1. Introduction
Effective, efficient and engaging instruction begins with having clear instructional goals and
measurable short-term learning objectives and provides both instructors and students with a focus
for learning. Having clear goals and objective can help instructors select appropriate
materials, strategies, and evaluation techniques for effective teaching, assessment
and evaluation. When students are informed of the goals and objectives, they can
become more aware, and both teaching and learning can be more effective when
goals and objectives are appropriate for the learners and stated in clear and
measurable terms.
Instructional goals and objectives have one thing in common, they focus on what the learner will do
and know upon completing the instruction. But it is important to remember that the development of
instructional goals and objectives depends on the type and purpose of the instruction that is being
created.
When it comes to instructional goals and objectives there are competing philosophies and there are
many approaches available to writing goals and objectives (too numerous to mention here). Below
is a brief discussion and a few of of the more popular approaches with links to resources you may
find useful.
Learning objectives (often called performance objectives or competencies) are brief, clear, specific
statements of what learners will be able to perform at the conclusion of instructional
activities. Course goals are broad statements reflecting general course goals and outcomes. while
learning objectives are targeted statements about expected student performance. Generally,
learning objectives are competency-based as they designate exactly what students need to do to
demonstrate mastery of course material. With this in mind, learning objectives are always stated in
terms of student outcomes and thus the purpose of learning objectives is to:
 Facilitate overall course development by encouraging goal-directed planning
 Inform students of the standards and expectations of the course
 Provide information for the development of assessments by identifying the types of
evidence that students need to produce to demonstrate understanding
 Clarify the intent of instruction and guide the formation of instructional activities (textbook
selection, teaching resources, instructional methods, etc)
 Provide a framework for evaluating student understanding and progress
 Serve as an implicit contract between instructor and students setting up a basis for
accountability
 Drive curriculum planning (such as the development or revision of courses)
 Create a framework for evaluating overall effectiveness of an educational program
 Provide evidence of student learning to be utilized for accreditation
Understanding Goals & Objectives
According to Brown & Green (2006), an instructional goal can be a general statement about the
intentional of instruction, and an instructional objective is usually more specific about how and to
what degree the instruction will affect the learner. It is often useful to have both
overarching instructional goals and specific learning objectives, but at least having
one or the other can help focus instructional development and improve the
resulting instructional product. It is important to keep in mind that learners
appreciate a clear initial understanding of expectations for a course, knowing what
they will learn, and what is expected of them. This can also help you effectively
market courses and modules.
At its core, there is a basic 4-step process for deriving learning objectives (Morrison, Ross & Kemp,
2004):
1. Review the task analysis and/or identify the essential knowledge, skills, tasks, procedures,
and attitudes the learner must do, know, or master.
2. Group and order the task analysis in clusters with the goals or needs you have identified.
3. Write objective(s) based on the goals and needs.
4. Write objectives for any additional information that is essential and that is not already
addressed.

