This document discusses educational goals and objectives. It compares goals, which are broad statements of intention, to objectives, which are specific and measurable. The document outlines Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives and how it has influenced curriculum development. It provides examples of writing objectives using the ABCD model, which specifies the Audience, Behavior, Condition, and Degree. Objectives target the cognitive, affective, or psychomotor domains and use action verbs accordingly. Overall, the document provides guidance on developing learner-based instruction through clearly articulated educational goals and objectives.

1. Educational Goals and
Objectives
A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING LEARNER BASED
INSTRUCTION

2. Educational Objectives for this Presentation
At the end of this presentation you will be able to:
Compare and contrast educational goals vs. educational
objectives
Write an educational objective using the ABCD model
Develop educational objectives that focus on the learner
or participant as the intended audience
List three adult learning preferences

3. A Brief History of Educational Goals
The development of
educational goals and
objectives began in WWII
as a way of conceptualizing
instruction and training
programs in the military.
Educational psychologists
and educators jumped on
the concept!

4. 1956
Benjamin Bloom and his
colleagues published a
taxonomy of learner
behaviors which was taken
into the public schools and
eventually adopted in the
health profession schools .
It has influenced
curriculum development
and driven the movement
towards competency based
instruction for health
professionals.
Bloom. B. and Krathwolh,D. (1956)
Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives:The Classification of
Educational Goals , New
York,Longmans

5. Today-
Educational goals and
objectives are widely
used and required for
the development of
continuing professional
education activities that
award continuing
education credit.
Bloom’s original work
has been revised and
updated.

6. Educational Objectives
are also called:
Learning Objectives
Outcomes
Terminal Objectives
Enabling Objectives
Performance Objectives
Aims
Competencies The use of the terms “goals” and
Instructional Objectives “objectives” can be confusing!
Behavioral Objectives
Let’s clarify the differences.

7. The Difference Between Goals and Objectives
GOALS OBJECTIVES
Broad statements Specific
General intentions Precise
Intangible Tangible
Abstract Concrete
Generally hard to
measure Measureable

8. Goal
The goal of a
learning
activity is like
a target

9. Objectives
The objectives
are the arrows
that help the
learner reach
the target and
demonstrate
mastery

10. Can you identify the Goals?
A. State the definition of a complimentary medical
intervention or therapy.
B. Provide the health professional with the latest
information about over the counter (OTC) anti-
histamines and their side effects.
C. Introduce the reader to a new development in the early
detection of oral cancer.
D. Be exposed to a new way of organizing paperwork.

11. Clue:
There is only one objective on the previous slide-
A.State the definition of a complimentary medical
intervention or therapy.
The rest are all broad based goals!

12. Common Pitfalls in Writing Goals
Focus on the instructor actions-not the learner
“Provide an overview of the latest site research.”
The purpose of this course is to provide the participant with print and web
references regarding site research”.
“Dispel common myths about hand washing.”
The goal of this course is to provide the health care professional with a
review of the history and origin of common myths about hand washing .
Confusing a goal (broad) with an objective (specific)
“How to turn just ten minutes a day into a revenue stream.”
To clarify this example the author or presenter needs to decide what is the
overall goal-then what specific behaviors the learners need to do to
demonstrate mastery of the information or skill.

13. A few things to remember about goals
Every educational
activity should have a
goal
The goal focuses on what
the learner will
experience, rather than
what the instructor will
share or do
It is a broad statement of
purpose

14. In general terms
what is the overall
purpose of the
educational
activity?
What is the main
intention?
The purpose of this article is to
Example: provide health care professionals
with new information on MRSA
screening.

15. Writing educational
goals and
objectives does not
have to be a
struggle.
Mastering the basic
components will help
you to zero in on what
you want the learners or
participants to gain from
the experience .
Goals and objectives
help to focus your Clearly written objectives help to
presentation!
define the outcome of the activity.

16. The Components of an
Educational Objective
ALWAYS BEGIN WITH THE END RESULT IN MIND!
THE ABCD APPROACH

17. Who is this activity
intended for? Be
specific!
At the end of the
webinar the participants
will be able to…..
At the conclusion of the
conference presentation
the attendees will be
able to…
A=Audience (the learners, readers
or participants, not the instructor)

18. What exactly is it that
you want the learner to
be able to do as a result
of your …
Journal article
Webinar
Self Study Module
Conference presentation
B=BEHAVIOR
Hands on Workshop
(what the participants will do)

19. What type of behavior do you want?
Behaviors for educational objectives fall into three
categories, called domains
Think of them as three flavors of ice cream!

