This document provides guidance on developing effective learning objectives (LOs) and demonstrations of learning (DOLs). It begins with an agenda that includes defining LOs and DOLs, characteristics of effective ones, examples, and constructing coaching conversations to improve them. Key points are that LOs state what students will know or do, while DOLs assess mastery of the LO. Effective ones are clear, rigorous, measure standards, and can be completed independently in 5-10 minutes. The document aims to help coaches evaluate and improve teachers' LOs and DOLs.

1. Engineering Effective LOs
and DOLs
Presented by:
Dallas ISD’s Academic
Facilitators

2. Agenda
1. Welcome & Focus
2. Brain Dump
3. L to the O
4. LO Power Up
5. DOL
6. DOL Power Up
7. Constructing Coaching
Conversations
1. Reflection and Closure

3. Learning Objective/
Demonstration of Learning
Learning Objective
Coaches will be able to evaluate ineffective and effective
LO's and DOL's.
Demonstration of Learning
Given a rubric, coaches will evaluate a set of 3 Lo's and
DOL's with 100% accuracy.

4. Brain Dump
On the butcher paper at your table, “dump”
everything you know about LO's and DOL's.
**You can bullet your info, illustrate, paragraph format, or create a
metaphor/simile: Lo's are like_____because________...........

5. What is a Learning Objective
(LO)?
A learning objective is a specific, result
statement of what the learner will know,
understand, and/or accomplish
following a learning activity.

6. Characteristics of an
Effective LO:
• Clear, rigorous, and outcomes-based
• Aligned to district curriculum maps & assessments, as
well as state’s standards
• Focuses teacher and students throughout the lesson
• Can be taught in 1 lesson
• Students can explain what they are learning, why it is
important, what mastery looks like, how to connect it to
prior knowledge and their lives

7. A Learning Objective is
NOT...
• an agenda or a schedule.
• a description of an activity or
resource.
• description of the vehicle or
method used to teach the concept.
• too broad or vague.

8. LO Example
SE: 6.2 B use context (e.g., cause and effect or compare and contrast organizational
text structures) to determine or clarify the meaning of unfamiliar or multiple
meaning words; Readiness Standard
LO: Students will be able to (SWBAT) infer
the meaning of unfamiliar words using
context clues within the text, Sharks
Attack.

10. What is a Demonstration of
Learning, (DOL)?
A Demonstration of Learning is an
assessment or product through which
students demonstrate that they have
learned the objective of the lesson.

11. Characteristics of an
Effective DOL
• Clear/understandable and rigorous
• Developed in advance
• Measures student mastery or growth in
knowledge and skill relative to standards of
the posted objective
• Can be accomplished in 5-10 minutes
independently by students

12. A DOL is NOT...
• a check for understanding.
• an activity or project used to teach the objective.
• a quiz or exam that assesses multiple objectives.
• homework.
• group work

13. DOL Example
SE: 6.2 B use context (e.g., cause and effect or compare and contrast organizational
text structures) to determine or clarify the meaning of unfamiliar or multiple
meaning words; Readiness Standard
LO: Students will be able to (SWBAT) infer the meaning of unfamiliar
words using context clues within the text, Sharks Attack.
DOL: Given a text, students will be able to infer
the meaning of 3 out of 4 underlined
vocabulary words using context clues.

15. Constructing Coaching
Conversations
As a coach, it is your responsibility to build
capacity in the teachers at your campus.

16. Things to Consider
• Offer praise
• Verbalize the objective/goal of the meeting
• CLEARLY identify the problem
• List concrete action step(s)

17. Scenario directions...
• At your tables, determine who is partner A
and partner B
• Review the LO/DOL Rubric
• Role play a teacher and coach conversation
to create an aligned LO/DOL

18. Reflection
With your elbow partner, connect your learning to the
Core Beliefs.
• Our main purpose is to improve student academic achievement.
• Effective instruction makes the most difference in student academic
performance.
• There is no excuse for poor quality instruction.
• With our help, at risk students will achieve at the same rate as non-at
risk students.
• Staff members must have a commitment to the pursuit of excellence.
Next Steps???

19. Resources
• Costas/Blooms Levels
• Curriculum Central Calendar Maps 5th/Pre
K-2
• LO/DOL Cheat Sheet