Which of the following best explains the importance of using statements of learning objectives in the assessment of students?

As a former adjunct instructor, later a training coordinator, instructional designer, and now a teaching and learning consultant, I have worked with many faculty on course design and how to articulate learning objectives. My experience has shown me that you can never emphasize enough the importance of having good learning objectives.

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Why good learning objectives are important to students
Why articulating learning objectives is important to instructors
References and Resources

Often instructors find writing learning objectives arduous. They can appear to be merely a repetition of the content that they are teaching. Good learning objectives are not simply a list of topics to be covered in a course, rather they should illustrate the skills and applicable knowledge students will master. Good learning objectives benefit both students and instructors. In my experience, instructors who adopt learning objectives begin to write them for the entire course, individual units, and even for each lecture.

Why good learning objectives are important to students

Learning objectives communicate specifically what students should be able to do.

For instance*, students in an entry-level language class can have clear ideas of what they will get out of the class, if they read course learning objectives like these:

By the end of the course, with reasonable effort, you will be able to:

comprehend simple conversations and stories on everyday topics
write simple texts such as descriptions, narrations, letters
use appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication demonstrating proper etiquette for daily activities in a variety of cultural contexts.

Learning objectives tell students what is important.

From the above example, the students will know that focusing on daily basic conversation using proper etiquette might be more important than memorizing unconversational vocabulary.

Learning objectives should be used to guide students as they work through the course, and to assess their learning progress.

Excellent learning objectives provide a guide for students when reviewing materials and preparing for assessments. Learning objectives are the most powerful if they are actionable and measurable.

Original Objective	Specific, measurable and actionable objective
Learn how the physical and chemical attributes of the brain affect learning	Be able to list three techniques for better studying that are derived from physical and chemical attributes of the brain
Be able to write basic programs in the Python programming language	Be able to write Python programs to solve problems which require: sequential execution, repeated execution, and conditional execution
Understand and solve problems with conditional probability	Identify situations and questions in which laws of conditional probability should be used and explain the impacts
Understand the role of epidemiology in quantifying the health effects of environmental hazards	Define the concept of epidemiology and its role in determining the health effects of environmental exposures

Why articulating learning objectives is important to instructors

Articulating learning objectives helps instructors select and organize course content, and determine the types of assessments and learning activities to build for a course.

Articulating learning objectives helps instructors select and organize course content.

As an instructor, when you write and review the learning objectives in a course, you can identify the kinds of materials and topics that will be suitable to the learning outcomes most efficiently. With well-defined, actionable learning objectives comes the ability to quickly filter out texts or activities that do not suit the course.

Articulating learning objectives helps instructors determine assessment creation.

Do your students complain that you are assessing things that you have not specifically taught them? Do you struggle to write a question to assess a learning objective? If so, you should think again about learning objectives or redesign your assessment because the learning objectives and the assessment are not aligned to each other. Well-written learning objectives will help you build focused assessments aligned with the critical learning components of your course.

Articulating learning objectives helps instructors practice good course design.

Articulating learning objectives can help you guide you in the design of instructional strategies and learning activities. For example including group projects in class might be driven by a learning objective like “develop leadership, communication, conflict resolution skills” or “strategize and plan how to tackle complex problems and distribute work.”

Summary

When we talk to faculty, we always remind them that learning objectives should use learner-centered language, and be both specific and measurable. Define objectives in simple, clear language, and avoid jargon or references to advanced topics beyond the scope of the course. Often we recommend that our faculty revise broad, vague objectives (“understand” or “be familiar with”) into specific objectives that articulate clear value to the students.These objectives can be clarified by asking yourselves: “What would students do differently or check if they really “understood” or “were familiar” with the course material? Great learning objectives improve teaching and learning.

[*Thanks to Coursera, Duke and DKU faculty for learning objective examples]

Interested in understanding how learning objectives fit into the course design process? Refer to our guide on planning and refining a course.

References and Resources

Learning objectives, or learning outcomes, define the goals and expectations of a lesson. Learning objectives for individual lessons connect to the broader goals of a unit or course. Not only do learning objectives help you plan your curriculum, they also let students know what they will have learned by the end of a particular lesson.

The key to writing learning objectives is to make them SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. Your assessment will tell you whether your objective was specific and measurable enough, while the lesson context dictates the objective’s attainability, relevance, and timeliness.

Group of children raising their hands to answer their teacher's question

The key is writing objectives with realistic – yet challenging – expectations. Well-written objectives are basically assessment plans, making them easy for the rest of your lesson. Check out these learning examples for elementary and secondary students that are easy to measure and observe.

