Writing Instructional Objectives

Writing Instructional Objectives Instructional objectives are statements of educational expectations for students. Research has NOT demonstrated a strong link between writing objectives and student achievement

Writing Instructional Objectives Nevertheless, it is still considered good educational practice to have written objectives in order to facilitate communication to students about expected outcomes.

Writing Instructional Objectives There are a number of approaches to writing instructional objectives: • Mager -- Behavioral objectives

Writing Instructional Objectives Mager proposes writing specific statements about observable outcomes that can be built up to become a curriculum (an inductive approach). • An example of a behavioral objective: Given 3 minutes of class time, the student will solve 9 out of 10 multiplication problems of the type: 5 X 4 = _____.

Writing Instructional Objectives There are a number of approaches to writing instructional objectives: • Mager -- Behavioral objectives • Gronlund -- General/specific objectives

Writing Instructional Objectives Gronlund proposes starting with a general statement and providing specific examples of topics to be covered or behaviors to be observed (a deductive approach).

Writing Instructional Objectives • An example of a general/specific objective: The student can perform simple multiplication: a. can define what multiplication means, in his our her own words. b. can define relevant terms such as "multiplier" and "product”. c. can solve problems of the type 5 X 4 = ______.

Writing Instructional Objectives There are a number of approaches to writing instructional objectives: • Mager -- Behavioral objectives • Gronlund -- General/specific objectives • Eisner -- Expressive objectives

Writing Instructional Objectives Eisner proposes that not all instructional objectives should focus on outcome; some should focus on the learning process itself (expressive objectives). • Examples of an expressive objective: a. Students will attend a live symphony performance. b. Students will use multiplication in everyday activities.

Writing Instructional Objectives While there are advantages and disadvantages to each approach, we will focus on Mager's approach, because it is the most widely used and perhaps the most inclusive.

Writing Behavioral Objectives An instructional objective is a clear and unambiguous description of educational expectations for students. When written in behavioral terms, an objective will include three components: • student behavior, • conditions of performance, and • performance criteria.

Writing Behavioral Objectives Three Parts of a Behavioral Objective skill or knowledge to be gained (e.g., two digit numbers, vocabulary words) Student Behavior

Writing Behavioral Objectives Three Parts of a Behavioral Objective Student Behavior and

Writing Behavioral Objectives Three Parts of a Behavioral Objective the action or skill the student is able TO DO (e.g., define, count, label, categorize, analyze, design, evaluate, add, multiply, etc.) Student Behavior

Writing Behavioral Objectives Three Parts of a Behavioral Objective • Students will add two-digit numbers Student Behavior • Students will define the vocabulary words identified in bold print in the first story.

Writing Behavioral Objectives Three Parts of a Behavioral Objective Under what circumstances or context will the behavior be performed Conditions of Performance

Writing Behavioral Objectives Three Parts of a Behavioral Objective • In an oral presentation Conditions of Performance • Without the use of notes

Writing Behavioral Objectives Three Parts of a Behavioral Objective How well is the behavior to done Performance Criteria Compared to what standard

Writing Behavioral Objectives Three Parts of a Behavioral Objective • 80 out of 100 Performance Criteria • containing four of the six components discussed in class

Writing Behavioral Objectives Three Parts of a Behavioral Objective In an oral presentation, the student will paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther Kings's I Have a Dream address, mentioning at least 3 of the 5 major points discussed in class.

Writing Behavioral Objectives When developing the behavioral objective it is best to write the student behavior first, then the condition statement and finally the criteria. In an oral presentation, the student will paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther Kings's I Have a Dream address, mentioning at least 3 of the 5 major points discussed in class.

Writing Behavioral Objectives Write a behavioral objective for each of the following statements: • The students will grasp the significance of civic responsibility. • The student will learn the parts of speech. • The teacher will cover multiplication facts.

Writing Behavioral Objectives Are these properly written behavioral objectives? • Given ten rocks, the student will label them as igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rocks. • The student will located 12 major bones on the diagram of a skeleton.

Writing Behavioral Objectives Are these properly written behavioral objectives? • Given five sentences, the student will correctly classify four of them. • Given three 7-word sentences, the student will correctly identify the parts of speech for 18 of the words.

Is this correct? Using 18”x24” watercolor paper and acrylic paint, create three paintings that express the Mood of your favorite music using warm and cool colors.

Instructional Objectives ... Write a behavioral objective for each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain according to the standards set forth by Mager. Developed by W. Huitt (1998)

Writing Instructional Objectives