Writing objectives

1. Writing Objectives
Teach what you mean to teach
Presented by: Heather Dowd
Audience Behavior Condition Degree

2. Your Lesson
1.Think of a lesson you teach.
2.Write 2 – 5 things you want
students to be able to do when
they leave this one lesson.
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3. Today’s Objective
Using their own lesson plans,
instructors will write 2-5 objectives
that include all four parts of the
ABCD method of writing objectives.
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4. Why is writing good objectives
important?
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5. What an objective is NOT
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6. Qualities of Useful Objectives
Audience
Behavior
Condition
Degree
- Unknown
Performance
Conditions
Criterion
- Robert Mager
Audience Behavior Condition Degree

7. Audience
Audience Behavior Condition Degree
Who are your learners?

8. Behavior - Performance
Fuzzy Words
to know
to understand
to really understand
to appreciate
to fully appreciate
to grasp the significance of
to enjoy
to believe
to have faith in
to internalize
Better Words
to write
to recite
to identify
to sort
to solve
to construct
to build
to compare
to contrast
to smile
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9. Behavior - Performance
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Be able to write a news article.
Be able to develop an appreciation of
music.

10. Behavior - Performance
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Be able to understand mathematics.
Be able to sew a seam.

11. Behavior - Performance
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Know how to do calculus.
Calculate the slope of a function at a
certain point by differentiating.

12. Given a problem of the following type…
Given a list of…
Given any reference of the learner’s choice…
Without the aid of references…
Without the aid of a calculator…
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Condition

13. Objective without condition:
Be able to solve problems in algebra.
With condition:
Given a linear algebraic equation with one
unknown, be able to solve (write the
solution) for the unknown without the aid
of references, tables, or calculating devices.
Condition
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14. Questions to ask yourself
Condition
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15. How well?
(Does the learner get the credit or not?)
Example:
Given a compass, ruler, and paper, be able to
construct and bisect any given angle larger
than five degrees. Bisections must be
accurate to one degree.
Degree
Audience Behavior Condition Degree

16. Audience Behavior Condition Degree
Given a list of factors leading to
significant historical events, be able
to identify (underline) at least five
factors contributing to the Crash of
1929.
Identify ABCD

17. Using their own lesson plan,
instructors will write 2-5 objectives
that include all four parts of the
ABCD method of writing objectives.
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Identify ABCD

18. Audience Behavior Condition Degree
Reference
Mager, R. F. (1997).
Preparing instructional
objectives: A critical tool in
the development of
effective instruction (3rd
ed.). Atlanta, GA: The
Center for Effective
Performance, Inc.

19. Audience Behavior Condition Degree
Re-write your lesson’s objectives
using all four parts of the ABCD
method of writing objectives.
Pay special attention to using
concrete words for the behavior.
Your Turn