how to write learning objectives for a presentation

55 Learning Objectives Examples

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learning objectives definition and exmaple, explained below

Learning objectives are explicit statements that clearly express what learners should be able to comprehend, perform or experience by the end of a course or instructional period (Adams, 2015).

They are fundamental to the process of educational planning and instructional design, acting as vehicles that drive both teaching and learning strategies.

Importantly, they ensure coherence and a clear focus, differentiating themselves from vague educational goals by generating precise, measurable outcomes of academic progress (Sewagegn, 2020).

I have front-loaded the examples in this article for your convenience, but do scroll past all the examples for some useful frameworks for learning how to write effective learning objectives.

Learning Objectives Examples

Learning objectives for internships.

For more, see: List of SMART Internship Goals

Learning Objectives for Presentations

For More: See This Detailed List of Communication Objectives Examples

Learning Objectives for Kindergarten

Taxonomies to assist in creating objectives.

Various taxonomies are available to educators as guides in formulating potent learning objectives, with three prominent ones provided below.

1. The SMART Framework for Learning Objectives

The SMART framework helps you to construct clear and well-defined learning objectives. It stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (Doran, 1981).

Specific objectives are ones that are straightforward, detailing the what, why, and how of the learning process. For example, an objective that states “Improve mental multiplication skills” is less specific than “Multiply two-digit numbers mentally within two minutes with 90% accuracy.” When I was learning to write learning objectives at university, I was taught to always explicitly describe the measurable outcome .
Measurable objectives facilitate tracking progress and evaluating learning outcomes. An objective such as “Write a 500-word essay on the causes of World War II, substantiated with at least three academic sources” is measurable, as both word count and the number of sources can be quantified.
Achievable objectives reflect realistic expectations based on the learner’s potential and learning environment, fostering motivation and commitment.
Relevant objectives correspond with overarching educational goals and learner’s needs, such as an objective to “identify and manage common software vulnerabilities” in a cybersecurity course.
Time-bound objectives specify the duration within which the learning should take place, enhancing management of time and resources in the learning process.

2. Bloom’s Taxonomy

Bloom’s taxonomy outlines six cognitive levels of understanding – knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Adams, 2015). Each are presented below:

Each level is demonstrated below:

Here, we can reflect upon the level of learning and cognition expected of the learner, and utilize the Bloom’s taxonomy verbs to cater the learning objectives to that level.

3. Fink’s Taxonomy

Another helpful resource for creating objectives is Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning , which emphasizes different dimensions of learning, including foundational knowledge, application, integration, human dimension, caring, and learning how to learn (Marzano, 2010):

Foundational knowledge refers to the basic information learners must understand to progress with the topic at hand—for instance, understanding color theory before painting a canvas.
Application gives learners real-world instances for applying the knowledge and skills they’ve cultivated, such as using Adobe Photoshop in a design project after a graphic design lecture.
Integration enables learners to make interdisciplinary connections between the new knowledge and various fields of study or areas of life—for example, a business student applying economic theory to understand market dynamics in biotechnology.
Human dimension involves personal and social implications of learning, i.e., how the learners see themselves and interact with others in light of the new knowledge.
Caring challenges learners to develop new feelings, interests, or values aligned with the course outcomes, like fostering a conservation mindset in an environmental science course.
Learning how to learn encourages learners to become self-directed and resourceful, enabling them to cultivate learning strategies, skills, and habits that make them lifelong learners, such as using reflective journals or peer reviews (Marzano, 2010).

An example of an objective that uses Fink’s framework could be:

“Learners will conduct a small research project about a famous physicist (foundational knowledge), incorporating class teachings (application) and their own interpretations (integration), then present to the class (human dimension), reflecting on how the physicist’s work affects them personally (caring) and how the project grew their understanding of research methods (learning how to learn).”

Why are Learning Objectives Important?

Effective learning objectives serve to streamline the learning process, creating a clear path for both teachers and learners.

The role of objectives in education mirrors the use of a roadmap on a journey; just as marking out stops and landmarks can facilitate navigation, learning objectives can clarify the trajectory of a course or lesson (Hall, Quinn, & Gollnick, 2018).

