Transcript Learning Objectives - NAU jan.ucc.nau.edu web server

Learning Objectives
"Targets for Instruction"
Learning Objectives
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Are statements of expected learning outcomes
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Communicate those expected learning
outcomes to students
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Assist students in their learning processes
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Assist teachers in their planning for instruction
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Assist teachers in planning assessments
Three Levels of Objectives
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Global (Goals)
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Semester, quarter, year
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Not content-specific ("Improve critical thinking skills")
Educational (Unit)
• Week, month
•
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Content-specific
Instructional (Lesson)
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Class period
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Tied to specific activities
Levels of Objectives
Year, semester
Global Objectives
Unit
Unit
Educational Objectives
Lessons
Instructional Objectives
Unit
Objectives should be Explicit,
Clear, and Measurable
• It is very difficult, if not impossible, to
measure "states of mind" such as
appreciates, understands, realizes, etc.,
unless those states of mind can be
behaviorally demonstrated.
•
How could a student demonstrate that he/she
appreciates classical music?
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How could a student demonstrate that he/she
understands the Pythagorean Theorem?
• Without behavioral demonstrations, there
is nothing to assess.
Objectives Describe
Students’ Learning, Not
Teachers' Plans
•
Not: The learning theory of Lev Vygotsky will be
presented.
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Instead: Students will be able to explain Lev
Vygotsky's learning theory.
Objectives versus
Activities
• Objectives are "ends"
• "Following instruction, students will be able to..."
• Activities are "means" (to the
ends)
• "During instruction, students will..."
Possible confusion...
•
Sometimes activities are used to measure
learning outcomes, and...
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Sometimes
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What is
the same or similar activities
are used during instruction.
the purpose of the activity-instruction or assessment?
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Students will solve 10 multiplication problems
with 80% accuracy (assessment)
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Students will divide into groups and construct
collages (instruction)
Writing Learning
Objectives as Complete
Sentences
Part 1 of the Objective
(the verb)
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Following the (year, unit, lesson), students
will be able to...
•
What will they be able to DO to demonstrate
their learning?
• What they DO will depend on the level of learning
that is expected of them.
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Memorize facts, solve problems, construct
something, judge something
•
Levels of learning are expressed in Bloom's
Taxonomy of Learning
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Knowledge (facts/information)
• List, name, identify, define, etc.
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Comprehension (understanding of
facts/information)
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Application (use of facts/information)
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Demonstrate, construct, solve, etc.
Analysis (analyze information)
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Discuss, explain, interpret, summarize, etc.
Separate, break down, diagram, differentiate, etc.
Synthesis (generalize information)
• Combine, create, group, organize, etc.
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Evaluation (critique information)
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Criticize, judge, grade, appraise, etc.
Following the (year, unit, lesson),
students will be able to...
(add a Bloom's Taxonomy verb
here) See page 69 of Airasian's text
for a list of verbs
• For example:
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Following the unit, students will be able to
EXPLAIN...
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Following the lesson, students will be able to
NAME...
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Following the year, students will be able to
DEMONSTRATE...
Part 2 of the Objective
(the noun phrase)
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What will they be able to explain, name, or
demonstrate?
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Add the course learning content or skill that
students are expected to learn
For example:
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Following the unit, students will be able to
EXPLAIN how hurricanes are formed.
•
Following the lesson, students will be able to
NAME the three branches of our
government.
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Following the year, students will be able to
DEMONSTRATE improvement in their
general writing ability.
Hints for Writing
Objectives
•1. Use verbs from Bloom’s Taxonomy
on page 69 of Airasian text
•2. Do not use Bloom’s category
words (know, comprehend, apply,
analyze, synthesize, evaluate)
•3. Do not use “states of mind” verbs
for educational or instructional
objectives
...more hints
•4. Make objectives describe learning
outcomes, not instructional activities
•5. Use only one verb per objective (not list
and explain, or define and interpret)
•6. Global objectives may be less
measurable and may contain “states of
mind” words
•7. Make educational and instructional
objectives explicit, clear and measurable
Evaluate these 10 objectives...
(they ALL have a problem)
•1. Students will learn to play an instrument.
•“Learn” is a state of mind that can’t be seen.
•2. Students will grasp the concept of
photosynthesis.
•“Grasp” is a state of mind that can’t be seen.
•3. Students will appreciate the value of lifelong recreation.
•“Appreciate” is a state of mind that can’t be seen, although this
objective would work as a Global objective.
•4. Given 30 algebra problems, students will work
in pairs to solve them all.
•This is an instructional activity, not an activity that will
measure a learning outcome
•5. Students will understand how to search for
online journal articles.
•“Understand” is a state of mind
•6. Students will critique current literature.
•Unclear--What current literature?
•7. Students will be given instructions about how to write an
APA reference.
•Not a learning outcome--tells the teacher what to do.
•8. Students will be able to dribble a basketball with both
hands.
•Unclear--both hands at the same time or each hand separately?
•9. Students will analyze a list of learning objectives.
•“Analyze” is a Bloom’s category
•10. Students will write without grammatical or spelling
errors.
•Unclear--will write what? Noun phrase is omitted