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'Could you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' `That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat. `I don't much care where--' said Alice. `Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat. `--so long as I get somewhere,' Alice added as an explanation. `Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.‘ --from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Why Should You Write Behavioral Objectives? • By knowing where you intend to go, you increase the chances of you and the learner ending up there. • They can be used as a guide relative to the planning of instruction, delivery of instruction, and evaluation of student achievement. • They help the learner focus and set priorities. • They allow for analysis in terms of the levels of teaching and learning.
Who Was Robert Mager? • Psychologist • Preparing Objectives for Programmed Instruction (1962) • Influenced school systems for decades • Continues to shape vast majority of corporate training programs today • Argued for use of specific, measurable objectives • Guide designers during course development • Aid students in learning process • Objectives can be called learning, instructional, behavioral, performance, etc.
What Was Mager’s Theory? • Learning goals of program/curriculum are first determined • Learning goals should then be broken into a subset of smaller tasks—learning objectives • Learning objectives should have 3 components
3 Components of Behavioral Objectives • Conditions • State condition under which behavior is to be completed • State what tools or assistance will be provided • Behavior (Verb) • Specific • Observable • Standard or Criteria • Desired performance level • Acceptable range
Conditions • Specify the circumstances, commands, materials, directions, etc., that the student is given to initiate the behavior • Simple, declarative statement • Example: • Upon request the student will . . . • Given (some physical object) the student will . . . • Do not include description of instruction that precedes initiation of behavior • Describe only the conditions under which the desired student behavior is to be performed
Behavior (Verb) • An action word that connotes an observable behavior or the creation of an observable product • Examples • Describe • Identify • Label • Locate • Name
Standard or Criteria • Declarative statement • Describes how well the behavior must be performed to satisfy the intent of the behavioral verb • Usually expressed in some minimum number • Examples • 80% accuracy • 4 out of 5 . . .
Example • Given a list of the first 100 numbers arranged in ascending order (conditions), the student will circle (verb) at least nine prime numbers (criteria).
Mager’s Definitions of Behavioral Objectives • “What the students should be able to do at the end of a learning period that they could not do beforehand.” (1962) • "An objective is a description of a performance you want learners to be able to exhibit before you consider them competent. An objective describes an intended result of instruction, rather than the process of instruction itself." (1975)
Some Pitfalls • False Performance – Statements that look like objectives but contain no performance or observable behavior. • Example: Understand the principles of accounting
Pitfalls (continued) • False givens – Givens that typically describe something about the instructions rather than the performance. • Example: Given a full day of instruction . . .
Pitfalls (continued) • Teaching points – Statements that describe a teaching point, a practice exercise, or some other aspect of classroom activity. • Example: Be able to pick out a topic to discuss in class.
Pitfalls (continued) • Gibberish – Leave out technical, educational jargon. • Example: Demonstrate an increased awareness of and a considerable grasp of . . .
Pitfalls (continued) • Instructor performance – Statements that describe what the instructor will do. • Example: The instructor will explain to the class . . .
Pitfalls (continued) • False criteria – Be specific and clear. • Example: . . . To the satisfaction of the observer.
Example • Given a stethoscope and normal clinical environment, the medical student will be able to diagnose a heart arrhythmia in 90% of the patients. • Conditions? • Observable behavior? • Standard?
What if Conditions & Standards are Missing? • Conditions are assumed to be normal, workplace conditions • Standards are assumed to be perfection (100%) • Must always have written indication of the behavior using measurable or observable verbs
Vague Verbs • Unacceptable • Replace with more specific verbs • Example • Vague: understand, know, or learn about • Specific: list, identify, state, describe, define, solve, compare & contrast, operate
Example: Training People in Proper Telephone Usage • Poor: • In this course you will learn how to operate the phone and properly communicate with callers. • After completing this course you will be able to: • operate your phone • know how to greet callers • understand the procedure for transferring a call
Example: Training People in Proper Telephone Usage • Good: • Given a working telephone system, you will be able to: • place a caller on hold • activate the speaker phone • play new messages on the voice mail system • list the three elements of a proper phone greeting • transfer a call to a requested extension
Example: Training People in Proper Telephone Usage • Good objectives are built around very specific tasks • Learner knows exactly what is expected • Behaviors are observable • Result • Learner expectancy is achieved • Proper evaluation can be made
Goals vs. Objectives • Goals • Broad and sometimes difficult to directly measure • Help focus on the big & important picture • Learning Objectives • Much more specific than a goal
Goals vs. Objectives • A goal is where you want to be and objectives are the steps taken to reach the goal. • Goals are the large statements of what you hope to accomplish but usually aren’t very measurable. • Measurable objectives communicate in specific and concrete terms the observable results to be attained. • Measurable means that someone can assess the extent to which the student achieved the objectives.
Effective Learning Objectives • Consistent with the goals of the curriculum • Clearly stated • Clearly measurable • Realistic and doable • Appropriate for the level of the learner/achievable • Worthwhile (Important stuff)
Common Mistake No distinction is made between what is to be accomplished (the objective) andwhat activities will take place (the strategies to reach the objective).
Tips About Word Choice • Use "doing words" • Words which describe a performance (e.g., identify) • Words that can be observed and measured • Words to avoid • Those that describe abstract states of being (e.g., know) • Words that are difficult to observe or measure
Tips About Writing • When developing (not actually writing) the objective • List the student behavior first • List the condition statement next • Finally, list the criteria • When writing the objective • Write the condition statement first • Write the student behavior next • Finally, write the criteria
ABCD of an Objective • Audience – Who?—The learner • Behavior - What is the learner doing? • Condition – Under what conditions will the performance occur? • Degree – What is the minimum acceptable level of performance?
Conclusion • Well-written learning objectives are at the heart of any lesson plan • Before you begin to write an objective, spend a little time thinking about what you are describing, and remember to make the student behavior observable.
