This document provides guidance on how to write effective learning objectives. It explains that learning objectives should describe observable and measurable behaviors or skills that students will be able to demonstrate after a learning experience. The document outlines a structure for writing learning objectives, including using an observable verb in the first part, a content noun phrase in the second part, and a description of success criteria in the third part. It provides examples of well-structured learning objectives and distinguishes them from activity descriptions. The document also defines common verbs used in the first part of learning objectives and advises avoiding verbs that are not observable.

1. How to Write Effective
Learning Objectives

2. What are learning
objectives?
Learning objectives are statements of
what you want a student to be able to do
after a learning experience.
They are not “goals” or “aims”. Those
terms have slightly different meanings in
an educational setting.

3. What are learning
objectives?
Learning objectives should be
OBSERVABLE - The student can create some sort of behavior
or performance that you can see or hear. Typically creates
an artifact, although it’s possible to be an oral performance/
interaction.
MEASURABLE - The performance or behavior can be set
against some sort of metric (e.g., pass/fail, letter grade,
rubric score) judged by a more-knowledgeable other.
APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS CONTEXTS - The learning
objective is a description of a skill that can be applied to
various activities, assignments, or behaviors.

4. Structure of a Learning
Objective
First part - VERB in present tense that is an
observable action. Examples: Defines, Explains,
Identifies, Evaluates, Solves, Creates, Discusses,
Writes, Asks, Uses, Edits, Proofreads.
Second part - NOUN PHRASE, the content of
which is variable, but typically is the “meat”
of the content.
Third part - DESCRIPTION of the measure of
success which often starts with “as” or “that”.

5. Example Learning
Objective
Defines a noun as a person, place, or
thing.
Part 1: Defines
Part 2: a noun
Part 3: as a person, place or thing.

6. Example Learning
Objective
Writes a comparative essay that uses a
whole-to-whole or part-to-part
organizational structure.
Part 1: Writes
Part 2: a comparative essay
Part 3: that uses a whole-to-whole or
part-to-part organizational structure.

7. Example Learning
Objective
Selects a book for independent reading
that is an appropriate level for and
interest to the student.
Part 1: Selects
Part 2: a book for independent reading
Part 3: that is an appropriate level for
and interest to the student.

8. Example Learning
Objective
Brainstorms throughout the writing
process to come up with ideas for writing.
Part 1: Brainstorms
Part 2/3: throughout the writing process
to come up with ideas for writing.

9. ‘Part 1’ Verbs to Avoid
Understands, Knows - not observable, too
“big”
Reads - when it refers to a book or text.
(You can use ‘reads’ when discussing oral
reading.)

10. Definitions of Common
‘Part 1’ Verbs
Defines: Gives a dictionary definition.
Identifies: Points to something in a given text.
Explains: Gives details about a piece of content
that are finite and, generally, unchanging.
Discusses: Gives details about a piece of
content that are changing or multiple in
nature.
Evaluates: Judges the quality of.

11. Difference Between Learning
Objectives and Activity
Descriptions
Writes an persuasive
essay that gives an
opinion at the beginning
of the essay and
subsequently presents
evidence to support the
opinion.
Writes an persuasive essay
about a controversial topic.

12. Difference Between Learning
Objectives and Activity
Descriptions
Discusses the
motivations of a
character at various
points in a story.
Discusses the motivations of
Captain Ahab at various
points during Moby Dick.

13. From Learning
Objectives . . .
Various possibilities for instruction and learning
experiences should be evident.
Various possibilities for assessment—methods
and criteria—should also be evident.