Clear and Focused: Student Objectives

Although often not a part of courses in many teacher education programs, teachers must understand that student objectives ARE NOT a list of class activities.
In a standards-based system teachers must write student objectives. Students need to have a clear understanding of what they are to learn and how they can demonstrate mastery. Acquiring the skill of writing student objectives is easier than most educators believe, but it is a skill that requires practice. Good student objectives are about the evidence of learning; they specify what behaviors a student must demonstrate or perform in order for a teacher to judge that learning took place. Since learning cannot be seen or directly measured, teachers must make inferences about learning from evidence they can see and measure. Well constructed student objectives provide an ideal vehicle for making those inferences.

A well-constructed learning objective leave little room for doubt about what is intended. A well-constructed student objective usually contains two parts: 1. An action verb (most teachers used Bloom or Webb as a source for action verbs) defines the student behavior that will be measured or observed; 2. The criteria are the “what” that is to be learned.

The Verb
In a student objective, the verb is the action word that communicates an observable behavior. As teachers we may want our students to appreciate, understand, know and learn. Although these words suggest things we want our students to do, we cannot see appreciation, understanding, knowledge or learning. The best teachers can do is infer that a student appreciates, understands, knows, or has learned something based on what the student does or says in a controlled situation.
An action verb is a word that is observable and measurable. Verbs such as identify, list, compare and predict are action verbs because we can observe the act or product of identifying, listing, comparing and predicting.

The Criteria
The objective must also include a declarative statement that describes what the student must perform to satisfy the intent of the action verb. Usually but not always, the criteria are expressed in some minimum number, or standard that must be included in a student’s response. For example, an objective might be in the form: “Students will be able to:

• list the first 100 numbers arranged in ascending order.”
• identify the 10 prime numbers between 1 and 25.”
• Select the five amendments that they think have had the greatest impact on American society.”
• sort historical events in chronological order.”
• classify animals as carnivores or herbivores.”
• define all content specific vocabulary.”

Well-written student objectives are the heart of any effective lesson plan. If the objectives are vague or are impossible to measure, the lesson activities and assessment will be flawed. Before you begin to write an objective, think about what the student will do to demonstrate mastery. You will find this process helps clarify what you intend, and will help communicate that intent to your students, regardless of their grade level, age, or subject.