On a practical level, imagine teaching a course about climate change. Without explicit learning objectives (like understanding how carbon footprints contribute to global warming), learners could easily veer off track, misinterpreting the main focus.

Learning objectives also act as an anchor during assessments, providing a yardstick against which progress and performance can be gauged (Orr et al., 2022). When students are graduating high school, for example, it’s likely they’ll be assessed on some form of standardized testing to measure if the objectives have been met.

By serving as a guide for content selection and instructional design, learning objectives allow teachers to ensure coursework is suitably designed to meet learners’ needs and the broader course’s objectives (Li et al., 2022). In situations where time is crucial, such as military training or emergency medicine, keeping the focus narrow and relevant is crucial.

Tips and Tricks

1. tips on integrating learning objectives into course design.

Learning objectives serve as a foundation in the designing of a course.

They provide a structured framework that guides the incorporation of different course components, including instructional materials, activities, and assessments (Li et al., 2022).

When designing a photography course, for example, learning objectives guide the selection of appropriate theoretical content (like understanding aperture and shutter speed), practical activities (like a field trip for landscape photography), and the assessment methods (like a portfolio submission).

Just like how research objectives shape the methodology a research study will take, so too will learning objectives shape the teaching methods and assessment methods that will flow-on from the path set out in the overarching learning objectives.

2. Tips on Assessing and Revising your Learning Objectives Regularly

Learning objectives are not set in stone; they demand constant review and refinement.

In the light of feedback from learners, instructors or external bodies (like accreditation agencies), learning outcomes, and advancements in pedagogy, learning objectives may need to be revised (Orr et al., 2022).

Think about a programming course where new frameworks or libraries are regularly introduced; in such cases, the learning objectives would need to be updated to reflect these emerging trends. This provides opportunities for continual enhancement of the course design, thus fostering an environment of progressive learning and teaching (Sewagegn, 2020).

Teachers should revise their learning objectives every time they re-introduce the unit of work to a new cohort of students, taking into account the learnings and feedback you acquired last time you taught the unit.

Learning objectives, when effectively formulated and implemented, serve as key drivers of successful instruction.

They underscore the importance of clarity, directness, and depth in the learning process, fostering a learning environment designed for optimal learner engagement, progress tracking, and educational outcome (Hall, Quinn, & Gollnick, 2018).

With their expansive role in the educational journey, educators are encouraged to invest time and resourceful thought in crafting and continually refining their classroom objectives (Doran, 1981). Moreover, the use of established taxonomies and attention to characteristics like SMARTness in this process can greatly facilitate this endeavor.

As the backbone of well-structured courses, learning objectives deserve the thoughtful consideration and continuous improvement efforts of every dedicated educator. It is our hope that this article has provided insights that will help you bring more clarity, coherence, and effectiveness to your educational planning.

Adams, N. E. (2015). Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive learning objectives. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA , 103 (3), 152. doi: https://doi.org/10.3163%2F1536-5050.103.3.010

Doran, G. T. (1981). There’sa SMART way to write management’s goals and objectives. Management review , 70 (11), 35-36.

Hall, G. E., Quinn, L. F., & Gollnick, D. M. (2018). Introduction to teaching: Making a difference in student learning . Sage Publications.

Li, Y., Rakovic, M., Poh, B. X., Gaševic, D., & Chen, G. (2022). Automatic Classification of Learning Objectives Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. International Educational Data Mining Society .

Marzano, R. J. (2010). Designing & teaching learning goals & objectives . Solution Tree Press.

Orr, R. B., Csikari, M. M., Freeman, S., & Rodriguez, M. C. (2022). Writing and using learning objectives. CBE—Life Sciences Education , 21 (3). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.22-04-0073

Sewagegn, A. A. (2020). Learning objective and assessment linkage: its contribution to meaningful student learning. Universal Journal of Educational Research , 8 (11), 5044-5052.

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How to write learning objectives for a presentation?

