How to make objectives and what are the do's and don'ts in formulating them

1. Objectives
By: Ma. Angelica Samson, RN

2. Objectives
O Educational Objectives are the statements of
those that changes behavior which are desired
as a result of learner and teacher activity.
O A well- stated educational objective has 2
aspects:
O Behavior- a student should know and able to do.
O Content- about which subject matter or area of
life experience in which the behavior is to
operate.

3. TYPES OF OBJECTIVES
O Central Objective- it is of supreme
importance in any unit of teaching and
learning. It gives clarity, design, meaning and
unity to the learning activities.
O Contributory Objectives- the attainment of
the central objectives is dependent on certain
understandings, skills, attitudes and
appreciations which are known as
contributory.
O Indirect Objectives- are important and should
always be kept in mind. They are the unifying
agents that integrate the fragments in a
whole pattern of life for the individual.

4. Types of Learning Domains
The types of objectives can be divided into three learning
domains:
1.Cognitive Domain- it is known as the “thinking domain”.
Learning in this domain involves the acquisition of the
information and refers to the learner’s intellectual abilities ,
mental capacities and thinking process.
2.Affective Domain- known as the “feeling domain”.
Learning in this domain involves an increasing
internalization or commitment to feelings expressed
3.Psychomotor Domain- the skills domain. Learning in this
domain involves acquiring fine and gross motor abilities
with increasing complexity of neuromuscular coordination
to carry out physical movement; such as working, hand
writing , manipulating of equipment or carrying out a
procedure.

5. Taxonomy of Objectives
O Bloom’s Taxonomy- a way of distinguishing
the fundamental questions within the
education system. It is named after
Benjamin Bloom, who chaired the
committee of educators that devised the
taxonomy.
COGNITIVE DOMAIN
O Knowledge- ability of the learner to recall,
define, recognize, or identify specific
information such as facts, rules, principles,
conditions and terms presented during
instruction.
O Comprehension- ability of the learner to
demonstrate an understanding or
appreciation of what is communicated by
translating.

6. O Application- ability of the learner to
use ideas, principles, abstractions, or
theories in particular situations such
as figuring, writing reading, or
handling equipment.
O Analysis- ability of the learner to
recognize and structure information
by breaking it down into its
constituent parts and specifying the
relationship between parts.
O Synthesis- ability of the learner to put
together parts and elements into a
unified whole by creating a unique
product that is written, oral, pictorial
and so on.

7. Affective domain
• Receiving- ability of the learner to
show awareness of an idea or fact
or a consciousness, of a situation
or event in the environment.
• Responding- ability of the learner
to respond to an experience at first
obediently and later willingly and
with satisfaction.
• Valuing- Ability of the learner to
regard or accept the worth of a
theory, idea or event,
demonstrating sufficient
commitment or preference.

8. O Organization- ability of the
learner to organize, classify
and prioritize values by
integrating of new value into a
general set of values.
O Characterization- ability of the
learner to integrate values into
a total philosophy or world
view. Showing firm
commitment consistency of
responses to values or attitude
cluster.

9. Psychological Domain
O Perceptions- ability of
the client show sensory
awareness of objects or
ones associated with
some task to be
performed.
O Set- ability of the
learner to exhibit
readiness to take a
particular kind of action,
such as following
directions, through
expressions of
willingness.

10. O Guided Response- ability
of the learner to exert
effort via overt actions
under the guidance of an
instructor.
O Mechanism- ability of the
learner to repeatedly
perform steps of a
desired skill with a certain
degree of confidence.

11. O Complex overt
Response- ability of the
learner to automatically
perform a complex
motor act with
independence and high
degree of skill, without
hesitation and with
minimum expenditure f
time and energy.

12. Why do we need to have an
Objective?
O To provide direction to
an instruction.
O To provide guidelines for
assessment.
O To convey instructional
intent to others.

13. How To Formulate
Objectives ?

14. Form of Statement of
Objectives
O Teacher - Centered Objective- objectives that
can be stated in the form of activities which
the teachers is to do. E.g. to demonstrate a
bed bath.
O Subject-Matter-Centered Objectives-
objectives can be stated in the form of topics,
concepts, generalizations or other elements of
content to be taught. E.g. The Symptoms of
Diabetes.

15. O Behavior-Centered Objectives- this type of
objective indicates desired changes in
behavior patterns in such generalized
patterns of behavior that do not serve as
guides in selection of learning activities. E.g.
to develop skills in health teaching.
O Learner-Centered Objectives- it can be
stated in relation to the learner either in terms
of what the learner is to do or in terms of
desired outcomes of the learner.

16. O According to Mager (1997), the format
for writing concise and useful
behavioral objectives includes the
following three (3) important
characteristics:
O 1. Performance – Describes what the
learner is expected to do or perform to
demonstrate the kinds of behaviors the
teacher will accept as evidence that the
objectives have been achieved
O 2. Condition – describes the testing
situation or constraints under which the
behavior will to be observed.
O 3. Criterion- describes how well or with
what accuracy the learner must be able
to perform for the behavior to be
considered acceptable.

17. Answering the Following
Questions:
O WHAT should the learner
be able to do?
O UNDER what conditions
should the learner be able
to do it?
O HOW well must the learner
be able to do it?

18. In order to link the objectives together the
following steps are recommended
OIdentify the testing
situation(condition)
OState the learner and the
learner’s
behaviour.(Performance)
OState the performance
(Criterions)

19. Three Part Method of writing
an Objective
CONDITION
(Testing Situation)
Performance
(Learner Behaviour)
Criterion
(Quality of
Accuracy)
Without Using the
Calculator
The learner will be
able to:
5 out of 6 Problems
Using a model Solve
Demonstrate
The correct
procedure
Following Group
discussions
After watching a
video
List
Select
At least two reasons
With 100% accuracy

20. Common Mistakes when
Writing Objectives
O To describe what the instructor rather
than the learner is expected to do.
O Including more than one expected
behavior in a single objective. (avoid
using and)
O To forget to include all three components
of condition, performance and criterion.
O To write objectives is unattainable given
the ability level of the learner.

21. Some commonly used verbs
Knowledg
e
Compreh
ension
Applicati
on
Analysis Synthesi
s
Evaluatio
n
List, Name,
Identify,
Show, Define,
Recognize,
Recall, State,
Visualize
Summarize,
Explain,
Interpret,
Describe,
Compare,
Paraphrase,
Differentiate,
Demonstrate
, Classify
Solve,
Illustrate,
Calculate,
Use,
Interpret,
Relate,
Manipulate.
Analyze,
Organize,
Deduce,
Contrast,
Compare,
Distinguish,
Discuss,
Plan,
Devise
Design,
Hypothesi
ze,
Support,
Schematiz
e, Write,
Report,
Justify.
Evaluate,
Choose,
Estimate,
Judge,
Defend,
Criticize.

22. Objective Examples
O After watching a demonstration on
suctioning, the staff member will be able
to correctly suction a tracheostomy tube
using aseptic technique. CORRECT
O Given a list of exercises to relieve low
back pain, the patient will understand
how to control low back pain.
(performance not stated in measurable
terms, criterion missing)

23. REFERENCES
O References: Bastable (2003),
Nurse as Educators: Principles of
Teaching and Learning for Nursing
Practice 2nd Edition, pgs. 320-337.
O Heidgerken (1971), Teaching and
learning in schools of Nursing 3rd
Edition, pgs. 295-298.