Andy McPhee: objectives

Like a great recipe in a treasured cookbook, every dish depends on the best ingredients. Lesson plans are the same way.

Putting a great lesson plan together requires solid objectives, which many faculty find difficult to write. Let's take a look at the three key ingredients to any learning objective and see if we can't come up with a terrific learning dish.

#1 Place one stem in large bowl

First, describe the conditions under which the objective will be met. That's your stem.

You can use a blanket condition, such as:

After completing this lesson, the student will…
After this unit, the student will…
By the end of this session, the student will…

You can also use specific conditions that describe the circumstances, commands, materials, or directions you'll give the student to help them meet the objective. Examples include the following:

Given readings in the textbook and online research, the student will…
Given a lab partner and pertinent materials, the student will…
On request, student will…

#2 Sprinkle in one or more active verbs

This is the part I love. Add an active verb. (See the big list at the bottom of this post.)

Use a verb that fits the task and also the level of learning desired, such as knowing, understanding, analyzing, and so forth.

#3 Add 1 heaping tablespoon of product, process, or outcome

Here's the meat of the recipe, the actual task. Plunk here what you want the student to do.

Keep it simple and direct, so it can be measured.

#4 Whip it all together

Here are some examples of complete objectives.

Given readings in the textbook and online research, the student will be able to trace the flow of blood through the heart.
After this unit, the student will be able to take an accurate blood pressure.
By the end of this session, the student will be able to list three common side effects of anticoagulants.

Okay, let's eat!

Active verbs

Keep a list like this handy when writing objectives.

Click to enlarge.

Additional resources

Writing clear, concise, and effective learning objectives or outcomes can be a tricky business. Each objective should begin with an action verb that fits the level of learning being tested. Here's a step-by-step approach to writing them.

#1 Base them on Bloom's

Start by basing the objectives on Bloom's Taxonomy, listed here in ascending order of complexity, from the simplest level to the most complex:

Remembering: Recalling information
Understanding: Explaining a new concept
Applying: Using information in a new way
Analyzing: Differentiating between different parts
Evaluating: Supporting a stand or decision
Creating: Devising a new product or point of view

Click to enlarge.

#2 Write a stem

The stem sets up each objective and outlines the task and timetable. Here are a few examples:

After completing the lesson, the student will be able to:
By completing the assigned activities, the student will demonstrate the ability to:
At the conclusion of the course/unit/study, the student will:

#3 Action!

Using an action verb, list the actual product, process, or outcome. Like so:

identify key structures of the cardiovascular system
discuss the roles of the heart, arteries and veins as a part of the cardiovascular system
list common infectious diseases
identify the links in the chain of infection
differentiate between the stages of disease
describe the body's defense mechanisms
demonstrate the performance of hand washing with soap and water
demonstrate the performance of hand sanitization with an alcohol-based hand rub

Helpful verbs

Here's a handy guide to help you come up with just the write verb to start off your objective.

Adapted from www.educationoasis.com

Andy McPhee

Friday, January 6, 2012

3 Basic Ingredients of a Learning Objective