How to Write Learning Objectives for a Presentation

When preparing a presentation, one of the most crucial steps is to define the learning objectives. Learning objectives are the clear and specific statements that outline what the audience should know, understand, or be able to do after attending the presentation. A well-crafted learning objective is essential to ensure that the presentation is effective, engaging, and relevant to the audience. In this article, we will explore how to write learning objectives for a presentation.

Why Learning Objectives are Important

Before we dive into the process of writing learning objectives, let’s highlight the importance of having clear and specific objectives. A presentation without learning objectives is like a recipe without ingredients – it’s aimless and lacks direction . Learning objectives provide the foundation for the entire presentation, ensuring that the content is relevant, focused, and aligned with the audience’s needs.

Key Characteristics of Effective Learning Objectives

To write effective learning objectives, you should keep the following key characteristics in mind:

• Specific : Learning objectives should be specific, leaving no room for misinterpretation. • Measurable : Learning objectives should be measurable, allowing you to track progress and assess outcomes. • Achievable : Learning objectives should be achievable, taking into account the audience’s existing knowledge and skills. • Relevant : Learning objectives should be relevant to the audience’s needs and interests. • Time-bound : Learning objectives should be time-bound, specifying a specific timeframe for completion.

How to Write Learning Objectives

Now that we’ve covered the importance and key characteristics of effective learning objectives, let’s dive into the process of writing them. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Table of Contents

Step 1: Identify the Audience

Before writing learning objectives, you need to identify your target audience. Know who your audience is, what they know, and what they need . Consider their level of expertise, interests, and concerns to ensure that your learning objectives are relevant and engaging.

Step 2: Determine the Purpose

Once you’ve identified your audience, determine the purpose of the presentation. What do you want to achieve? What do you want your audience to take away? Be clear about the purpose, and it will help you to define the learning objectives.

Step 3: Craft the Learning Objectives

Using the information gathered from steps 1 and 2, craft the learning objectives. Start by using the verb "will be able to" followed by a specific statement of what the audience will learn or achieve . For example:

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to identify the key elements of a successful marketing campaign.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to apply the principles of project management to real-world scenarios.

Step 4: Review and Refine

Review and refine your learning objectives to ensure they meet the key characteristics mentioned earlier. Check if they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound . Make adjustments as needed to ensure that your learning objectives are clear, concise, and effective.

Example of a Learning Objective

Here’s an example of a learning objective for a presentation on "Effective Time Management":

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to prioritize tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix and create a schedule that aligns with their goals and priorities .

Benefits of Using Learning Objectives

Using learning objectives has numerous benefits, including:

• Improved engagement : When participants know what they will gain from the presentation, they are more likely to engage and participate. • Increased relevance : Learning objectives ensure that the content is relevant and aligned with the audience’s needs. • Better evaluation : Learning objectives provide a clear benchmark for evaluating the effectiveness of the presentation. • Enhanced credibility : By setting clear learning objectives, you demonstrate your expertise and commitment to delivering value to your audience.

Writing learning objectives is a crucial step in creating an effective presentation. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can craft clear, specific, and achievable learning objectives that meet the needs of your audience. Remember to keep your learning objectives specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, and don’t forget to review and refine them to ensure they meet your goals. By doing so, you’ll be well on your way to delivering a presentation that is engaging, informative, and relevant to your audience.

Table: Key Characteristics of Effective Learning Objectives

Table: Example of a Learning Objective

I hope this article has provided you with a comprehensive guide on how to write learning objectives for a presentation. Remember to always keep your learning objectives clear, specific, and relevant to your audience. Good luck with your presentations!

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How to Write Objectives | A Step-to-step Guide | 2024 Updates

Astrid Tran • 22 April, 2024 • 7 min read

Objectives are needed for every aspect of life, work and education.

Whether you are setting objectives for academic research, teaching and learning, courses and training, personal development, professional growth, a project, or more, having clear objectives like having a compass to help you stay on track.

So, how to write objectives? Check out this article to get a complete guide on writing realistic and impactful objectives.

Table of Contents

How to write objectives of a project

How to write objectives for a presentation, how to write objectives for lesson plan, how to write objectives for a research, how to write objectives for personal growth.

More tips on how to write objectives

Frequently Asked Questions

Project objectives often focus on tangible results, such as completing specific tasks, delivering products, or achieving certain milestones within a defined timeframe.

