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"Fake" Learning Objectives
"Fake" Learning Objectives
Sometimes learning objectives foreground topics, resources, activities, or assessments rather than the knowledge and skills students should master throughout the course. These kinds of learning objectives can cause alignment issues within a course and should be revised to focus on knowledge and skills.
Let's look at some examples adapted from Quality Matters: Fake SLO's and Upside Down Alignment Webinar hosted by Dr. Lisa Kidder & Dr. Sacha Johnson.
Objectives Written as Topics
Objectives Written as Topics
Develop an understanding of the historical roots/significance of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) including knowledge of evolving theories and trends and their ramifications.
Here we can ask what students should DO to show understanding of evolving theories and trends. Will students explain, compare and contrast, synthesize?
Develop your understanding of the ethical and legal considerations in professional and technical writing.
Once again, what will students DO to show their understanding? Will they outline, identify, or argue the ethical and legal considerations?
Objectives Written as Resources
Objectives Written as Resources
Understand how to use the library database.
What will students use library databases to DO? Will they use library databases to conduct research on a specific topic?
Synthesize and evaluate information from articles and reading.
Even though the verbs synthesis and evaluate are observable, this foregrounds the articles and readings rather than the specific content knowledge students should master.
Critically assess and make sound managerial judgments relative to a case study.
Even though the verb assess is observable, this foregrounds the case study rather than the specific content knowledge students should master.
Objectives Written as Activities
Objectives Written as Activities
Read an informal oral-motor evaluation.
Are we teaching students to read? Or is there a specific disciplinary skill or knowledge they should attain from the reading?
Locate assessment information using the ASHA Practice Portal.
Once again, is the purpose to teach students how to locate information or should they master a specific skill through the exploration of the ASHA Practice Portal?
Objectives Written as Assessments
Objectives Written as Assessments
- Submit a lesson plan based on your investigation of a treatment approach using resources.
There are specific disciplinary skills necessary to create a lesson plan. Listing specific skills such as "scaffolding learning activities" better indicates how to achieve mastery through the creation of a lesson plan.
There are specific disciplinary skills necessary to create a lesson plan. Listing specific skills such as "scaffolding learning activities" better indicates how to achieve mastery through the creation of a lesson plan.
- Turn in a boundary survey map from given topographic features.
What do students need to DO regarding topographic features in order to successfully create a boundary survey map?
What do students need to DO regarding topographic features in order to successfully create a boundary survey map?
Check Point
Check Point
Now that we have explored examples of "fake" learning objectives, review the objectives in your course map to identify any potential fake learning objectives that may need to be revised. Revise by identifying the specific knowledge and skills students need to master and foreground those in the learning objectives.
Upside Down Alignment
Upside Down Alignment
"Upside down alignment" occurs when the actions of the module level learning objectives are of a higher cognitive domain than the course level learning objectives.
Bloom's Taxonomy can be used to ensure that the action of the course level learning objectives are at a higher cognitive level than the module level learning objectives.
In this example to the right, an instructor would need to scaffold student learning by first supporting their ability to remember, understand, and apply before they could reach a point where they are able to analyze.
Let's look at an example.
Sample Course level learning objective:
Analyze a variety of workplace technologies for best fit.
In order to support students in meeting that course level learning objective, they might first have to be able to:
Sample Module level learning objective:
Apply current technologies to a work-related problem.
If the module level learning objective asked students to create or evaluate, which are of higher cognitive level than the verb analyze, then that would indicate upside-down alignment .
To ensure appropriate alignment between CLOs and MLOs , ask the following two questions:
To ensure appropriate alignment between CLOs and MLOs , ask the following two questions:
Is the action of the CLO higher or deeper than the MLO?
Does the CLO need to be at a higher level?
Use the Bloom's Taxonomy Handout below to assess.
Blooms Taxonomy - measureable verbs.pdfCheck Point
Check Point
Please review the objectives in your course map to identify any potential upside-down alignment that may need to be revised. Revise by using the Bloom's Taxonomy resource above to ensure module level verbs are of a lower cognitive level than the course level verbs.
Submit Course Map for Review
Submit Course Map for Review
At this point, you have filled in your course map with course level and well-aligned module level learning objectives. To complete this short course, submit this course map for review by clicking the button below and by sharing the course map link or attaching the course map.
Once the course map has been reviewed, and any necessary revisions made, go ahead and fill in the rest of the course map with learning activities and assessments that align to the learning objectives outlined in the map. The complete course map should be included as a menu item in your course menu or attached to the syllabus in Blackboard.
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