HOW TO WRITE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Some Notes about Learning

We all prefer certain learning styles and we create our own tricks to learn the information
we eventually "own." Primary styles include visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Though the
majority of the population is composed of visual learners, it is helpful to incorporate a
little of each style anytime you are presenting information. So, for example, if you use a
lecture format in your program you should also use visual images to help students retain
information, and you should engage them in manipulating or using the information so
they remember it.
Learning occurs on different levels and to different degrees. Bloom's Taxonomy is one
such model of a learning hierarchy. According to this model, the lowest cognitive level
involves recognition; next is understanding; third, explanation; fourth, analysis; fifth,
synthesis; and sixth, evaluation. The kind of thinking/learning you are asking students to
do can be reflected in the objectives you ask them to meet.
Differentiating between Teaching Objectives and Learning Objectives
When we first decide to teach a course or a topic, we're usually caught up in what we
want to tell students about the subject. For learning to occur, however, it's more useful to
think about the concepts an audience already brings to our program and what new
knowledge we want them to add: i.e., the cognitive changes they should demonstrate.
Each learning level can be reflected by certain actions:
Level

Related Learning Actions

1. Recognition

List, state, identify

2. Understanding

Describe, diagram the components of, show, give an

example of

3. Explanation

Explain, define, interpret, demonstrate the relationship

between, discuss

4. Analysis

Compare, contrast, differentiate, analyze, determine,

discern

5. Synthesis

Create, set up, summarize

6. Evaluation

Choose, evaluate, rank order, show the significance of,

justify

Creating Learning Objectives

A learning objective ideally contains three components: a condition under which learning
is to occur, an action that will demonstrate learning or lack of it, and a performance
criterion. Here are some examples
Given a table of ratios, the student can convert the ratios to percents with 85%
accuracy.
To create learning objectives for your program, think of what you want the audience
member to be able to do as a result of your instruction. Then write them in terms of
conditions, actions, and performance criteria (when appropriate).
Learning Objectives: Stems and Samples by the Education Oasis Staff
Generally, learning objectives are written in terms of learning outcomes: What do you
want your students to learn as a result of the lesson? Follow the three-step process below
for creating learning objectives.
1. Create a stem. Stem Examples:
After completing the lesson, the student will be able to . . .
After this unit, the student will have . . .
By completing the activities, the student will . . .
At the conclusion of the course/unit/study the student will . . .
2. After you create the stem, add a verb:
analyze, recognize, compare, provide, list, etc. For a list of action verbs see below.
3. One you have a stem and a verb, determine the actual product, process, or outcome:
After completing these lesson, the student will be able to recognize foreshadowing in
various works of literature.
Below you will find numerous examples of learning objectives used by teachers. Modify
them as necessary.

Math Examples
After completing the lesson, the student will be able to:
* sort _____ by _____ (color, size, etc.)
* follow directions to create _____ (a product)
* acquire data by measuring with _____ (a yardstick, etc.)
* display data using _____ (a graph, etc.)
* calculate . . .
* identify and describe _____ (polygons) using the language of _____ (geometry)
* record observations of . . .
* exercise the skills of _____ (multiplication, addition, etc.) to . . .
* discuss, interpret, and ascribe meaning to the organized data . . .
* explain the elements of _____ (a pictograph, etc.)
* use collected data to answer the question(s): _____
* construct _____ (picture graphs, bar graphs, etc.)
* create a series of mathematical steps to be used to . . .
* plot a set of points of graph paper . . .
* interpret the results of the calculations . . .
* solve a numerical expression using _____ (the standard order of operations, etc.)
* use a spreadsheet to calculate . . .

Action Verbs for Learning Objectives

Abstract Breakdown Calculate Debate
Activate
Carry out Decrease
Acquire Build
Catalog
Define
Adjust
Categorize Demonstrate
Analyze
Change
Describe
Appraise
Check
Design
Arrange
Cite
Detect
Articulate
Classify
Develop
Collect
Differentiate
Assemble
Combine Direct
Compare Discuss
Assess
Compute Discover
Assist
Contrast
Distinguish
Associate
Complete Draw
Compose Dramatize
Compute
Conduct
Construct
Convert
Coordinate
Count
Criticize
Critique

Judge
Limit
List
Locate

Maintain
Manage
Modify
Name
Observe
Operate
Order
Organize

Perform
Plan
Point
Predict
Prepare
Prescribe
Produce
Propose
Question

Rank
Rate
Read
Recall
Recommend
Recognize
Reconstruct Record
Recruit
Reduce
Reflect
Relate
Remove
Reorganize Repair
Repeat
Replace
Report Reproduce

Employ
Establish
Estimate
Evaluate
Examine
Explain
Explore
Express
Extrapolate

Formulate Identify
Illustrate
Generalize Implement

Schedule
Score
Select
Separate Sequence
Sing
Sketch
Simplify
Skim
Solve
Specify
State
Structure
Summarize
Supervise Survey
Systematize

Tabulate
Test
Theorize
Trace
Track
Train
Transfer
Translate

Improve
Increase
Infer
Integrate
Interpret
Introduce
Investigate

Update
Use
Utilize
Verbalize
Verify
Visualize
Write

Research Restate
Restructure Revise
Rewrite