After a lesson on bullying, students will be able to explain the difference between a bully and a friend by writing a short paragraph that includes a thesis statement and call to action.
Students will be able to categorize types of animals into the correct classes with a graphic organizer after reading an article on animal traits.
By working in collaborative literature groups, students will be able to form predictions about the next chapter of Anne of Green Gables using at least three pieces of textual evidence.
Students will be able to accurately describe their observations in a science journal after completing a week-long terrarium unit.
By the end of the reading lesson, students will be able to identify the rising action, climax, and falling action on a plot diagram.
Students will be able to apply their knowledge of the writing process to a peer editing session in which they provide at least five peers with valid feedback.
After a lesson on the Pythagorean Theorem, students will be able to correctly solve at least 8 out of 10 geometry problems using the theorem.
Students will be able to evaluate their classmates’ arguments in a Socratic seminar by taking Cornell notes during each discussion.
Using the Golden Gate Bridge as a model, students will be able to design their own popsicle-stick bridges that can support at least five pounds of weight.
Students will be able to accurately name the parts of a compass rose after learning a song about the cardinal directions.
After reading “The Tell-Tale Heart,” students will be able to contrast Poe’s tone with another Romantic author in a short expository paragraph.
Students will be able to diagram the life cycle of a butterfly in a graphic organizer after reading From Caterpillar to Butterfly.
After a lesson on place value, students will be able to estimate how many lemons they would need to start a lemonade stand during a class discussion.
Based on their independent reading books, students will be able to recommend their book to another class member with a one-paragraph book review.
Students will be able to differentiate between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks by choosing the correct rock at least five times during partner work.
After learning about the American election process, students will be able to justify why they would make a great president by writing a campaign jingle.
Students will be able to compare and contrast the outcomes of World War I and World War II by creating timelines of significant events that occurred immediately after each conflict.
Based on their knowledge of long division, students will be able to interpret 10 word problems by expressing them in equation form.
Students will be able to summarize the events of their day in a personal journal after a lesson on reflective writing.
After a lesson on civil disobedience, students will be able to defend the actions of a civil rights leader in a formal class debate.

These objectives are designed for the cognitive domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy. There are additional skills to assess in the psychomotor and affective domains which are typically reserved for younger classes or students with special needs.

A learning objective is one of the most important parts of a complete lesson plan. Most learning objectives start with a variation of SWBAT (Students Will Be Able To...), followed by clear and measurable language. A well-written objective should paint a vivid picture of what an observer would see in your classroom.

High-quality learning objectives include four elements. These objectives are the basis of the rest of your lesson plan, including the lesson context, procedures, and assessments.

How will this lesson enhance a student’s education? Using strong, specific verbs, you’ll explain what skills your students will be able to exhibit and what level of knowledge they will attain. Note that action words like “write,” “draw,” or “present” are not the skills you are assessing.

Example: Students will be able to identify triangles.

If someone were to walk into your classroom, how could they tell that students are learning? Use specific actions here, such as “write an introductory paragraph,” that are different from the skills you are assessing.

Example: Students will be able to identify triangles by choosing paper triangles out of a selection of other 2D shapes.

What will your lesson provide that students can build from? In other words, you should describe the context in which students will be able to demonstrate what they have learned.

Example: After a lesson on the characteristics of triangles, students will be able to identify triangles by choosing paper triangles out of a selection of other 2D shapes.

How will you know that a student has met their objective? Include specific criteria that will indicate how well a student has grasped a skill or concept.

Example: After a lesson on the characteristics of triangles, students will be able to identify triangles by correctly choosing paper triangles out of a selection of other 2D shapes at least 8 out of 10 times.

The biggest mistake teachers make when writing learning objectives is using generic verbs that cannot be observed or measured. Writing objectives without including a visible product is also an avoidable error. Here are some examples of incomplete or poorly written objectives that do not follow the SMART model.

By the end of the lesson, students will understand the significance of World War II.

Mistake: “Understand” is not a measurable verb. There’s no way for students to demonstrate their understanding of whether World War II was significant.

Students will be able to write a full-length research paper and present their findings by the end of the class period.

Mistake: This is not an attainable goal for one class period. The teacher needs to adjust the time or their expectations.

Kindergartners will be able to recall parts of the story, write a summary of what happened, and predict what will happen next.

Mistake: This objective lists three distinct skills. Each lesson should only have one or two objectives, and one skill per objective.

In writing your own learning objectives, keep some of these key pointers in mind:

Trade generic verbs for strong academic skills. If the word “understand” is in your objective, replace it.
Remember that if your students have obtained or deepened one skill by the end of your lesson, it’s been successful.
Write your lesson assessment immediately after your objective, and use the same wording. Your assessment will tell you whether the expectations in your objective were met.
Find your verb in Bloom’s Taxonomy. If it’s not there, change your objective. If it is there, see if you can move it up one level of complexity.
“Completing a worksheet” is an assessment, not an objective. Think about what skills your students are demonstrating as they complete the worksheet.
Keep it simple. Not every objective needs to be complex; your lesson may even be better if it’s straightforward for students.
Share learning objectives with your class in an “I Will Be Able To...” format. Participating in their own learning is an important skill itself!

Learning objectives for teachers seem tricky, but if they’re done well, they can help you create a strong lesson plan. Check out these tips on writing lesson plans or match your assessment section to the appropriate rubric type. And remember: no matter how solid your lesson plan is, there’s no substitute for quality instruction.

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