Writing project objectives should follow these principles:

Start early : It is important to set your project objectives at the beginning of your project to avoid unexpected situations and employees misunderstanding.

Changes : Project objectives can be determined to address challenges of previous projects experience and seek to minimize potential risks prior to the project begins.

Achievement : An objective of a project should mention what success is. Different success is measured by specific and measurable objectives.

OKR : OKR stands for "objectives and key results," a managerial model that aims to set goals and identify metrics to measure progress. Objectives are your destination, while key results contribute to the path that will get you there.

Focus : Different project objectives might consist of related issues such as:

Customer satisfaction
Turnover and Retention
Sales and Revenue
Return on investment (ROI)
Sustainability
Productivity

For example :

The goal of the campaign is to improve the traffic by 15% before the end of the first quarter.
This project aims to produce 5,000 units of products in the next three months.
Add five new methods for clients to seek the feedback form in-product within the next three months.
Increase click through rate (CTR) engagement on email by 20% by the end of the second quarter.

Words and Phrased to avoid when writing learning objectives for students

Presentation objectives outline what you intend to accomplish with your presentation, which might involve informing, persuading, educating, or inspiring your audience. They guide the content creation process and shape how you engage your listeners during the presentation.

When it comes to writing presentation objectives, there are some notes to look at:

The questions "Why" : To write a good presentation objective, start with answering why questions, such as Why is this presentation important to your audience? Why should people invest time and money to attend this presentation? Why is your content important to the organization?

What do you want the audience to know, feel and do ? Another important of writing objectives for a presentation is considering the comprehensive impact your presentation has on the audience. This pertains to the informational, emotional, and actionable aspect.

Rule of three : When you write your objectives in your PPT, don't forget to express no more than three key points per slide.

Some examples of objectives:

Ensure the managers understand that without additional funding of $10,000, the project will fail.
Get commitment from the director of sales to a three-tier pricing proposal for customer Prime.
Get the audience to commit to reducing their personal plastic usage by signing a pledge to avoid single-use plastics for at least a week.
Participants will feel empowered and confident about managing their finances, replacing financial anxiety with a sense of control and informed decision-making.

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Learning objectives, often used in education and training, specify what learners are expected to gain from a learning experience. These objectives are written to guide curriculum development, instructional design, and assessment.

A guide on writing an objective for learning and lesson plan described as follows:

Learning objectives verbs : There is no better way to have learning objectives start with measurable verbs collected by Benjamin Bloom based on level of cognition.

Knowledge level: tell, uncover, show, state, define, name, write, recall,...
Comprehension level: indicate, illustrate, represent, formulate, explain, classify, translate,...
Application level: perform, make a chart, put into action, build, report, employ, draw, adapt, apply,...
Analysis Level: analyze, study, combine, separate, categorize, detect, examine,...
Synthesis Level: integrate, conclude, adapt, compose, construct, create, design,...
Evaluation Level: evaluate, interpret, decide, solve, rate, appraise, verify,...

Student-centered : Objectives should reflect the unique aspirations, strengths and weaknesses of each student, emphasize what students will know or be able to do, not what you will teach or cover.

Learning Objective Examples:

To recognize the power of different types of language
By the end of this course, students will be able to identify and develop data collection instruments and measures for planning and conducting sociological research.
By the end of this course, students will be able to identify their own position on the political spectrum.

Blooms-Taxonomy learning objectives verbs

The purpose of research objectives is congruent with research study outcomes.They articulate the purpose of the research, what the researcher intends to investigate, and the expected outcomes.

There are severals principles to follow to ensure a well-written research objectives:

Academic language : It is important to note that research writing is strict on the use of language. It is held to a high standard of clarity, precision, and formality.

Avoid using first-person references to state the objectives. Replace "I will" with neutral phrasing that emphasizes the research's intention. Avoid emotional language, personal opinions, or subjective judgments.

Pinpoint the Focus : Your research objectives should clearly articulate what your study aims to investigate, analyze, or uncover.

