The document discusses developing learning objectives and instructional goals. It explains that instructional objectives should be written in terms of observable student behaviors or actions. General instructional objectives (GIOs) describe the intended learning outcome, while specific learner outcomes (SLOs) provide examples of what students can do to demonstrate achieving the GIO. SLOs make the GIO measurable by operationalizing it. Guidelines are provided for writing clear, unambiguous GIOs and SLOs that are context-free and relate to a single process.

1. Assessment in Schools Developing Learning Objectives

2. Question (choose the best answer) Content Standards Ensure that what is being taught is tested Specify how well student are expected to perform Identify what should be taught and tested Determine the quality of an assessment

3. Test Maker Troubles What to Measure How to Measure it The quality of an achievement test depends on how well both these problems are solved

4. Revised Blooms Taxonomy Cognitive Domain Outcomes Remembering – recognize & recall Understanding – interpret, classify, infer, explain, compare, summarize Applying – execute, implement Analyzing – differentiate, organize Evaluating – critique, judge Creating – plan, generate, produce

5. Test Planning There should be a direct relationship/alignment between Instructional Goals/Objectives of the course and the planned assessment of students’ learning.

6. Instructional/Learning Objectives When should they be written? What might happen if you don’t? [2-3]

7. Selecting Objectives Complete and Comprehensive : Are all important objectives covered? Is each important? Appropriate: Are they in harmony with school goals and societal values? Pedagogically Sound : Considering Age, interests, needs of students. Feasible : (Practical Utility) Are they realistic (ability, time, facilities)? [pg. 58-59; 2-25]

8. Behavioral Objectives Focus is on observable action (Mager) Behavior – what the student will do Conditions – of the performance Criteria – the standard of performance What difficulties do you see with these?

9. Instructional Objectives Gronlund’s instructional objectives defined in terms of intended learning outcomes GIO – General Instructional Objective Specific Learner Outcomes (SLO) - examples of what the student might do to provide evidence that GIO has been accomplished satisfactorily [pg. 62-63; 2-4]

10. GIOs and SLOs GIOs – Describe intended learning outcome SLOs describe the intended outcomes in terms of explicitly stated, observable performances or behavioral patterns which provide evidence that the instructional goal has been accomplished.

11. GIOs and SLOs GIOs – Provide context (significance & relevance) for the accompanying SLOs Separately, none of the SLOs are ends in and of themselves. They are only a sample of the behaviors, skills, ability, or dispositions that a students is likely to demonstrate.

12. GIOs and SLOs GIOs – Need not be stated in terms of observable behaviors (e.g., understands). They can be somewhat vague (general). SLOs clarify the meaning of the GIO. They provide the operational definition of the GIO and make it measurable.

13. GIOs and SLOs GIOs – Used to communicate main intent SLOs define what we are willing to accept as evidence that the main goal has been achieved. They provide a sample of specific indicators of the main goal. There may be others.

14. General Guidelines for Objectives Objectives should Begin with an action verb Be stated in terms of observable changes in behavior or actions Stated in unambiguous terms Context free Relate to only one process

15. Objectives & Verbs (see Appendix G2) Objectives should begin with a verb Cognitive Domain : Knows, understands, applies, recognizes, formulates, judges Affective Domain: Listens, enjoys, appreciates, accepts, displays Psychomotor Domain: Relates, demonstrates, performs, operates, creates, develops

16. Question (choose the best answer) Learning Outcomes should be stated in terms of what and how the teacher should teach the learning process students will employ the specific content students will learn None of the above [pg. 60; 2-5]

17. Guidelines for Writing GIOs Describe what the student should be able to do rather than what the teacher is expected to do Poor: demonstrate how to interpret weather maps, or Increase students ability to interpret weather maps Better: Interprets weather maps correctly

18. Guidelines for Writing GIOs Describe the intended product or result not the process Poor: gains skills in problem solving, or studies various methods for solving algebraic equations Better: Solves basic algebraic equations correctly

19. Guidelines for Writing GIOs Focus the task on what the learner is expected to do or know in general terms rather than specific topics or subject-matter content. Poor: understands photosynthesis Better: Understands basic science principles

20. Guidelines for Writing GIOs Define only one intended goal in each objective. Poor: Knows and understands basic science principles Better: Understands basic science principles

21. Guidelines for Writing GIOs Select an appropriate level of Generality. Too General: Communicates effectively About Right: Writes clear effective English Too Specific: Punctuates sentences properly

22. Guidelines for Writing SLOs Start each SLO with an action verb. The SLOs should provide a representative sample of outcomes students might be expected to demonstrate. Each SLO must be relevant to the GLO. Keep the SLOs context free. Add a third level of specificity to the list if needed.

23. Practice Exercise 1 [handout 18-11]

24. Instructional Objective Example GIO – Students will Prepare written plans for constructing instruments & procedures for assessing instructional outcomes SLO – Students will Create and submit written specifications for constructing an achievement test Provide a well written description of the specific purposes for an assessment Identify appropriate instructional objectives Outline content to be covered in an assessment Create a table of specifications for a test

25. Practice Write 2 or 3 GIOs with appropriate SLOs. Work with those at your table to refine and improve your work.