2. Example of Instructional Goals and Objectives (Adapted from Brown & Green
2006):
Instructional Goal: Students will recognize and value the behaviors of a healthy lifestyle.
Objective 1: Students will describe the differences between complex and simple
carbohydrates.
Objective 2: Students will predict the consequences of including too many simple
carbohydrates in their diet.
Objective 3: Students will create an appropriate exercise plan for themselves on the basis of
established requirements.
Objective 4: Students will produce a personal daily schedule that includes sufficient time for
rest and recreation.
Notice that all of the objective statements include active verbs (i.e., describe, predict, create,
produce). For additional resources on wording learning objectives with active verbs see the
following list of resources:
 List of Active Verbs for Writing Measurable Learning Objectives
Tips for Improving Learning Objectives
 Learning objectives have two parts: an action verb and a content area. Utilize the action
verb to specify the desired student performance followed by a specific description of the
course-specific content target.
 Keep statements short and focused on a single outcome. This allows instructors to
determine whether or not an objective has been met without having to distinguish between
partial completion or success.
 To ensure that learning objectives are effective and measurable, avoid using verbs that are
vague or cannot be objectively assessed. Use active verbs that describe what a student will
be able to do once learning has occurred.
 Learning objectives should be student-focused and target the expected student outcome.
To assist in maintaining a student-centered emphasis, start learning objectives with the
phrase "The learner/student will be able to. . ."
 Learning objectives should be SMART (specific, measurable, acceptable to the instructor,
realistic to achieve, and time-bound with a deadline).
 Include complex or higher-order learning objectives when they are appropriate. Most
instructors expect students to go beyond memorization of facts and terminology; learning
objectives should reflect instructors' expectations for student performance.
Instructors can utilize learning objectives as a basis for course preparation. Learning objectives
should match instructional strategies and assessment requirements so to ensure the connection
between various course activities, it is useful to construct a table highlighting the relationship. For
example:
Learning Objective Proposed
Instructional
Activities
Assessment
Students will be able to
differentiate
between methods of Life
Cycle Assessment
Lecture, then group
discussion activity
Exam #1, Assessment
Portfolio, Mastery
Questions
Popular Approaches

3. 1. Bloom's Taxonomy
Arguably one of the most popular frameworks for writing learning objectives Bloom's Taxonomy of
Educational Objectives (for Higher Order Thinking Skills). The figure below shows the ubiquitous
pyramid of higher order thinking skills. The different levels of thinking provide a useful framework
for "getting at" different type of thinking. Each level is not inherently better than another, they are
just different, and represent different types of learning, skills, knowledge and abilities. The best
instructional objectives and resulting learning activities will have a mix of Bloom's types, and will be
sure to match the student assessment with the types of instruction and learning activities. However,
the most important thing to remember is that the development of instructional goals and
objectives depends on the type and purpose of the instruction that is being created,
and the learning environment or context will shape the types of learning activities
as well.
(click image above for larger view or to print)
2. Mager's Approach: Actions, Conditions and Criterion
A well-written objective statement provides a clear picture of the outcome or
performance you expect as a result of the lesson. It should be specific, concise,
and, most importantly, observable or measurable.
Mager's (1997) approach to writing performance objectives. His approach contains
three components: behavior, conditions, and criteria. The following table shows
how these parts interact.
Objective Component Description
Behavior What students will be able to do
Conditions How they will be able to do it
Criterion Specify how well the learner must
perform the action

Examples:
 Given four works of short fiction of contrasting genres, the student will analyze and match
each work with its correct genre.
 Using the washingtonpost.com Web site, the student will correctly identify and print out two
examples each of a news article and an editorial regarding a topical new item.
 Given twenty examples of incorrect verb tense usage, the student will identify and correct a
minimum of sixteen instances.

4. When writing objective statements, ask yourself these questions:
 Does the objective focus on student performance?
 Is the task measurable or observable?
 What criteria will I use to establish that the objective has been reached?
Notes:
 Avoid words like understand, learn, and know. They are not measurable because there is
no product involved.
 Sometimes the degree of accuracy is implied by words such as correctly and successfully.
 Not all lessons result in a tangible product. Therefore, when students verbally demonstrate
their learning, the measurable action involves telling, explaining, or discussing.
(Adapted from: A Clear Guide to Writing Objective Statements, Copyright © The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.)
Helpful Review Checklist:
_____ Does the learning objective stem from a course goal?
_____ Is the learning objective measurable?
_____ Does the learning objective target one specific aspect of expected
performance?
_____ Is the learning objective student-centered?
_____ Does the learning objective utilize an effective, action verb that targets the
desired level of performance?
_____ Do learning objectives measure a range of educational outcomes?
_____ Does the learning objective match instructional activities and assessments?
_____ Does the learning objective specify appropriate conditions for performance?
_____ Is the learning objective written in terms of observable, behavioral
outcomes?