Specify the Scope : Outline the boundaries of your research by specifying the scope. Clearly delineate what aspects or variables will be examined, and what will not be addressed.

Maintain Consistency with Research Questions : Ensure your research objectives align with your research questions.

Frequently used phrases in research objectives

...contribute to the knowledge of...
...search for...
Our study will also document....
The primary objective is to integrate...
The purposes of this research include:
We attempt to...
We formulated these objective based on
This study searches for
The second gold is to test

how to write learning objectives for a presentation

Objectives for personal growth often focus on individual improvement on skills, knowledge, well-being, and overall development.

Personal growth objectives encompass various aspects of life, including emotional, intellectual, physical, and interpersonal dimensions. They serve as roadmaps for continuous learning, growth, and self-awareness.

Read one non-fiction book each month to expand knowledge in areas of personal interest.
Incorporate regular exercise into the routine by walking or jogging for at least 30 minutes five times a week.

Tips to write objectives for personal growth from AhaSlides.

💡 Development Goals For Work: A Step-By-Step Guide For Beginners with Examples

💡 What is Personal Growth? Set Up Personal Goals For Work | Updated in 2023

💡 Work Goals Examples For Evaluation with +5 Steps To Create in 2023

How to write objectives in general? Here are common tips for setting objectives of any field.

#1. Be concise and straightforward

Keep the words as simple and straightforward as much as possible. It is much better to remove unnecessary or ambiguous words that might lead to misunderstanding.

#2. Keep your number of objectives limited

Don't confuse your learners or readers with too many objectives. Concentrating on a few key objectives can effectively maintain focus and clarity and prevent overwhelming.

#3. Use action verbs

You can start each objective with one of the following measurable verbs: Describe, Explain, Identify, Discuss, Compare, Define, Differentiate, List, and more.

#4. Be SMART

SMART objectives framework can be defined with specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. These objectives are clearer and easier to understand and achieve.

⭐ Want more inspiration? Check out AhaSlides to explore the innovative way to get presentations and lesson engaging and fun!

What are the 3 parts of an objective?

According to Mager (1997), objective statements contain three parts: behavior (or, performance), conditions, and criteria.

What are the 4 elements of a well-written objective?

The four elements of an objective are Audience, Behavior, Condition, and Degree, called A-B-C-D method. They are used to identify what a student is expected to know and how to test them.

What are the 4 components of objective writing?

There are four components of an objective include: (1) the action verb, (2) conditions, (3) standard, and (4) the intended audience (always the students)

Ref: Indeed | Batchwood |

Astrid Tran

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The Ultimate Guide to Writing Learning Objectives: Definitions, Strategies and Examples

Simple steps to writing effective, measurable learning objectives for university and college educators. This guide includes practical approaches and helpful examples.

Top Hat Staff

The Ultimate Guide to Writing Learning Objectives: Definitions, Strategies and Examples

While it’s natural to focus on theory and concepts when designing your course, it’s equally important to think about the net result you want to achieve in terms of student learning. Learning objectives focus on just that—they articulate what students should be able to know, do and create by the end of a course. They’re also the key to creating a course in which courseware, context, teaching strategies, student learning activities and assessments all work together to support students’ achievement of these objectives.

This guide presents essential information about how to write effective, measurable learning objectives that will create a strong structure and instructional design for your course.

What are learning objectives, learning objectives vs. learning outcomes, how to write learning objectives, tools for developing effective learning objectives, examples of learning objectives.

Learning objectives identify what the learner will know and be able to do by the end of a course. Grounded in three primary learning areas—attitudes, skills and knowledge—clear learning objectives help organize student progress throughout the curriculum .

While the terms “learning objectives” and “learning outcomes” are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between them.

One key distinction is that learning objectives are a description of the overarching goals for a course or unit. Learning outcomes , on the other hand, outline goals for the individual lessons comprising that course or unit. Learning outcomes should be measurable and observable, so students can gauge their progress toward achieving the broader course objectives.

Another distinction between the two concepts is that learning objectives focus on the educator or institution’s educational goals for the course. For students, goals and progress in a specific course or program are measured by learning outcomes.

