Tips for Writing Objectives
What are instructional objectives?
Instructional objectives are specific, measurable,
short-term, observable student behaviors. (After reading
this web page you will be able to explain why each word in that
definition is important.)
Objectives are not the sum of education, but pre-requisites, or
foundations, for the higher goal of conversancy with the field.
Objectives provide an organized pathway that will make it possible to
meet the higher goals.
Types of objectives
- Cognitive: understandings, awarenesses, insights (e.g.,
"List and explain..."). This includes information recall,
conceptual understanding, and problem-solving.
- Psychomotor: special skills (e.g., "dissect a frog so
that the following organs are clearly displayed..."; "take a
replicable blood pressure reading by appropriately using a
sphygmomanometer").
- Affective: attitudes, appreciations, relationships.
Tips for writing objectives
- How specific and detailed should objectives be?
It depends on what they are used for! Objectives for sequencing a
unit plan will be more general than for specifying a lesson plan.
- Don't make writing objectives tedious, trivial,
time-consuming, or mechanical. Keep them simple, unambiguous, and
clearly focused as a guide to learning.
- The purpose of objectives is not to restrict spontaneity or
constrain the vision of education in the discipline; but to ensure
that learning is focused clearly enough that both students and
teacher know what is going on.
- Express them in terms of student performance, behavior, and
achievement, not teacher activity.
- Three components of an instructional objective:
- Identify the type of activity in which competence is
required (e.g., "Dissect...").
- Specify the criteria or standards by which competence in
the activity will be assessed (e.g., "a frog so that the
following organs are clearly displayed...").
- List any conditions or circumstances required for students
to meet the objective (e.g., "...given two class periods
working with the materials at your lab station").
Where do objectives come from?
- This raises the notoriously difficult question of what
constitutes scientific literacy! Compare various textbooks,
preferably ones that have contrasting curriculum designs in order
to select the best ideas from a variety of approaches. Remember to
consider student needs and interests as well as "coverage."
- Select objectives at the correct level of
difficulty. Be prepared to adjust the level of difficulty
in either direction, if necessary, as a result of in-class
monitoring.
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