Writing Objectives
Rationale and Strategies
Presented by Dennis Baker,
Ph.D., Assistant Dean for
Faculty Development
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Session Goals
 Appreciate the value of writing clear
and measurable behavioral
objectives.
 Re-evaluate objectives they have
written and work to enhance them.
 Make additional efforts to enhance
the congruency of: Objectives,
Learning Activities, and Test Items.
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Session Objectives
 State the definition of a behavioral objective.
 List the three components of a behavioral
objective.
 List three purposes which behavioral objectives
serve.
 State a rationale for writing behavioral objectives.
 Describe a strategy for writing behavioral
objectives.
 Describe how to increase the congruency among:
objectives, learning activities, and evaluation
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Model for Designing Instruction
Needs
Assess
Learner
Character
istics
Evaluation
& Feedback
Support &
Logistics
Revise
T&L
Activities
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Goals
&
Objectives
Content
Pre & Post
Assessment
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Goals and Objectives
Goals
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=
Objectives
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Goals
Definition
– A statement that describes in broad terms
what the learner will do.
Example
– Students will gain an appreciation and
understanding of the value of applying family
systems theory to the real world of patient
care.
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Objectives
Definition
– A statement in specific and measurable terms
that describes what the learner will know or
be able to do.
Example
– Students will be able to construct a three
generation genogram with a patient in the
office setting within a 5 minute time frame
and explain how the information potentially
impacts on the patient’s care.
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Comparison
Goal
– Students will gain an appreciation and
understanding of the value of applying family
systems theory to the real world of patient
care.
Objective
– Students will be able to construct a three
generation genogram with a patient in the
office setting within a 5 minute time frame
and explain how the information potentially
impacts on the patient’s care.
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Parts of an Objective
 Measurable verb
– Construct
– Explain
 Criteria
– 3 generation genogram
– Within 5 minutes
 Conditions
– In the office setting with patient
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Measurable Verbs
 Know the purposes of behavioral
Objectives.
 State the purposes of behavioral
objectives.
 Understand the difference between goals
and objectives.
 Describe the difference between goals
and objectives.
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Terms: Sources of Confusion
 Behavioral Objectives
 Instructional Objectives
 Educational Objectives
 Terminal Objectives
 Outcomes
 Objectives
 Aims
 Intents
 Objections
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Rationale
Purposes
– Guide for the teacher
– Guide for learner
– Basis for dialogue
– Basis for evaluation
– Makes curriculum explicit
– Makes curriculum analysis/evaluation
possible
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Domains
Cognitive
Psychomotor
Affective
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(knowing)
(doing)
(feeling)
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Levels of Cognition
Bloom’s Taxonomy
– Knowledge (verbal recall)
Evaluation
– Comprehension
– Application
– Analysis
– Synthesis
– Evaluation
Knowledge
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Levels of Objectives
 What is the level of this objective?
– Participants will be able to name the three
parts of a behavioral objective.
 What is the level of this objective?
– Participants will be able to write a behavioral
objective that contains a measurable verb,
condition, and criteria.
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Specificity and Level
No So Specific:
– The learner will be able to: orally present a
new patient's case
More Specific:
– The learner will be able to: orally present a
new patient's case in a logical sequence
(SOAP), chronologically developing the
present illness, summarizing the pertinent
positive and negative findings as well as the
differential diagnosis and plans for further
testing and treatment.
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Writing Process
 Start with the bigger goal in mind.
 Write the objective in general but measurable
terms.
 Think about the learning context.
 Think about how you want to measure it.
 Rewrite to make the objective more specific and
check it for measurable verb, meaningful
conditions, and meaningful criteria.
 Share it with a colleague for feedback.
 Rewrite to further clarify.
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Creating the Magic Triangle
Teaching/Learning Activities
Objectives
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Evaluation
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Not So Magic Triangle
Teaching/Learning Activities
Objectives
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Evaluation
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The End
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