Learning Objectives

Writing Learning Objectives

On “Backward Design”
from Grant Wiggens and Jay McTighe
Understanding by Design (1998):

Why do we describe the most effective curriculum design as “backward”? We do so because many teachers begin with textbooks, favored lessons, and time-honored activities rather than deriving those tools from target goals or standards. We are advocating the reverse:

One starts with the end—the desired results (goals or standards)—and then derives the curriculum from the evidence of learning (performances) called for by the standard and the teaching needed to equip students to perform.

For instructors, articulating the course learning objectives helps clarify expectations and guides the development of a course. The practice of referring to learning objectives while creating lectures, assignments, and assessments keeps these all of these teaching components conceptually aligned.

For students, learning objectives describe exactly what to expect from a course and provide a rationale for the work they're asked to do.

To write learning objectives that work for you, try this exercise:
Make a list of knowledge, skills, or competencies you wish students to gain from taking your course. Try to keep the ideas on your list specific, observable, and measurable as well as aligned with your department's expectations for the course. Start with a stem sentence that begins:

“At the conclusion of the course/unit/module, students should be able to...”

explain, list, describe, demonstrate, calculate, order, design, report, compare or analyze.

The outcomes you describe should be concrete and appropriate for the level of the course. A few examples are, “describe concepts of...,” “apply formulas to...,” “evaluate arguments for...” or “assess validity of experimental designs.”

» View a more extensive list of action verbs derived from Bloom's Taxonomy

Knowledge	Comprehension	Application	Analysis	Synthesis	Evaluation
Count Define Describe Draw Identify Labels List Match Name Point Quote Read Recall Recite Recognize Record Repeat Reproduces Selects State Write	Associate Compute Convert Defend Discuss Distinguish Estimate Explain Extend Extrapolate Generalize Give examples Infer Paraphrase Predict Rewrite Summarize	Add Apply Calculate Change Classify Complete Compute Demonstrate Discover Divide Examine Graph Interpolate Manipulate Modify Operate Prepare Produce Show Solve Subtract Translate Use	Analyze Arrange Breakdown Combine Design Detect Develop Diagram Differentiate Discriminate Illustrate Infer Outline Point out Relate Select Separate Subdivide Utilize	Categorize Combine Compile Compose Create Drive Design Devise Explain Generate Group Integrate Modify Order Organize Outline Plan Prescribe Propose Rearrange Reconstruct Related Reorganize Revise Rewrite Summarize Transform Specify	Appraise Assess Compare Conclude Contrast Criticize Critique Determine Grade Interpret Judge Justify Measure Rank Rate Support Test

Try using your learning objectives to guide your teaching, checking back to them continuously. As you plan and teach your course, ask yourself for each new element:

Does this course content (or activity, practice, assessment, or feedback) support one or more specific learning objective? Then reverse the question when reading through the objectives: Is this objective being supported through specific course content, etc.?

Is this objective being evaluated at the point in the course where students are expected to have achieved it? Prior to that?

Are students made aware of how each element of their coursework relates to their achievement of a course objective?

Reference

Wiggins, G., and J. McTighe. 1998. Understanding by design. Arlington, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.