Learning Objectives and Gradebooks:
A Synthesis that Makes Learning and Assessment More Intuitive
Betty Lawrence & Lisa Snyder
Betty.Lawrence@esc.edu, Lisa.Snyder@esc.edu
Center for Distance Learning, Empire State College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Original Objectives Learning Objective Summary
Goal In Contemporary Mathematics, the student will learn to:
 To articulate more clearly our learning 1. Apply a variety of current mathematical tools and concepts to problems in
objectives for an online course and management, social sciences, the arts, and personal finance; Objective/Assignment Math Critical Problem- Research and Collabor-
align those objectives to learning
Tools Thinking Solving Communication ative
2. Develop and apply critical thinking skills to these problems; Learning
activities 3. Develop and apply successful problem solving strategies, M2 CH1 Map P S
especially for quantitative problems; M2 CH2 Neighbor P S S
4. Refresh and extend quantitative skills;
Through this alignment, students and
M2 Discussion - Problem P S
 Solving
5. Research, write about and discuss applications of
instructors would focus more on mathematical skills and concepts to realistic problems; M4 CH5 Statistics P S
meeting stated objectives 6. Extend and apply learning to a problem chosen by the student M4 C5 Team Statistics S S P
in one of the areas studied. M4 Discussion - Statistics
Use
P S
M5 CH9 Choices P S
Revised Objectives
M5 Team Voting S P
M6 Project Proposal S P
After completion of Contemporary Mathematics, the
Theory
M6 Discussion - Shared S P
Project Ideas
student will be able to:
M7 CH18 Size P S
 Constructivism: basis for planned activities M7 Critter Discussion S P S
1. Apply a variety of current mathematical tools and concepts to problems in M7 CH19 Patterns P S
management, social sciences, the arts, and personal finance;
 Constructive Alignment: articulate 2. Demonstrate improved critical thinking skills;
M7 Discussion - Shared
web sites
P
connections between objectives and activities 3. Determine and apply successful problem solving strategies, especially for M8 CH21 Personal P S
Finance
quantitative problems;
M8 Discussion - Debt S P
 Deep Learning: move from superficial 4. Research, write about, and discuss applications of mathematical skills and
completion of assignments to deeper concepts to realistic problems; M9 Reflections on
Learning
S P
understanding through meeting objectives 5. Use collaborative learning as a strategy for learning M9 Final Project S S P
Student Comments – Module 1 Student Reflections – Module 9 Instructor Feedback Objective-Based Gradebook
 I’m sure this class helped me looking at problems differently and “As a professor, I found this gradebook to be
 I can relate to your sentiments regarding Math. I am with greater critical thinking.
an outstanding tool for my students and
Problem-Solving
Title Grade Comments
returning to school for the first time in more than 6
myself. It helped me to gauge my instruction
M 02: Solving Problems (100 pts.) 80% You participated twice in this discussion board.
years, and I tell no lie, this is a bit intimidating for  One thing that I learned is that mathematics is not as intangible of a M 08 Does Debt Matter? (100 pts.) 100% Thank you for participating in this discussion!
and focus on areas that students needed
Critter discussion (100 pts.) 100% Thank you for participating in this discussion!
subject as once thought. In fact, I have been able to make
me. connections with math to my favorite subject, art.
M 02: Warm Up Discussion (100 pts.) 80% You participated twice in this discussion board.
additional resources. Furthermore, it was an M 04: Warm Up Discussion (100 pts.)
Category Overall
100% Thank you for participating in this discussion!
18.4 (92%)
 Math, sadly, makes my skin crawl! So I'm over here outstanding resource when writing my course
When I think back to how many of you had a strong dislike of math Math Tools
itching... 
and then reading posts where you started getting it, it made me think evaluations.” Title
M 02 Assignment Chapter 1 (100 pts.)
Grade Comments
90% Your digraph it outstanding!
 I do not AT ALL have a brain for numbers or math. I of my own students and how I can get them really enjoying math.
--Mark Marino
M 02 Assignment for Chapter 2 (100 pts.) 70%
You did not adequately address the
requirements for this assignment.
might as well be trying to read Chinese most of the
Everything is correct except for the standard
M 04 Written Assignment for Chapter 5 (100 pts.) 94%
deviation. Keep up the great work.
Solving real-world problems was the key to unlocking some of the Please see the attached file for the detailed
time.  M 05 Individual Written Assignments (100 pts.) 100%
solutions.
mystery, and I actually enjoyed several of our assignments (believe it Module 07 Written Assignment for Chapter 18 (100 pts.) 40%
you have a good start, but you needed to
explain your solutions more thoroughly.
or not)! Module 08 Written Assignment for chapter 21 (100 pts.) 50%
I have attached the correct solutions to this
message.
Category Overall 14.7 (73.5%)