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What is an instructional objective? Mager (1997) state that
an instructional objective is "a collection of words and/or
pictures and diagrams intended to let others know what you
intend for your students to achieve" (p. 3). In order to
have a better understanding of how to write an instruction
objective, The following areas all need to be studied:
Domains of learning, Bloom's of taxonomy, and four
fundamentals of how to write an objective.
Domains of
Learning
When writing instructional objectives,
there are certain things you must know about your
instructional goal. One is what type of learning the student
will be engaged in while working towards the goal.
The domains of learning are a guide
that will help you identify the type of learning a certain
goal requires and how to write objectives to go with it. By
understanding what type of learning needs to take place, you
can write objectives that will clearly outline what steps
your learner will need to follow to reach the instructional
goal. There are three different categories of the domains of
learning.
Cognitive Learning Domain:
emphasizes the remembering and or reproducing of something
that has presumably been learned. It also involves solving
some intellectual task for which the individual has to
determine the essential problem and then reorder given
material or combine it with ideas, methods, or procedures
previously learned. Cognitive objectives vary from simple
recall of material learned to highly original and creative
ways of combining and synthesizing new ideas and materials.
In short, cognitive objectives deal with what a student
should know, understand, or comprehend.
Affective Learning Domain:
emphasize a feeling, emotion, or a degree of acceptance or
rejection. Affective objectives vary from simple attention
to a selected phenomenon, to complex but internally
consistent qualities of character and conscience. In other
words, affective objectives deal with how a student should
feel about something.
Psychomotor Learning Domain:
emphasizes motor skills, or manipulation of materials and
objects, or action, which requires neuromuscular
coordination. Stated in another way, psychomotor objectives
are concerned with how a student controls or moves his body.
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Bloom's Taxonomy
Bloom's Taxonomy is a way to organize
objectives or ideas according to their natural relationships
to one another. B.S. Bloom developed a taxonomy for
intellectual behavior dividing it into six stages. Each
level involves progressively more complex cognitive
functioning from the simple recall or recognition of facts,
as the lowest level, through increasingly more complex and
abstract mental levels, to the highest order, which is
classified as evaluation.
The staircase model illustrates the six
stages of Bloom's Taxonomy (Bloom, et al., 1956)
Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
Knowledge: To memorize information
The most significant thing about the
first step in Bloomís taxonomy is that no real understanding
needs to take place. The learner simply memorizes and
recalls information. In a test situation it is sometimes
necessary to reorganize the problem to produce the clues
that will bring out the appropriate information from the
learner.
An example of Knowledge: A student will
stand and recite the Gettysburg Address.
Verb examples that represent
intellectual activity on Knowledge: arrange, define,
duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize,
relate, recall, repeat, reproduce, and state.
Comprehension: To draw conclusions based on information
When we comprehend a message or idea,
we come to understand it in terms of what we already know.
We receive clues, then change the information so it means
something to us. More than memorization occurs. Conclusions
about the information are drawn. The process is still,
however, very simple.
An example of Comprehension: A
student will translate three sentences from English to
German.
Verb examples that represent
intellectual activity on Comprehension: classify, describe,
discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate,
recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate.
Application - to choose
proper information that is provided to solve a problem.
The main difference between
Comprehension and Application is the lack of informational
clues at the Application level. The key element is choice.
The learner must choose from among a number of possible
ideas, methods, or procedures in an attempt to solve a
problem. Students ìapplyî the information they have already
learned to solve a new problem without any additional
informational clues
An example of Application:
After looking at a road map of Iowa, the student will choose
the best possible route from Sioux City to Keokuk.
Verb examples that represent
intellectual activity on Application: apply, choose,
demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret,
operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, and write.
Analysis - to explain
relationships and break down complex ideas.
The key concept in the Analysis stage
is awareness. The learner becomes aware of the relationship
between facts, ideas, and solutions, whereas at the
Comprehension and Application stages, the relationship is
already spelled out for the student. The learner must
explain the relationship, and distinguish between relevant
and irrelevant material, or which information may have more
impact on a projected outcome.
An example of Analysis: After
studying three hypotheses, the student will list the
commonalties and differences of each hypothesis.
