Writing SMMART Objectives for Florida Extension Programs

1. Writing SMMART Objectives for Florida Extension Programs

2. Objectives are NOT Goals. Goals are… • Derive from needs assessment • Broad, relatively brief statements of intent • Provide focus and vision for planning • Represent the reason for the program • Guide educational objectives • Do not have to be measureable

3. Objectives on the other hand… • Objectives are NOT goals. Goals are broad, objectives are specific. • An objective is a statement which specifies, in measurable terms, the changes we expect in our targeted audience that result from our Extension programs. • Objectives provide a specific roadmap of where we hope to go that others can follow.

4. Levels of Objectives • Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills & Aspirations (Behavioral intentions) • Behavioral or Practice Change • Social, Economic & Environmental Conditions

5. Questions About Objectives • Are they realistic with the limitations of audience capacity, instructional expertise, and the diffusion of change? • Are they feasible within the limitations of time, budget, and other resources? • Are they consistent with the values of Extension and the community, and with our legal responsibilities?

6. Writing Useful Objectives • Use strong verbs • State only one purpose or aim • Specify a single end-product or result • Specify a time frame for achieving results

7. Elements of SMMART Objectives • Specific- tells what change is going to occur. Has a clear focus • Meaningful – relates to identified needs • Measurable- definite means to measure to see if change occurred. Can observe it empirically • Assigned to a specific target audience • Realistic- can be accomplished • Timed- specific time to be achieved by

8. Strong: to increase to adopt to describe to demonstrate Weak to promote to encourage to understand to become aware Strong & Weak Verbs for Objectives

9. Building Your Objectives • Who will change? Assigned • What specific change will take place as a result of your program? Specific target • When will the change take place? Timed • How will you know the change has taken place? Measurable. What standard or method will you use to know that the condition has changed. Meaningful and Realistic are taken into account at every step of objectives development

10. To (increase/decrease) (what) by (% number) among (whom) by (when) as measured by (how do you know). Note: Under certain extreme conditions, in the short-term, you may want to maintain (not increase/decrease) a problem at a certain level that has been steadily getting worse.

11. Critique the Objectives • Increase older adults knowledge of and participation in educational and behavioral activities recognized as leading to healthy aging • To provide effective educational programs to Florida's citizens and consumers at various levels, leading to improved food handling practices, and consequently, to a safer food supply • To provide information concerning sustainable commercial production practices that will be cost-effective, including practices such as fertilization, crop protection, and rotational crops. It is anticipated that 40% of the growers will adopt such practices within the next four years

12. Sources: • Author: Glenn D. Israel, Professor, Agricultural Education and Communication Department, University of Florida • Adapted from EDIS publication: Guion, L. A., Baugh, E., & Marcus, J. 2007. “Writing SMMART Objectives." Gainesville, FL: UF/IFAS Extension –Family, Youth, and Community Sciences. 4 pp. FCS 6016. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY824.