Learning objectives are specific, observable, and measurable objectives from which all course components are derived and on which the components are based. Writing these objectives at the beginning of course development or revision offers instructors an opportunity to carefully consider what is most important to teach and what skills, behaviors, and/or procedures students should be able to demonstrate after instruction. Well-written objectives are what help instructors plan, organize, and deliver course content.

Learning objectives provide a framework for an entire course and state clear results instructors want students to achieve in the course. Including these objectives in the syllabus helps students focus and direct their own learning. As they progress through the course or prepare for exams, they are able to review the learning objectives and confirm their achievement of the learning process. At the end of the course, objectives help instructors determine whether students have gained the appropriate knowledge and skills.

The goal of most instruction is to progressively raise students’ level of thinking, beginning with the simpler or lower levels and moving toward the more complex levels. Bloom’s Taxonomy is used to distinguish between these different levels of thinking skills, and can help ensure that you are focusing your objectives at the appropriate levels of thinking skills – those that you want students to develop during your course.

Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom's Taxonomy has six levels, with one being the lowest and six being the highest. They are:

1. Knowledge: Remembering by recall or recognition; requires memory only
   • Verbs: define, identify, recall, recognize
   • Example: Identify the benefits of time management skills.
2. Comprehension: Grasping literal message; requires rephrasing or rewording
   • Verbs: describe, compare, contrast
   • Example: Describe important goals in setting up a weekly time schedule.
3. Application: Requires use or application of knowledge to reach an answer or solve a problem
   • Verbs: write an example, apply, classify
   • Example: Develop a weekly study schedule for a one-week period.
4. Analysis: Separate a complex whole into parts; identify motives or causes; determine evidence
   • Verbs: analyze, support, draw conclusions
   • Example: Analyze a completed study schedule for its effectiveness and adaptability.
5. Synthesis: Produce original communication; solve a problem with more than one answer
   • Verbs: write, design, predict, develop
   • Example: Develop a projected term study schedule.
6. Evaluation: Make judgements and offer opinions
   • Verbs: judge, decide, evaluate, assess
   • Example: Assess the effectiveness of the time schedule.

Well-written learning objectives or outcomes set clear expectations for students and faculty regarding what students will walk away with after completing a course of study. Vague terms such as “understand,” “demonstrate familiarity,” or “know” are not measurable and, therefore, should be avoided. These verbs may mean something to you, but they are unclear to the students as to what type of learning is expected. This is why objectives are stated in measurable or in "performance terms" with action verbs such as identify, define, solve, compare, describe, and analyze.

Objectives are not learning activities, but learning outcomes or results. For example, “explain the different levels of Bloom's taxonomy” is a learning objective rather than the activity of “read or study Bloom's Taxonomy.” They are written in terms of what the learner will achieve as opposed to what the instructor or student will be doing during the teaching and learning process. 

Examples

The following are some examples of poorly written and well-written objectives.

• Students will be able to...
  • Good: Analyze the traditions and social customs that are validated or rejected by the characters in the text.
  • Bad: Consider the traditions and social customs that are validated or rejected by the characters in the text
• Students will be able to...
  • Good: Describe the traditional elements in fables and fairy tales
  • Bad: Understand the traditional elements in fables and fairy tales
• Students will be able to...
  • Good: Analyze the social, economic, and political position of blacks in the North prior to the Civil War.
  • Bad: Know about the social, economic, and political position of blacks in the North prior to the Civil War.
• Students will...
  • Good: Be able to distinguish between the major brain disorders and psychological disturbances in the elderly.
  • Bad: Be familiarized with major brain disorders and psychological disturbances in the elderly.
• Students will be able to...
  • Good: Explain the significance of surface tension
  • Bad: Grasp the significance of surface tension.

Additional Resources:

Mager’s Tips on Instructional Objectives

This is considered by many to be the comprehensive guide to writing instructional objectives. It provides detailed directions, including specific examples such as “Observable Verbs.” Under “Common Pitfalls” is a section on gibberish that is guaranteed to make many instructors wince at objectives like “Manifest an increasing comprehensive understanding.”

How to Write Great Learning Objectives

This article offers another brief guide to writing learning objectives. It draws on Robert Mager’s concept that a broad learning goal must be subdivided into specific learning objectives. The author explains Mager’s emphasis on specific verbs such as “describe” or “define” in place of the vaguer “understand” or “know.”