Objectives play a fundamental role in designing effective instruction. Objectives enable instructors to identify what students should know at the conclusion of an instructional activity, organize instructional activities and materials, select appropriate assessment methods, and create a level of accountability for student performance.
To address these aspects effectively, objectives should be written in a measurable yet flexible manner. The best objectives, especially for online courses, provide enough information to measure student outcomes while also offering instructors sufficient freedom to adjust assessment methods according to the student population and the instructor’s strengths. According to Mager (1997), instructional objectives are “a collection of words and/or pictures and diagrams intended to let others know what you intend for your students to achieve.” Essentially, they define what you consider to be satisfactory student performance.
How To Write Measurable Objectives
To craft objectives that are both clear and consistent, consider using verbs from the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. This taxonomy categorizes verbs into hierarchical levels, which helps define objectives as they align with different cognitive processes. In 2001, a revised version was drafted, which clarified verb usage and reordered the top two levels. The Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy chart, shown below, provides a small sample of the classification system:
| Remembering | Understanding | Applying | Analyzing | Evaluating | Creating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Define | Classify | Apply | Compare | Argue | Construct |
| Identify | Indicate | Examine | Contrast | Critique | Design |
| List | Match | Generalize | Differentiate | Defend | Formulate |
| State | Select | Illustrate | Discriminate | Evaluate | Hypothesize |
| Reproduce | Summarize | Record | Examine | Judge | Plan |
Build Upon Existing Objectives
When crafting objectives for a course syllabus, it’s necessary to start by reviewing the objectives for the overarching program to which the syllabus belongs. Similarly, if you’re writing objectives for a specific lesson, begin by examining the course objectives. This approach ensures that your objectives are aligned with broader educational goals and standards. If you find that some objectives do not meet the criteria of an instructional objective—meaning they lack clarity, measurability, or relevance—take the time to revise them into effective learning objectives.
Break Down Larger Objectives
Break down any existing objectives that have a large scope or require higher-order thinking skills (e.g., hypothesizing) into smaller, more manageable objectives. Breaking the objectives down helps you organize and group information for students; it also facilitates smooth content development. The following example illustrates the process of breaking down objectives:
Objective: Compare and contrast the constructivist view of education with the behaviorist view of education.
Sub-objectives:
- Define constructivism and behaviorism.
- Trace the development of constructivism and behaviorism philosophies.
- Identify key constructivist theorists and behaviorist theorists.
- Describe the constructivist and behaviorist approaches to education.
References
Mager, R. F. (1997). Preparing instructional objectives: A critical tool in the development of effective instruction. Atlanta, GA: Center for Effective Performance.
