Writing Instructional Objectives Guidelines for Effective Lesson Planning

Writing Instructional Writing Instructional ObjectivesObjectives

Guidelines for Effective Lesson Guidelines for Effective Lesson PlanningPlanning

Instructional GoalsInstructional Goals

Before beginning to Before beginning to write your write your instructional instructional objective(s), consider objective(s), consider the larger educational the larger educational goal to which the goal to which the objective leads.objective leads.


There are certain There are certain expectations that expectations that people have for people have for individuals who have individuals who have completed twelve completed twelve years of school.years of school.


We expect high We expect high school graduates to school graduates to be able to solve be able to solve problems problems


And to critically And to critically evaluate issues and evaluate issues and make decisions.make decisions.


Students do not Students do not achieve these goals achieve these goals at one grade level or at one grade level or in one class.in one class.


One teacher cannot One teacher cannot be responsible for be responsible for students achieving students achieving these goals.these goals.


A team of teachers is A team of teachers is required.required.


Begin by identifying Begin by identifying the part of the goal to the part of the goal to be achieved in the be achieved in the lesson you are lesson you are teaching.teaching.

StandardsStandards

The state standards The state standards are a good place to are a good place to start.start.

Task AnalysisTask Analysis

Writing instructional Writing instructional objectives for a objectives for a complex goal such as complex goal such as problem-solving or problem-solving or critical thinking critical thinking requires completion of requires completion of a task analysis.a task analysis.


Consider this Consider this educational goal.educational goal.

Students will be able Students will be able to write a complete to write a complete sentence .sentence .


What must a student be able to do to What must a student be able to do to complete this task?complete this task?


Students will be able to write a complete Students will be able to write a complete sentence.sentence. Students are able to distinguish parts of Students are able to distinguish parts of

speech.speech. Students are able to distinguish subject and Students are able to distinguish subject and

predicate.predicate. Students are able to distinguish a complete Students are able to distinguish a complete

thought.thought.


Students will be able to write a complete Students will be able to write a complete sentence.sentence. Students are able to distinguish a clause.Students are able to distinguish a clause. Students are able to distinguish a subordinate Students are able to distinguish a subordinate

clause.clause. Students are able to distinguish a phrase from Students are able to distinguish a phrase from

a clause.a clause.

Task Analysis: Task Analysis: Determining Student AbilitiesDetermining Student Abilities

After the task analysis After the task analysis is complete, you need is complete, you need to determine which to determine which tasks students have tasks students have already mastered and already mastered and which they continue which they continue to need work. This is to need work. This is often referred to as often referred to as formative evaluation formative evaluation or formative or formative assessment.assessment.

Writing Instructional ObjectivesWriting Instructional Objectives

Think about what a Think about what a student who achieved student who achieved the objective would the objective would look like.look like.


A student who can A student who can write a complete write a complete sentence can …sentence can …

Distinguish a complete Distinguish a complete thoughtthought

Distinguish a Distinguish a subordinate clausesubordinate clause

Distinguish a phrase Distinguish a phrase from a clausefrom a clause

Express a complete Express a complete thought in a sentence thought in a sentence that includes a that includes a subordinate clausesubordinate clause


Now think about what Now think about what the weakest students the weakest students in your class can do.in your class can do.


Now you should have Now you should have an idea of the an idea of the learning tasks to learning tasks to establish for your establish for your students.students.


The sample of tasks The sample of tasks you select should you select should reflect the level at reflect the level at which students are which students are operating in the operating in the cognitive, cognitive, psychomotor, and/or psychomotor, and/or affective domains.affective domains.

Cognitive Domain: KnowledgeCognitive Domain: Knowledge

KnowledgeKnowledge Recalls the names of the parts of speechRecalls the names of the parts of speech States the definition of ‘noun’ and ‘verb’States the definition of ‘noun’ and ‘verb’

Cognitive Domain: ComprehensionCognitive Domain: Comprehension

ComprehensionComprehension Identifies subordinate clauses in a sentenceIdentifies subordinate clauses in a sentence States the difference between a clause and a States the difference between a clause and a

phrase in his/her own wordsphrase in his/her own words

Cognitive Domain: ApplicationCognitive Domain: Application

ApplicationApplication Writes a sentence with a subordinate clauseWrites a sentence with a subordinate clause

Cognitive Domain: AnalysisCognitive Domain: Analysis

AnalysisAnalysis Identifies errors in a set of sentences and Identifies errors in a set of sentences and

corrects those errors.corrects those errors.

Cognitive Domain: SynthesisCognitive Domain: Synthesis

SynthesisSynthesis States reasons for requiring a subordinate States reasons for requiring a subordinate

clause to be included within a complete clause to be included within a complete sentencesentence

Cognitive Domain: EvaluationCognitive Domain: Evaluation

EvaluationEvaluation Critiques a set of communications for their Critiques a set of communications for their

ability to communicate clearly.ability to communicate clearly.


As you write instructional objectives, you As you write instructional objectives, you should remember the following :should remember the following :

Guidelines for Instructional Guidelines for Instructional ObjectivesObjectives

Instructional Instructional objectives guide the objectives guide the use of instructional use of instructional activitiesactivities


Instructional Instructional objectives guide the objectives guide the selection of selection of instructional instructional resources – resources –

Not Vice VersaNot Vice Versa


Instructional Instructional objectives focus on objectives focus on learning outcomes learning outcomes for studentsfor students, ,

NOT actions by the NOT actions by the teacherteacher


Instructional Instructional objectives are aimed objectives are aimed at general learning at general learning outcomes.outcomes.

