able to i) identify examples of symbolism in short stories
   and ii) insert examples of symbolism in their own writing
 
Not Clear and Concise
   Students will learn American history and understand the importance of
   America in the world.
Clear and Concise
   Students will be able to discuss and assess the role of America in a global
   society

Types of learning objectives

Based on learning domain, learning objectives can qualify as

• Cognitive
  (i.e. student performance involves factual knowledge, comprehension,
  application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation cognitive objectives are the most common),
• Affective
  (e.g. student performance involves a given attitude, belief, emotional or role-playing expectations, etc.), or
• Psycho-motor
  (i.e. student performance involves using and coordinating the skeletal muscles, vocal production, and the senses).
   

C. Why Are Learning Objectives Important?

 
Writing effective learning objectives is the single most important step in organizing and teaching a successful course. Clearly defined objectives guide instructors through the creation of curricular materials, instructional methods, and assessments. More specifically, they:

• drive identification, evaluation, and selection of the necessary instructional resources,
• point to the instructional methodologies appropriate to the course, and
• help define a sound basis on which success will be measured.

Research also suggests that students will be more focused, learn more, and have more motivation to complete a course, if their learning path is clearly laid out and communicated (e.g. Cooper et al., 2005; Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).

  

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Continue to Part 1b - Learning Objectives: How