The better we can define the learning we want our students to show us the better we can teach them. There are a few different way that people write objectives, but the best for many reasons is to write them in terms of the evidence that students are learing what you want them to learn. What operations, skills and knowledge do we want students to master and what would we accept as evidence?

State your objectives in terms of observable (i.e., explicit, measurable, specific, positive) student behavioral outcomes, that represent student learning targets.

STATING BEHAVIOR OBJECTIVES
(OR LEARNING TARGETS)

State your objectives in terms of observable (i.e., explicit, measurable, specific, positive) student behavioral outcomes, that represent student learning targets.

Do Not:
State in terms of teacher behavior:
I will demonstrate how to make a pizza to all students....

Do Not:
State in terms of a learning activity:
We will first read the story..... and then produce storyboards.

Do: Incorporate the following components:
? Behavioral Outcome (usually represented by a verb)
? Conditions or Context of the learning (if appropriate)
? Criterion Level (if appropriate)

For example:
The learner will (TLW) write appropriately stated behavioral objectives, given clear
     ACTION VERB            CONTEXT
learning targets (they or someone else develops), any time they need or want to.
       CRITERIA
 
Good objectives clearly describe the behavior (usually cognitive) that demonstrates the learning you want the students to accomplish. For example, “TLW calculate the sums” is a better phrase than, “TLW will complete the worksheet correctly.”  Both of the verbs (calculate and complete) are observable and measurable, but only “calculate” is describing a desired cognitive operation.  Completing the worksheet does not really specify what is being learned. It may be helpful to think in terms of what the student will show you that provides evidence they have done the thinking you wanted them to accomplish.  What is the thinking required to complete the worksheet?

The verb that drives your objective should be consistent with the cognitive level of your target.  Most charts of Bloom’s Taxonomy provide lists of verbs for each cognitive level.

These types of specific behavioral objectives are best used at the lesson planning level.  For unit goals, a broader level of outcome is more appropriate.  The use of verbs such as understands, learns, and knows are good verbs for goals, but are NOT specific or observable enough for behavioral objectives.

After reading the book ____ TLW create a picture about the book.

BETTER:
After reading the book ____, TLW illustrate the concept of ______ in a picture.
 

TLW know the 6 levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Or, TLW understand Bloom’s Taxonomy.

BETTER:
TLW define in his/her own words each of the 6 levels of Blooms taxonomy.
Or, TLW develop a correctly stated SLO at each of the 6 levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
 

TLW complete the worksheet with 80% accuracy.

BETTER:
Using the method demonstrated in class, TLW calculate the answers to the division problems.
 

see some great examples

Some folks like to write their objectives using Stiggins Target Areas:

Knowledge

Reasoning

Skills

Products

Affect
 
 

Some like to use Bloom or one of the other taxonomies:

Cognitive Domain

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation
 
 

Affective Domain

Receiving

Responding

Valuing

Organization

Characterization
 
 

Psychomotor Domain

Perception

Set

Guided response

Mechanism

Complex response

Adaptation

Origination
 
 

checkout some objectives used in some of the lessons on file at this site