General learning General learning outcome:outcome: Students are able to Students are able to

use grid lines on a use grid lines on a map to find locations.map to find locations.


They are not specificThey are not specific

to a given set ofto a given set of

resourcesresources

Learning outcome Learning outcome specific to a set of specific to a set of resources:resources:

Students are able to useStudents are able to use

the grid lines on a mapthe grid lines on a map

of Wisconsin to findof Wisconsin to find

Birchwood.Birchwood.


Instructional Instructional objectives are stated objectives are stated in terms of observable in terms of observable student outcomes.student outcomes.

““Students will Students will understand the law of understand the law of supply and demand.” supply and demand.” is not a statement of is not a statement of an observable an observable outcome.outcome.

““


Students will use the law of supply and Students will use the law of supply and demand to explain the pricing of consumer demand to explain the pricing of consumer products.” products.”

is a statement of an observable outcome –is a statement of an observable outcome – Students can be asked to provide an Students can be asked to provide an

explanation of the pricing of a consumer explanation of the pricing of a consumer product.product.


If you are going to use a broad If you are going to use a broad instructional objective such as instructional objective such as “understands,” then provide sub-objectives “understands,” then provide sub-objectives that describe what a student who that describe what a student who “understands” looks like.“understands” looks like.


Example:Example: Understands the requirements for a complete Understands the requirements for a complete

sentencesentence States the rule for writing a complete sentenceStates the rule for writing a complete sentence Identifies examples of complete and incomplete Identifies examples of complete and incomplete

sentencessentences Identifies statements that express a complete thoughtIdentifies statements that express a complete thought Writes complete sentencesWrites complete sentences


Instructional objectives determine Instructional objectives determine assessment and evaluation.assessment and evaluation.

Choosing Appropriate Instructional Choosing Appropriate Instructional ObjectivesObjectives

Which of these two Which of these two statements is more statements is more appropriate as an appropriate as an instructional instructional objective?objective?

Students will be Students will be shown the steps for shown the steps for solving a word solving a word problem.problem.

Students will identify Students will identify the steps in solving a the steps in solving a word problem.word problem.


The first statement identifies what the The first statement identifies what the teacher will do, not what the learning teacher will do, not what the learning outcomes for students will be.outcomes for students will be.

Therefore, the second statement is the Therefore, the second statement is the more appropriate statement of an more appropriate statement of an instructional objective.instructional objective.


Your unit examination requires students to Your unit examination requires students to pick out groups of words that express a pick out groups of words that express a complete thought.complete thought. Which of the following is an appropriate Which of the following is an appropriate

instructional objective for the unit?instructional objective for the unit?


A) Students will be A) Students will be able to write a able to write a complete sentence.complete sentence.

B) Students will be B) Students will be able to identify able to identify statements that statements that express a complete express a complete thought.thought.


B is the appropriate instructional objective B is the appropriate instructional objective for the examination item identified. for the examination item identified. Statement A requires a different level of Statement A requires a different level of development and a different form of development and a different form of evaluation.evaluation.

Instructional Objectives SummaryInstructional Objectives Summary

Start the process of determining Start the process of determining instructional objectives by reviewing the instructional objectives by reviewing the subject area standards for the grade level subject area standards for the grade level you are teaching.you are teaching.

Identify the standard your lesson is Identify the standard your lesson is focused upon.focused upon.

Writing Instructional ObjectivesWriting Instructional ObjectivesSummarySummary

If the standard involves learning a complex If the standard involves learning a complex concept, generalization, or skill, complete concept, generalization, or skill, complete a task analysis.a task analysis.

Identify the steps in the task the lesson will Identify the steps in the task the lesson will address.address.

Writing Instructional Objectives Writing Instructional Objectives SummarySummary

The statement of an objective should The statement of an objective should reflect an appropriate level in the reflect an appropriate level in the cognitive, affective, or psychomotor cognitive, affective, or psychomotor domain.domain.

The statement identifies learning The statement identifies learning outcomes for students and not actions by outcomes for students and not actions by the teacherthe teacher

Writing Instructional ObjectivesWriting Instructional ObjectivesSummarySummary

The statement guides the selection of The statement guides the selection of instructional resources and activities.instructional resources and activities.

The statement determines the assessment The statement determines the assessment or evaluation that will be used.or evaluation that will be used.

Writing Instructional ObjectivesWriting Instructional ObjectivesConclusionConclusion

Instructional objectives Instructional objectives guide the remaining steps guide the remaining steps in planning a lesson.in planning a lesson.

No lesson can be No lesson can be effective without effective effective without effective instructional objectives – instructional objectives –

A lesson without effective A lesson without effective objectives is like a trip objectives is like a trip without a destination, without a destination,

Writing Instructional ObjectivesWriting Instructional ObjectivesConclusionConclusion

You don’t know where You don’t know where you are going you are going

You have no means You have no means to determine how to to determine how to get thereget there

And, you don’t know And, you don’t know when you have when you have arrivedarrived

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Writing Instructional Objectives Guidelines for Effective Lesson Planning