WRITING BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES
Definition of Terms:
Behavioral Objective is a written statement of what you want the learner to be able to do at the end of your tutelage or
teaching. (Refers to the behavior you would like your learner to be able to demonstrate at the time
your influence over him/her ends).
ACTION VERB -
is a measurable term expressing the behavior or any visible activity displayed by a learner (student).
BEHAVIOR -
refers to the visible behavior you would like your learner to be able to demonstrate at the time your
influence over him/her ends.
CRITERION -
the test by which terminal behavior is evaluated. The basis for judgment (should include the minimum
standard for acceptable performance).
CONDITION -
refers to anything required for the performance, competition, or existence of something else
(Provisions or prerequisite).
SUBJECT -
refers to a course of study in a school, college, discipline, curriculum, grade, unit, or lesson
(What is being taught? Course Content).
Procedure for Writing Objectives in Behavioral Terms:
FIRST:
Identify the terminal behavior by name; specify the kind of behavior that will be accepted as evidence
that the learner has achieved the objective.
SECOND:
Try to define further the desired behavior by describing the important conditions under which the
behavior will be expected to occur.
THIRD:
Specify the criteria of acceptable performance by describing how well the learner must perform to be
considered acceptable.
Example of Conditions:
Time allowed to complete the task. What the learner will be provided or denied. When the terminal behavior is
to be demonstrated.
Model
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
At the end of the unit on basketball, without the use of a rule book, I (the Student) will list three
types of defensive fouls within ten minutes.
Components
Action Verb: _List
.
Behavior: _List three types of defensive fouls
.
Criteria: _List three types of defensive fouls within ten minutes
.
Condition: _(a) At the end of the unit on basketball; (b) Without the use of a rule book; (c) Within Ten minutes .
Subject: _Basketball
.
Hints for Writing Behavioral Objectives:
1.
Avoid unnecessary words.
2.
Behavioral objectives may be written as more than one sentence.
3.
It is not always necessary to include all three parts of a behavioral objective (sometimes conditions or criteria are
intrinsic to the behavior description).
Wording Behavioral Objectives:
Behavioral objectives must contain words that specifically describe an observable behavior; words that are open
to few interpretations; that is, “action” verbs.
VAGUE WORDS
(Open to many interpretations)
Cognitive Domain
to know
to understand
to comprehend
Affective Domain
to appreciate
to enjoy
to show leadership
Psychomotor Domain
to be good
to be on top of the game
to know the move
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SPECIFIC WORDS
(Open to few interpretations)
Cognitive Domain
to write
to identify
to define
to compare
to interpret
Affective Domain
to participate in
to follow orders
to play by the rules
(The above information was taken from Dr. Steve Overman’s Class handouts with adjustments by Dr. Peggy L. Green)
Psychomotor Domain
to run
to throw
to jump
to catch
Examples of Behavioral Objectives:
PSYCHOMOTOR:
At the end of the unit on track & field, the student will be able to roll over the high jump bar
set at four feet, within three attempts.
COGNITIVE:
After reading the course handout on basketball strategy, the student will be able to diagram
three zone defenses when provided with a pencil and a half-court diagram. All defensive
positions drawn must be located correctly in relation to other positions.
AFFECTIVE:
During a flag-football game (in the Physical Education class) refereed by a classmate, the student
will voluntarily play within the rules, and will accept willingly the decisions of the referee.
Applying Behavioral Objectives to the Taxonomy of Behavior:
Cognitive Domain
Behavioral Wording
1.0 knowledge
…identify the infield positions…
2.0 comprehension
…distinguish between zone and man-to-man defenses…
3.0 application
…apply the laws of motion to pitching…
4.0 analysis
…contrast mechanics of hitting a forehand with those of a backhand…
5.0 synthesis
…combine offensive and defensive plays into a game plan…
6.0 evaluation
…use criteria to judge a high dive on a ten-point scale…
Affective Domain
Behavioral Wording
1.0 receiving (awareness)
…will listen to directions given by his squad leader…
2.0 responding
…observes rules of the game…
3.0 valuing
…works on his own initiative to improve his skills…
4.0 organization (of values)
…reserves a place in his daily routine for an exercise program…
5.0 characterization
…actively encourages others to participate in the intramural program…
Psychomotor Domain
Behavioral Wording
1.0 reflex movements
…dodge an unexpected softball thrown directly toward the face…
2.0 fundamental movements
…walk, using 8 cues, the width of a basketball court…
3.0 perceptual abilities
…perform a back flip dive into the pool…
4.0 physical abilities
…complete 100 pushups within one minute…
5.0 skilled movements
…run the 40 yard dash in 3 seconds…
6.0 nondiscursive communication …throw hands in the air and make facial expressions…
COGNITIVE DOMAIN VERBS
Verbs used to indicate behaviors in the cognitive domain.
1.
Knowledge
to define
to distinguish
to recall
to recognize
to develop
to outline
to identify
2.
Comprehension
to translate
to prepare
to interpret
to distinguish
to conclude
to predict
to estimate
to differentiate
to recognize
to explain
to summarize
to demonstrate by example
to paraphrase
to indicate
to make predictions
3.
Application
to apply
to employ
to relate
to predict
to use
4.
Analysis
to distinguish
to discriminate
to analyze
to detect
to recognize
to infer
to categorize
to choose
to select
5.
Synthesis
to create
to propose
to integrate
to plan
to design
to synthesize
to formulate
to perceive
to organize
to prepare
to develop
to compile
to incorporate
to visualize
6.
Evaluation
to select
to judge
to assess
to compare
to appraise
to distinguish
to evaluate
to decide
to determine
*Benjamin S. Bloom, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives Handbook D: Cognitive Domain, (New York: David McKay
Co., Inc., 1956)
COGNITIVE DOMAIN VERBS
Question
Student Activity
Examples
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Knowledge
Recalling facts or observations.
1.
Who?
2.
What?
3.
Where?
4.
When?
5.
Why? (if cause is given)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Comprehension
Giving descriptions.
Starting main idea.
Comparing.
1.
Application
Applying techniques and
to solve problems that have a
single correct answer.
1.
Analysis
Identifying motives or causes.
Making inferences. Finding evidence.
Making generalizations.
1.
2.
Synthesis
Solving problems.
Making predictions.
Producing original communications.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Evaluation
Giving opinions about issues.
Judging the validity of ideas.
Judging the merit of problem-solution.
Judging the quality of art and
other products.
1.
2.
3.
Describing (what happened,
our experiment).
2.
What is the main idea
(of this paragraph)?
3.
How are (these two countries) alike?
How are they different?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
If (Bill has $ .49) how many
($ .8 balloons) can he buy?
2.
What is (the latitude of Moscow?
3.
Classify (these poems as ballads,
sonnets, or odes).
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Why (did the Bat-Poet)?
Now that we’ve studied this, what to support
can we conclude about (life in Germany)?
3.
What does this tell us about the author’s
attitude toward war?
4.
What evidence can you find to support
(the principle that air expands when
heated)?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Can you think up (a title for this drawing)?
How can we solve (this dilemma)?
How can we improve (our experiment)?
What will happen (now that we landed
on the moon)?
5.
What do you predict would happen
(if the lake were to run dry)?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
320/460/464-CognitiveVerbs-05 9/1/05/plg
4.
5.
6.
Do you agree (with Kathy)?
Do you believe (that this is ……)?
Do you think (that it is right to execute
convicted murderers)?
What is your opinion (on this matter)?
Would it be better (to do it this way)?
Which (painting do you like)?