Learning to Write Behavioral Objectives
Behavioral Objective for this lesson:
The student will be able to write behavioral objectives after reading assigned material,
discussing the material in class, and practice with 100% accuracy.
Definition of a Behavioral Objective:
A Behavioral Objective is a defined description of an expected educational experience for
your students. Behavioral Objectives have three components: the expected student behavior, the
condition of performance, and the performance criteria.
Three parts of a Behavioral Objective:
1. Student Behavior -- An action verb (e.g. analyze, brainstorm, categorize, design, write) is
linked with the desired knowledge or skill (universal systems model, energy sources,
ideal and actual mechanical advantage, behavioral objectives).
 Examples: Students will draw multiview drawings; Students will design a robot;
Students will build an assistive technological devise.
2. Conditions of Performance -- The behavior will be performed under the prescribed
conditions or within a particular context.
 Examples: of assigned machine parts; that will collect ping pong balls, golf balls
and tennis balls; after meeting a physically disadvantaged person.
3. Performance Criteria -- This describes the level the behavior is to be performed as
compared to a standard.
 Examples: with 90% accuracy; that adheres to the given rules; that meets a
determined need to improve the person's quality of life.
Example of a well-written behavioral objective:
1. The students will be able to draw multiview drawings of assigned machine parts with
90% accuracy.
2. The students will be able to design a robot that will collect ping pong balls, golf balls and
tennis balls and adheres to the given rules.
3. The students will be able to build an assistive technological devise after meeting a
physically disadvantaged person that meets a determined need to improve the person's
quality of life.
Web site References to Read:
http://www.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/curric/behavior.htm
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/plan/behobj.html
http://www.roundworldmedia.com/cvc/module4/notes4.html
Behavioral Objectives Activity
Objective
On a written examination the student will be able to identify (by circling,
underlining, boxing in) the observable performance, the condition under which the
performance will take place, and the criterion for an acceptable performance with a
minimum of 80 percent accuracy.
Directions
Read each of the behavioral objectives listed below. Identify the essential
parts of each objective by:
• drawing a circle around the statement of observable performance,
• underlining the conditions under which the performance will occur, and
• drawing a rectangle around the criterion for a successful performance.
1. During a laboratory activity, given a copy of an advertisement, the student will
be able to describe how three basic design principles were employed in the
composition of the ad and each description must reference the specific feature
or features of the ad that exemplify each design principle.
2. On a written examination, given an illustration of an SLR camera, the student
will be able to identify its basic parts (i.e., body, lens, shutter speed, F-stop
ring, shutter release, view finder, focus ring, film advance) with a minimum of
80 percent accuracy.
3. During a laboratory activity, given a list of 10 shutter speed and F-stop settings,
the student will be able to identify at least 2 alternative settings that will allow
the same amount of light into the camera.
4. On a written examination, the student will be able to discriminate between oneway and two-way modes of communication (e.g., public address systems,
intercom systems, newspapers, telephones, television) with no more than two
errors.
5. During an oral examination, the student will be able to recite the colors used to
label carbon resistors in their proper and numeric sequence.
6. Given thirty schematics for simple circuits with two known values, the student
will be able to use Ohm's law to calculate the unknown value to at least 80
percent of these problems.
7. After reading an article on small engines, the student will be able to describe
the four stroke cycle in proper sequence (i.e., intake, power, compression,
exhaust).
8. During a laboratory project, the student will be able to machine a scriber
handle within the tolerance defined on a given blue print.
9. During a laboratory activity, the student will be able to generate at least 6
discrete thumbnail sketches that illustrate potential solutions to a given
problem within 5 minutes.
10. Given a set plans for a house, the student will be able to accurately identify at
least 45 out of 50 important features (e.g., square footage, types of doors, types
of windows, bathroom fixtures, room dimensions).
11. In the laboratory, the student will be able to square up a piece of rough stock
within 1/16th of an inch of a given set of dimensions.
12. On a written examination, the student will be able to complete a flow chart
illustrating the basic parts of a television broadcasting system with no more
than 2 errors.
13. Given a piece of high speed steel, the student will be able to grind a lathe bit so
its angles touch a grinding gauge when they are both held up to the light.
14. After viewing an incident in a safety film, the student will be able to list seven
out of ten potential safety hazards.
15. Given basic architectural limitations and a list of the client wants and needs,
the student will be able to design a commercial building for the enterprise in
question so it will address the client's wishes, conform to local building codes,
and cost no more than 500 thousand dollars to build.
16. During a classroom activity, the student will be able to categorize a collection
of 24 business cards into two piles based on whether or not they have formal or
informal balance with not more than two errors.
17. Given two photographs of the same subject, the student will be able to identify
which one has the best composition and defend their answer with three reasons
that are based on the principles of composition defined in class.
Behavioral Objective Writing Activity
Objective
The student will after instruction and practice activities, write complete
behavioral objectives that contain a condition, an observable behavior, and a
reasonable criterion on a written exam with 80% accuracy.
Model
The student will
Condition
Behavior
Criterion (Performance
Write the behavioral objective sentence
The student will (condition) (behavior) (criterion).
Directions
Choose from the objectives found on a VoCATS Course Blueprint and write
complete behavioral objectives to the prescribed level of behavior on Bloom’s
Taxonomy using action verbs from a given list.
1.
Remembering
The student will
Condition
Behavior
Criterion (Performance
Write the behavioral objective sentence – The student will ______________
2.
Understanding
The student will
Condition
Behavior
Criterion (Performance
Write the behavioral objective sentence – The student will ______________
3.
Applying
The student will
Condition
Behavior
Criterion (Performance
Write the behavioral objective sentence – The student will ______________
4.
Analyzing
The student will
Condition
Behavior
Criterion (Performance
Write the behavioral objective sentence – The student will ______________
5.
Evaluating
The student will
Condition
Behavior
Criterion (Performance
Write the behavioral objective sentence – The student will ______________
6.
Creating
The student will
Condition
Behavior
Criterion (Performance
Write the behavioral objective sentence – The student will ______________