Developing the Curriculum
Peter F. Oliva
Chapter 8
Curriculum Goals and Objectives
Jack Baker, Alisa Barnette, Marty Gilchrist,
Bruce Hunt, Beth Jones
Define and give an example
of:
Aims of education
Curriculum goals
Curriculum objectives
Aims of Education
The very broad, general statements
of the purposes of education.
They are meant to give general
direction to education throughout the
country.
For example: To prepare youth to fit
into a planned society.
Are curriculum goals &
objectives different from
instructional goals and
objectives?
Yes, according to our text.
Curriculum Goals
Are a purpose or end
stated in general terms
without criteria or
achievement.
They are derived from
a statement of
philosophy, defined
aims of education, and
assessment of needs.
Example:
Students will demonstrate
responsible behavior as
citizens of our school,
community, state, nation,
and world.
Characteristics of
Curriculum Goals
They relate to the educational aims and
philosophy.
They are programmatic.
They refer to the accomplishment of
groups rather than the achievement of
individual students.
They are broad enough to lead to specific
curriculum objectives.
Curriculum Objectives
A purpose or end
stated in specific,
measurable terms.
They refine the
curriculum goal.
Example:
One hundred percent
of the students will
make some kind of
positive
contribution to the
community’s cleanup campaign.
Characteristics of
Curriculum Objectives
We can change a goal into an objective
by adding the following three elements:
Performance or behavioral terms.
 The degree of mastery desired by the
curriculum planners.
 Conditions under which the performance
will take place, if not readily understood.

“On completion of the first
testing, 75% of the eleventh
graders will have successfully
passed the state’s minimal
competencies test; by
completion of the second
testing, 90% will have passed.”
Yes.
The performance expected:
successfully passing the state’s
minimal competencies test.
Degrees of mastery: 75% and 90%.
The condition: completion of the
first and second testing.
Validating and Determining
Priority of Goals and Objectives
Validation is the
process of determining
whether the goals and
objectives are
accepted as
appropriate or “right”
for the school
proposing them.
Determining priority
is the placing of the
goals and objectives
in order of relative
importance to the
school.