• Clearest way to communicate expectations to students
• Well-written goals and objectives inform students on what is to be learned, and how assessment will occur
• Helps organize your lecture, lab exercise, or discussion group
• They create your evaluation (assignment, quiz, practical, or exam questions) and grading guides
  

• Goals are broad, generalized statements about what is to be learned. Think of them as a target to be reached, or “hit.” Example: Students will be able to apply proper grammar to composition papers.
•   …… loosely define what is to be learned, but are too broad and “fuzzy” for designing instruction.
•  More specific statements of what the learner must “do” are needed.
•  That’s where objectives come in
• What concepts/procedures are critical to your subject area/course?
• What do you want your students to come away from your class being able to do; apply, etc. (learning outcomes)?

Objectives

•  Instructional objectives are specific, measurable, short-term, observable student behaviors.
• Objectives lead to good assessment.
•  Objectives are the tools that help your students reach your goals.
•  Faculties have different teaching styles, and will have different ways of describing their course objectives.
•  You can frame your objectives in many ways.
•  The most important outcome is that students understand how to successfully reach your course goals.
•  Types

•  Psychomotor - Physical skills
•  Cognitive - Thinking skills
•  Affective - Belief, behavior

•  Objectives should target four areas (ABCDs for Writing Objectives):

•             Audience: At whom is the objective aimed (e.g., students)             
  
•       Behavior : What do you want your students to be able to do at the end of a lesson or unit of instruction?What is expected? What level (knowledge, comprehension, application, synthesis, evaluation) do you want your students to “work in”? What behaviors will you be assessing? Should be an overt, observable behavior.          
•       Condition: Under what circumstances is the behavior expected.
•       Degree: The acceptable performance level.