20. Dealing with intellectual
abilities
Approximately 80% of
educational objectives
fall into this domain
Most familiar to both
instructors, authors and
learners
“Head” objectives
Cognitive Domain

21. Relating to the
expression of feelings ,
including emotions,
fears, interests,
attitudes, beliefs, values
and appreciations
Often the most difficult
objectives to develop
Sometimes called
“heart” objectives
Affective Domain

22. Motor Skills
The easiest objectives to
write as the behavior is
easily observed and
monitored. Psychomotor
skills often involve the
use of tools or
instruments.
“ Hands On” courses will
contain psychomotor
objectives
Psychomotor Domain
“Hand” Objectives

23. All three domains are hierarchical
More complex and higher
level skills are at the top
Each level builds on itself
and assumes mastery at
the lower levels
Fundamentals are at the
earliest levels

24. States what conditions
the instructor will
impose when the
learners are
demonstrating mastery
of a skill.
Usually a WHEN or
WHILE statement
“when given a set of five
unlabeled slides”
“when given a list of
common over the
counter drugs”
C= Condition
“while working
independently”
(imposed by the instructor)

25. The standard or
criterion for judging the
behavioral performance.
What has to happen for
the learner to succeed?
It might be:
Speed
Accuracy
Quality
D=Degree
Quantity
What is “Good Enough”?

26. Putting It All Together
Getting Started
First develop the overall
broad goal for your
educational activity.
o “The purpose of this
activity (lecture, article,
etc) is to……..

27. A=Audience
Next
o Define your AUDIENCE
o If possible, identify what
level they are..novice,
intermediate, advanced or
mixed?
Remember, the
audience is always the
learner, not the instructor

28. B=Behaviors the learners will demonstrate
• What does a participant
have to do to
demonstrate they have
mastered the material?
• Are those behaviors
cognitive, affective or
psychomotor?
• This will influence your
word choice.

29. Cognitive Domain
Because educational objectives frequently target the cognitive
domain, examples of the levels and sample action verbs will be
helpful in developing your educational objectives.
These examples are based on
the revised version of Bloom’s
work.
Anderson, L.W. and Krathwohl(Eds.) 2001 A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching and Assessing: A Revision of
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.New York, Longman

30. Level One Cognitive Domain
REMEMBERING Action Verbs
match remember
Recall of information list memorize
define recognize
arrange relate
label recall
name repeat
order reproduce

31. Level Two Cognitive Domain
UNDERSTANDING Action Verbs
classify describe
discuss explain
Interpret information in express identify
one’s own words indicate locate
recognize report
restate review
select sort
tell translate

32. Level Three Cognitive Domain
APPLYING Action Verbs
demonstrate
dramatize
Use knowledge or apply choose
generalization in a new employ illustrate
situation interpret operate
prepare practice
schedule sketch
solve use

33. Level Four Cognitive Domain
ANALYSING Action Verbs
discriminate
differentiate
Break down knowledge analyze appraise
into parts and show calculate categorize
relationships among compare contrast
parts
criticize diagram
distinguish examine
inventory question
experiment test

34. Level Five Cognitive Domain
EVALUATING Action Verbs
appraise argue
assess attack
Making judgments based choose compare
on criteria and defend estimate
standards evaluate judge
predict rate
score select
support value

35. Level Six Cognitive Domain
CREATING Action Verbs
arrange assemble
Bring together parts of collect compose
knowledge to form a construct create
whole and build design formulate
relationships for new
manage organize
situations
plan prepare
propose set up
synthesize write

36. C=Condition
The condition(s )imposed
on the learner
Examples:
“when given a list of 20 words”
“within one hour”
“independently”
“while working in a small group”

37. D=Degree
The criterion for success!
Examples:
“select the correct one”
“with 80% accuracy”
“4 out of 5 times
“three”
How do you evaluate if the
learner “got it”?

38. Examples of Objectives Using ABCD
“At the end of this webinar the participant will be
able to recall the three most common types of
personal protection in breaking the chain of
transmission for effective infection control.
Audience “the participant”
Behavior “recall” (Level One Cognitive)
Condition “the end of this webinar”
Degree “three”

39. Example
“When given a list of 20 words, the learner will be able
to identify correctly all the cognitive action verbs”.
Audience “the learner”
Behavior “identify” (Level Two Cognitive)
Condition “when given a list of 20 words”
Degree “all” (100%)

40. Common Pitfalls When Writing Objectives
Not using measurable action verbs in the educational
objective
“to be knowledgeable out the rates of osteoporosis”
Know, learn, understand, be aware of, be exposed to are
too general to be effectively measured
Not listing the degree required for mastery
“At the conclusion of this presentation the learner will be
able to list (how many) common side effects of low dose
aspirin therapy”.

41. Thoughts on Adult Learning Preferences
Adults seek information to
solve problems-more than
acquiring new knowledge
Presenting solutions and
potential strategies for
solving problems
increases the probability
of success for your
educational activity

42. Adult Learning Preferences
Adults are engaged
when learning builds
on real life
experiences and prefer
case studies, role play,
simulations, hands on
components and
other interactive
methods

43. Adult Learning Preferences
Adults want reference
materials and “quick
guides” to take away
from a learning
experience and use in
their daily work life

44. Summary
Educational goals are general
statements of intent and The ABCD method of writing
purpose educational objectives helps
to assure that all the critical
Every educational activity components are included
should have a goal
Adult learners select
Educational objectives are educational activities to solve
specific, measureable and problems
precise
Adult learners prefer to have
The cognitive domain is most interactive, real life scenarios,
frequently used in developing role play and references
educational objectives

45. For more information:
Additional resources for
exploring the affective
and psychomotor
domains and key words
are easily found on the
web.
Congratulations! Good luck and
thank you for completing this
presentation!