Verb examples that represent
intellectual activity on Analysis: analyze, appraise,
calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize,
differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine,
experiment, question, and test.
Synthesis - to combine
things to make something new
Original thinking is required at the
Synthesis level. The learner must operate like a master chef
and create a new recipe. Different elements are combined in
unique ways to establish a concept, plan, communication, or
structure that was not there before.
An example of Synthesis:
Using five different references, a student will write a
research paper on a specific topic.
Verb examples that represent
intellectual activity on Synthesis: arrange, assemble,
collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop,
formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, set up,
write.
Evaluation - to develop
a value system based upon analysis of information
At the Evaluation level information
is gathered from ideas, theories, facts, and solutions, and
then sorted out and put to use according to the value it has
to the individual. Intellectual functioning at this level is
meant to expand the base upon which people make judgments by
developing criteria, and establishing and maintaining a
system of values.
An example of Evaluation:
The student will develop a set of criteria, and review and
evaluate the written materials based on these standards.
Verb examples that represent
intellectual activity on Evaluation: appraise, argue,
assess, attach, choose compare, defend estimate, judge,
predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate.
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How to Write an Instructional Objectives
The first question we might
ask ourselves is "What is an objective?" An objective is a
description of what the learner will be able to do after
successfully completing the learning experience. When we
write objectives, we must ask ourselves what we want the
learner to be able to accomplish after we put them through a
lesson or training component.
Instructional objectives are
important because without them it is impossible to
effectively evaluate learning. It is also difficult to
select content, appropriate course materials, or specific
teaching strategies.
Tests can lose their
relevancy or fairness unless specific objectives are clear
to both the student and the teacher. If teachers do not have
a clear idea of the intent of the lesson, they will not be
able to select test items that clearly reflect the students
ability to perform the intended skills. Also, if students
are aware of a clearly defined objective, they have the
tools with which to evaluate their own progress. This way
learners can tell if they are on target.
Four Fundamentals of Good
Objectives
When trying to write good
objectives, just ask yourself the following:
|
Audience |
Does the statement clearly define who the learner
is? Since the purpose of an objective is to define
the outcome of a learning experience, it is
important to specifically define who the learner is.
For example: After completing this tutorial
ITMA students will be able to list the three
domains of learning. |
|
Behavior |
Does the statement clearly define what the
learner will be doing after completing the
learning sequence? The behavior component of the
objective emphasizes the observable behavior that
will occur after the learner completes the
instruction. This will identify the type of
performance that will be used as evidence to show
that the learner has reached the objective. While
writing this component it is important that to
clearly and specifically state what it is you want
the learner to be able to demonstrate at the
completion point. For Example: Given a map of
United States, students will label the state
capitals with 100% accuracy. |
|
Condition |
Does the statement clearly describe the condition
under which the learner is expected to perform? When
stating objectives it is important that you include
the condition in which performance is to be
observed. Condition is the setting or circumstance
the learner will be in at the time of assessment.
For Example: Given speed and distance, the
student will calculate the time needed to reach
Boston correctly. |
|
Degree |
Does the statement set the degree or standard
of acceptable performance? The final criterion of a
well stated objective is the standard by which
acceptable performance is measured. The clarity and
communication of the objective is enhanced greatly
by specifying how well (to what degree) the learner
will be able to perform. By specifying at least the
minimum acceptable performance, a standard will be
developed by which to judge the instructional
program. For example: The students will solve 10
algebraic equations in 10 minutes without a
calculator. |
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Reference
Bloom, B. S. (1984) Taxonomy of
educational objectives. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Bloom, B. S. , et
al (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: the
classification of educational goals. A committee of college
and university examiners. New York : McKay.
Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J., Smaldino, S. (2001).
Instructional Media and Technologies for Learning, 7th
Edition. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Mager, R. F. (1997). Preparing
instructional objectives: A critical tool in the development
of effective instruction (3 ed.). Atlanta, GA: The Center
for Effective Performance.
Shambaugh, N., & Magliaro, S. G.
(2006). Instructional design: A systematic approach for
reflective practice. In. Boston: Pearson Education.
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