Learning objectives help students understand how each lesson relates to the previous one. This way, students can understand how each course concept relates to the course’s goals, as well as degree or course goals. When writing measurable student learning objectives, instructors should ensure that they are structured in a way that makes it easy for students to assess their own progress, as well as the way forward in their learning.

Strong learning objectives should:

Focus on what students should learn in a course rather than what the instructor plans to teach
Break down each task into an appropriate sequence of skills students can practice to reach each objective
Make use of action-oriented language
Be clear and specific so students understand what they will learn and why they are learning it

Learning objectives should also be measurable. In order to be effective, they must lay out what success looks like. This way, students can accurately gauge their progress and performance. From these criteria, students should be able to clearly identify when they have completed an element of the course and are ready to move on to the next one.

Key elements to consider

By answering certain fundamental questions, you can begin the process of developing clear learning objectives armed with the information to craft them effectively.

Which higher-order skills or practical abilities do you want students to possess after attending your course that they did not possess beforehand?
What do your students need to know and understand in order to get from where they are now to where you want them to be by the end of the course?
Which three main items do you want students to take away from your course if they learn nothing else?

3 steps to writing learning objectives

Writing strong and effective learning objectives is a matter of three simple steps:

Explain the precise skill or task the student will perform.
Describe how the student will execute the given skill or task and demonstrate relevant knowledge and competency—a quiz, test, group discussion, presentation, research project.
Lay out the specific criteria you will use to measure student performance at the end of the learning experience.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Used to develop effective learning objectives, Bloom’s Taxonomy is an educational framework that is designed to help educators identify not only subject matter but also the depth of learning they want students to achieve. Then, these objectives are used to create assessments that accurately report on students’ progress towards these outcomes.

The revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (2001) comprises three domains—cognitive, affective and psychomotor. In creating effective learning objectives, most educators choose to focus on the cognitive domain. The cognitive domain prioritizes intellectual skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creating a knowledge base. The levels of this domain span from simple memorization designed to build the knowledge of learners, to creating a new idea or working theory based on previously learned information. In this domain, learners are expected to progress linearly through the levels, starting at “remember” and concluding at “create,” in order to reach subject mastery.

The following are the six levels of the cognitive domain:

Remembering
Understanding

Action verbs

These action verbs and sample learning objectives are mapped to each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy’s cognitive domain. Here, we provide a breakdown of how to implement each level in your classroom. Some examples of action verbs useful for articulating each of the levels within the cognitive domain include:

Sample learning objective: Upon completion of a geography workshop, students will be able to list the different layers of rock in a given natural structure.
Sample learning objective: By the end of a Sociology lesson, students will be able to identify instruments for collecting data and measurements for the conducting and planning of research.
Sample learning objective: After a lesson on literary analysis, students will be able to assign a cohesive reading list for an imagined class on a particular subtopic within the literary realm.
Sample learning objective: At the end of a course in global economics, students will be able to analyze the economic theories behind various macroeconomic policies and accurately categorize them.
Sample learning objective: Upon completion of a course on the history of war, students will be able to compare and contrast any two historic wars using timelines of the respective conflicts.
Sample learning objective: Upon completion of the astronomy course, students will be able to predict the motion and appearance of celestial objects and curate data on the subject from multiple sources and communicate procedures, results and conclusions properly.

The SMART strategy

Simply put, learning objectives are goals for teaching and learning. They provide a sense of direction, motivation and focus. By setting objectives, you can provide yourself and your students with a target to aim for. A straightforward way to set realistic, achievable expectations is through the SMART strategy, ensuring objectives are:

Specific : Unambiguous, well-defined and clear.
Measurable : Designed with specific criteria of how to measure your progress toward the accomplishment of the goal in mind.
Achievable : Attainable and possible to achieve.
Realistic : Within reach, realistic, and relevant to the course or program’s purpose.
Timely : With a clearly defined timeline, including a starting date and a target date, to ensure you can set mini-milestones and check-ins throughout the duration of your course.

By writing measurable learning objectives you can better choose and organize content and use that to select the most appropriate instructional strategies and assessments to meet the learning goals for your course.

