Principles of Alignment based on Quality Matters’ Standards from the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric, 6th Edition.

The definition of alignment from Quality Matters (2018) states “Critical course components including learning objectives (standard 2.1 and 2.2), assessments (standard 3.1), Instructional Materials (standard 4.1), learning activities (standard 5.1) and course technology (6.1) reinforce one another to ensure that learners achieve the desired learning outcomes. When aligned, assessments, instructional materials, learning activities, and course technologies are directly tied to and support the learning objectives” (Quality Matters, 2018, p. 5). Download the QM Higher Education Standards here.

So, what does this mean? Alignment refers to the interdependence among the critical course components that ensure students achieve the desired learning objectives for the course. Everything the students are expected to learn and the skills they are expected to acquire is determined by the learning objectives. Learning Objectives must be created first. They serve as a guide (course map) to determining the other four critical course components which are:

• Assessment & Measurement (Standard 3)

• Instructional Materials (Standard 4)

• Learner Activities and Learner Interaction (Standard 5)

• Course Technology (Standard 6)

Writing focused and measurable learning objectives will become the learning activity, and the “measured” part of the learning objective will be the product of the action which can then be evaluated or assessed by means of rubrics or checklists, for example.

If learning objectives are written effectively, students should understand how the objective is being met through interaction with the course material, learning activities, and product to be assessed.

• 2.1 The course learning objectives, or course/program competencies, describe outcomes that are measurable.

• 2.2 The module/unit-level learning objectives or competencies describe outcomes that are measurable and consistent with the course-level objectives or competencies.

• 2.3 Learning objectives or competencies are stated clearly, are written from the learner’s perspective, and are prominently located in the course.

• 2.4 The relationship between learning objectives or competencies and learning activities is clearly stated.

• 2.5 The learning objectives or competencies are suited to the level of the course.

Learning objectives are important for both the instructor and the learner. They also influence the overall effectiveness of the course. General Standard 2 of the Quality Matters Rubric acknowledges the use and importance of course learning objectives (Standard 2.1) and module/unit level objectives of a course (Standard 2.2).

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a classification of the different objectives and skills that educators set for their students (learning objectives). The taxonomy was proposed in 1956 by Benjamin Bloom, an educational psychologist at the University of Chicago. The terminology was updated to include the six levels of learning.

How does Bloom’s Taxonomy work with learning objectives?

You may notice that there are verbs associated with each level of Blooms' Taxonomy. These verbs help guide the generation of action verb to be used in the creation of learning objectives. Some of these verbs are associated with multiple Bloom’s Taxonomy levels as they could be applied to different activities.

If you haven't had training on how to write effective learning objectives, we strongly recommend these further readings (optional):

• Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Write Effective Learning Objectives by University of Arkansas's Teaching Innovation & Pedagogical Support.

• A Model of Learning Objectives based on A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives by Iowa State University, Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.