A Guide to Writing Learning Objectives
Clearly defining learning objectives or outcomes is one of the early steps in designing instructional products and forms the nucleus upon which the rest of the instructional agenda is built. An objective is a statement which specifies in measurable terms what a learner will be able to accomplish as a result of instruction. It is a description of an acceptable level of performance learners must exhibit at the end of an instructional event.
Why Objectives?
Learning objectives help clarify the instructional intent of a course and are beneficial to all stakeholders involved, especially the course designer as well as the learner.
For the course designer, clearly defining objectives upfront can help influence the:
Course planning process.
Selection of the media and instructional strategies.
Selection of what content to include and the design and organization of instructional materials.
Design of evaluation strategies to measure the effectiveness of the course and the degree to which a learner has acquired the desired knowledge and performance.
Frequently, you hear the merits of a media (e.g., Internet based, Video-conference) being discussed even before analyzing the audience and objectives. Just as a builder does not select materials for construction until blueprints (objectives) are drawn, similarly an instructional designer needs to have clearly defined objectives before selecting the media, content and instructional strategies.
For the learner, the objectives you define can help:
Communicate the intent of the course or module, thereby dispelling any unrealistic expectations.
Motivate by clarifying “what’s in it for them”.
Provide a frame of reference to measure personal progress within a course so as to organize efforts towards meeting objectives.
Identify problem areas which may require further review or remedial work.
For the learning program and hosting institution, it provides a basis for evaluation.The purpose of objectives is not to restrict spontaneity, but to provide a clear focus and direction to both designers and learners so that the learning experience can be designed pedagogically and measured objectively
Goals vs. Objectives
The difference between goals and objectives is that goals are broad, generalized statements of instructional intent, while objectives are specific, measurable outcomes that help a learner achieve the goals. For example:
Goal The overall goal of this module is to help participants understand how environmental assessments can ensure sustainable development outcomes.
Objectives: Evaluate the trade-offs between the three environmental categories to ensure fair screening of different projects.
Identify through field-based examination the precise range of environment impacts and estimate their relative importance.
Given project data, prepare an Environmental Management plan based on guidelines provided to mitigate adverse environmental impacts.
Typically, goals are written using amorphous terms such as: understand, appreciate, know, learn, become aware of, which may not be directly measurable. As illustrated in the above example, goals are useful as organizing principles of instructional direction for writing objectives. A single goal may hve several subordinate learning objectives.