Using language formally vs. informally
Explaining how to write and speak in each type of language
Teaching others how to choose and use the appropriate type of language in different situations
Good example: Upon completion of this course, students will possess the ability to identify and develop instruments for collecting data and measures for executing academic research.
Poor example: After completing this course, students will be able to explain the organizational structure.
Poor example: Students will comprehend the importance of the Civil War.

The first two are good learning objectives because they explain the exact skill or task the student will perform, as well as how they will be tested and evaluated on their performance. The second examples are poor because they are vague and do not include how the knowledge acquired will be evaluated.

Student learning improves when they know what is expected of them. When learning objectives are clear, students are better prepared for a deeper approach to learning. This means that students seek meaning, relate and extend ideas, look for patterns and underlying principles, check evidence, examine arguments critically and engage with course content in a more sophisticated way.

For instructors, this means a more engaged and connected classroom community that works together. By setting clear guidelines for what you intend to teach and for students to learn, you can ensure that you are laying the foundation for a successful and more motivating educational experience.

Hattie, J. A. C., & Donoghue, G. M. (2016). Learning strategies: a synthesis and conceptual model. Science of Learning , 1, 1–13. doi:10.1038/npjscilearn.2016.13

Marsh, P.A. (2007). What is known about student learning outcomes and how does it relate to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning? International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 1(2), article 22.

Trigwell, K. & Prosser, M. (1991). Improving the quality of student learning: the influence of learning context and student approaches to learning on learning outcomes. Higher Education , 22(3), 251–266.

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Learning objective tip sheet, tips for writing learning objectives.

Available as PDF Download

What are learning objectives?

Learning objectives are specific, measurable, observable student behaviors ;
An objective is a description of a performance you want learners to be able to exhibit before you consider them competent; and
Learning objectives can describe these behaviors at a course, module/unit, or session level.

Why have objectives?

To convey instructional intent to students;
To ensure that learning is focused clearly enough that both students and teacher know what is going on;
To provide direction to instruction; and
To provide guidelines for alignment of assessment.

How specific and detailed should objectives be? What are the components of a learning objective?

A common way of framing objective components is using the A-B-C-D model. These include: audience, behavior, condition, and degree.

A ( audience ) – Who is the target audience? (e.g. “ Students will… ”)
They should be both observable and measurable behaviors.
C ( condition ) – What are the conditions/constraints where the audience will be expected to perform these tasks within? (e.g. “ given an amino acid sequence of a protein… ”).
D (degree) – How will the behavior need to be performed? (e.g. “the gene for expression of a protein” ).
Students will be able to predict the net charge on ionizable groups at any given pH.
Students will be able to predict, in qualitative terms, the role of molecular forces in stabilizing protein-drug complexes and the potential effect of chiral centers on drug activity.
Given the target of a drug in polymer biosynthesis, students will be able to predict the effect of that drug on bacteria or viral growth.
Students will describe past public policy debates in the United States that exemplify a broad range of historical and contemporary concerns and analyze them using a provided theoretical framework.
Students will identify which patients will benefit from the pertussis vaccine based on their demographics and comorbidities

Writing Objectives Using Bloom’s Taxonomy and Associated Action Verbs

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a classification of different objectives. The taxonomy was proposed in 1956 by Benjamin Bloom but was recently updated. These 6 levels can be used to structure the learning objectives, lessons, and assessments of your course. The taxonomy ranges from the Remembering ( Lowest cognitive task) to Creating (Highest cognitive task). Note: This taxonomy addresses the cognitive domain but other taxonomies are available for the psychomotor and affective domains.

UConn Center for Teacing and Learning, Writing Learning Objectives

It is important to remember that these verbs are not observable and therefore are not measurable:

Consider using the verbs below to define your objectives and the example activities to assess achievement of the learning objectives.

Please feel free to reach out to CETL ( [email protected] ) if you would like further assistance on writing learning objectives and aligning them with your assessments.

Note: Depending on the context, several of these Verbs/ Activities can be used at different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. www.teachthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/verbs-for-blooms-taxonomy.jpg 1/1

Consult with our CETL Professionals

Consultation services are available to all UConn faculty at all campuses at no charge.