Domains of Learning, Learned Capability Verbs, and the A-B-C-Ds of Writing Performance Objectives

1. Domains of Learning,Learned Capability Verbs,andthe A-B-C-Ds of Writing Performance Objectives Lloyd Rieber Gregory Clinton University of Georgia

2. Assembling Performance Objectives: A Tried-And-True Recipe Let’s begin with three of Lloyd’s “refrigerator slides.” These should be quite familiar to you now: (Note: I have added some clarifying details to Lloyd’s version of the Learned Capability Verbs slide.)

3. Verbal Information Verbatim learning Non-verbatim learning Substance learning Intellectual Skills Problem-solving Rule-using Defined concepts Concrete concepts Discriminations Cognitive strategies Affective Psychomotor Learning Outcomes: Gagne’s Domains of Learning Learning Hierarchy

4. (Cognitive Strategy) Problem-solving Rule-using Concepts (defined) Concepts (concrete) Discriminations Verbal information Affective Psychomotor (Originate) Generate Demonstrate, predict Classify, identify Classify, identify Discriminate State, list, recite, summarize Choose (to) Execute A good way to start identifying goals is with:“The learner will be able to (LWBAT)generate/demonstrate/classify/identify…” Clearly identifying learning outcomes(“Learned Capability Verbs”) Domains of Learning Standard “Learned Capability Verbs” Courses and Units IntellectualSkills LEARNING HIERARCHY (Instructional designis best suited for these.)

5. Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe

6. Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Now, referring back to the last three slides, let’s break down the meaning of Lloyd’s little jingle, starting with the “Audience”:

7. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Just like in baseball … Someone has to BAT! In the “sport” of writing Performance Objectives, “TO JUST ‘KNOW’ IS A NO-NO, TO ‘UNDERSTAND’ IS TOO BLAND, TO ‘DO’ IS NOTHING NEW, BUT TO ‘BAT’ IS WHERE IT’S AT!!” (It’s better to Be Able To do something, now and later, than to just know about it, or just to barely do it once by the time a lesson is finished!) So … Who will BeAbleTo…?

8. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe SWBAT (Students Will Be Able To …) SWBAT LWBAT (whoever)WBAT Learners Middle school math teachers Students OR Mixing machine operators Trainees Sales managers Fifth grade students

9. Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Ok, that was the Audience. Now for the Behavior …

10. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Behavior SWBAT etc. • Remember … • In Instructional Design an objective is a Performance objective. • Even if your instructional goal is about a “topic” rather than a “task,” you still need for learners to perform some observable behavior that shows they learned what you are trying to teach them! • (This can even take the form of a multiple choice quiz, for example, if you don’t have any better alternatives.)

11. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Behavior SWBAT etc. • And … • For the “Behavior” part of the objective, there is a vital piece included with it: the “Learned Capability Verb.” • Dr. Rieber’s rhyme mentions Learned Capability Verb at the end of the rhyme, but the intent is to remind you to include it with the Behavior.

12. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Behavior SWBAT etc. • And furthermore … • Learned Capability Verbs have agreed-upon meanings in ID. • So, decide which one is right for each objective (according to the Domains of Learning) … • and use them! • Follow each Learned Capability verb with an ACTION and the resulting product or performance created by that action (the OBJECT). Taken together, that’s the BEHAVIOR! • Thus …

13. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Behavior SWBAT etc. generate, by taking a certain ACTION, a specific PRODUCT or PERFORMANCE (at the problem-solving level of intellectual skills) demonstrate, by taking a certain ACTION, a specific PRODUCT or PERFORMANCE (at the rule-using level of intellectual skills) identify, by taking a certain ACTION (e.g., by pointing), a specific set of items(at the concepts level of intellectual skills) etc. SWBAT identify, by circling, all the polygons. Example:

14. Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Ok, we’ve done the Audience and the Behavior. Now for the Condition …

15. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Condition Behavior SWBAT etc. generate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance (at the problem-solving level of intellectual skills) demonstrate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance(at the rule-using level of intellectual skills) identify, by taking a certain action, a specific set of items(at the concepts level of intellectual skills) etc. Under what conditions do you want learners to perform this show-you-that-they’ve-learned-it behavior? What materials will be available to them as they perform this task? Usually, the Condition part of the objective goes at the beginning.

16. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Condition Behavior SWBAT etc. generate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance (at the problem-solving level of intellectual skills) demonstrate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance(at the rule-using level of intellectual skills) identify, by taking a certain action, a specific set of items(at the concepts level of intellectual skills) etc. Given (the necessary materials),

17. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Condition Behavior SWBAT etc. generate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance (at the problem-solving level of intellectual skills) demonstrate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance(at the rule-using level of intellectual skills) identify, by taking a certain action, a specific set of items(at the concepts level of intellectual skills) etc. Given (the necessary materials),

18. Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe We’ve now done the Audience, the Behavior, and the Condition. Finally, the Degree …

19. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Degree Condition Behavior SWBAT etc. generate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance (at the problem-solving level of intellectual skills) demonstrate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance(at the rule-using level of intellectual skills) identify, by taking a certain action, a specific set of items(at the concepts level of intellectual skills) etc. Given (the necessary materials), Is there a certain level of performance your learners need to achieve? (To complete at least a certain number of items, or respond with 80% accuracy, etc.)

20. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Condition Behavior Degree (if appropriate) SWBAT etc. generate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance (at the problem-solving level of intellectual skills) demonstrate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance(at the rule-using level of intellectual skills) identify, by taking a certain action, a specific set of items(at the concepts level of intellectual skills) etc. - at a minimum of X completed items - with 80% accuracy - etc. Given (the necessary materials),

21. Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Here is the sequence again …

22. Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Condition Given (the necessary materials),

23. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Condition SWBAT etc. Given (the necessary materials),

24. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Condition Behavior SWBAT etc. generate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance (at the problem-solving level of intellectual skills) demonstrate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance(at the rule-using level of intellectual skills) identify, by taking a certain action, a specific set of items(at the concepts level of intellectual skills) etc. Given (the necessary materials),

25. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Condition Behavior Degree (if appropriate) SWBAT etc. generate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance (at the problem-solving level of intellectual skills) demonstrate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance(at the rule-using level of intellectual skills) identify, by taking a certain action, a specific set of items(at the concepts level of intellectual skills) etc. - at a minimum of X completed items - with 80% accuracy - etc. Given (the necessary materials),

26. Audience Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe Condition Behavior Degree (if appropriate) SWBAT etc. generate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance (at the problem-solving level of intellectual skills) demonstrate, by taking a certain action, a specific product or performance(at the rule-using level of intellectual skills) identify, by taking a certain action, a specific set of items(at the concepts level of intellectual skills) etc. - at a minimum of X completed items - with 80% accuracy - etc. Given (the necessary materials), Given pictures of 12 geometric figures, SWBAT identify, by circling, all the polygons. Example:

27. Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe The “recipe” one last time:

28. Assembling Performance Objectives:A Tried-And-True Recipe A final disclaimer: This is not the only “correct” way to write performance objectives. But it’s a MAINSTREAM approach that will serve you well. The End!