Writing Performance Objectives
Writing performance objective (aka behavioral objectives, learning objective, instructional objective) is the next step in the instructional design process. Objectives should be clear and precise statements of what students should be able to do when they complete their instruction. Objectives are what guide the designer in selecting content and developing the instructional strategy and assessment process.
The instructional goal refers to what the learner will be able to do in the real-world, outside of the teaching environment. When the instructional goal is converted to a performance objective it becomes a terminal objective which refers to exactly what the student will be able to do when he or she completes a unit of instruction. The subordinate objectives are the building blocks needed to achieve the terminal objective.
3 parts of an objective:
1. Conditions (CN): description of the tools and resources that will be available to the learner when performing the skill
2. Behavior (B): description of skill including actions, content, and concepts
3. Criteria (CR): description of acceptable performance of the skill
Conditions (CN) serve 4 purposes:
1. Cue or stimulus: used to search the info stored in their memory. There should be important consideration for testing verbal information tasks.
ex: given the term (condition) ----> write the definition (behavior)
2. Resource materials: illustrations (tables, charts, graphs), written materials (reports, stories, newspaper articles), physical objects (rocks, levels, slides, machines, tools), and reference materials (dictionaries, manuals, databases, textbooks, or the web).
3. Control task complexity: tailor to the abilities and experiences of the target population
ex: Given a commercial map of the city... (find the capital of Utah)
4. Aiding transfer: transfer knowledge and skill from the instructional setting to the performance setting. Used to specify the most real-world, authentic, or relevant materials and contexts possible given the resources in the instructional setting.
Behaviors (B)
- use verbs such as identify, classify, demonstrate, or generate for intellectual skills
- objectives related to psychomotor skills usually are expressed in terms of behavior (e.g. running, jumping, driving)
Criteria (CR)
The criterion in the objective describes what behavior is acceptable, or the limits within which a behavior must fall.
Example of Psychomotor Skill and Matching Performance Objective
Goal: Change the tire on an automobile
Terminal Objective: Given an automobile with a flat tire, all the tools required to change the tire secured in their normal positions in the trunk, and and inflated spare tire secured normally in the wheel well (CN), replace the flat tire with the spare tire (B). Each step in the procedure will be performed in sequence and according to criteria specified for each step (CR).
Step 1: Determine how to operate a jack
Performance Objective: Given a standard scissor jack and detached jacket handle (that is not placed beneath the car) (CN), operate the jacket (B). Attach the handle securely, pump the handle so the jack lifts, release the safety catch, and lower the jack to its closed position (CR).
.....
Example of Attitudes and Matching Performance Objective
Attitude: Choose the maximize safety from fires while registered at hotel.
Performance Objective: Unaware that they are being observed during hotel check-in (CN), travelers always (CR): (1) request a room on a lower floor and (2) inquire about safety features in and near their assigned room such as smoke alarms, sprinkler systems and stairwells (B).
Example of Performance Objectives for Verbal Information and Intellectual Skills Tasks for Instructional Goal
Main step in instructional goal: Manage cooperative group interaction
Performance objective: During simulated problem-solving meetings comprised of masters level students in leadership and held in the department's conference rooms (CN), manage cooperative group interaction (B). Discussion members should participate freely, volunteer ideas, cooperate fully with leader and other members (CR).
Reflections
In the reading and in the video below it mentions what a poorly written objective is. In the examples, the words "understand" or "know" are used. These are poor verbs to use in objectives because they are so vague. In public health, I feel like we use those words very frequently and very rarely do we use "identify", "classify", "demonstrate", or "generate" which are less vague and easier to measure. The ironic thing is that we are always concerned with evaluation, but the objectives really aren't measurable. This is often the case with objectives to increase knowledge. Knowledge itself can be challenging to evaluate and it makes me realize that a lot of the times our objectives are something like "The person will be able to understand the importance of drinking eight 8 oz glasses of water per day"so we really aren't doing a great job and evaluating rather the person really learned anything from the lesson. I am going to keep this in mind for the future and focus on using stronger verbs.
Writing performance objective (aka behavioral objectives, learning objective, instructional objective) is the next step in the instructional design process. Objectives should be clear and precise statements of what students should be able to do when they complete their instruction. Objectives are what guide the designer in selecting content and developing the instructional strategy and assessment process.
The instructional goal refers to what the learner will be able to do in the real-world, outside of the teaching environment. When the instructional goal is converted to a performance objective it becomes a terminal objective which refers to exactly what the student will be able to do when he or she completes a unit of instruction. The subordinate objectives are the building blocks needed to achieve the terminal objective.
3 parts of an objective:
1. Conditions (CN): description of the tools and resources that will be available to the learner when performing the skill
2. Behavior (B): description of skill including actions, content, and concepts
3. Criteria (CR): description of acceptable performance of the skill
Conditions (CN) serve 4 purposes:
1. Cue or stimulus: used to search the info stored in their memory. There should be important consideration for testing verbal information tasks.
ex: given the term (condition) ----> write the definition (behavior)
2. Resource materials: illustrations (tables, charts, graphs), written materials (reports, stories, newspaper articles), physical objects (rocks, levels, slides, machines, tools), and reference materials (dictionaries, manuals, databases, textbooks, or the web).
3. Control task complexity: tailor to the abilities and experiences of the target population
ex: Given a commercial map of the city... (find the capital of Utah)
4. Aiding transfer: transfer knowledge and skill from the instructional setting to the performance setting. Used to specify the most real-world, authentic, or relevant materials and contexts possible given the resources in the instructional setting.
Behaviors (B)
- use verbs such as identify, classify, demonstrate, or generate for intellectual skills
- objectives related to psychomotor skills usually are expressed in terms of behavior (e.g. running, jumping, driving)
Criteria (CR)
The criterion in the objective describes what behavior is acceptable, or the limits within which a behavior must fall.
Example of Psychomotor Skill and Matching Performance Objective
Goal: Change the tire on an automobile
Terminal Objective: Given an automobile with a flat tire, all the tools required to change the tire secured in their normal positions in the trunk, and and inflated spare tire secured normally in the wheel well (CN), replace the flat tire with the spare tire (B). Each step in the procedure will be performed in sequence and according to criteria specified for each step (CR).
Step 1: Determine how to operate a jack
Performance Objective: Given a standard scissor jack and detached jacket handle (that is not placed beneath the car) (CN), operate the jacket (B). Attach the handle securely, pump the handle so the jack lifts, release the safety catch, and lower the jack to its closed position (CR).
.....
Example of Attitudes and Matching Performance Objective
Attitude: Choose the maximize safety from fires while registered at hotel.
Performance Objective: Unaware that they are being observed during hotel check-in (CN), travelers always (CR): (1) request a room on a lower floor and (2) inquire about safety features in and near their assigned room such as smoke alarms, sprinkler systems and stairwells (B).
Example of Performance Objectives for Verbal Information and Intellectual Skills Tasks for Instructional Goal
Main step in instructional goal: Manage cooperative group interaction
Performance objective: During simulated problem-solving meetings comprised of masters level students in leadership and held in the department's conference rooms (CN), manage cooperative group interaction (B). Discussion members should participate freely, volunteer ideas, cooperate fully with leader and other members (CR).
Reflections
In the reading and in the video below it mentions what a poorly written objective is. In the examples, the words "understand" or "know" are used. These are poor verbs to use in objectives because they are so vague. In public health, I feel like we use those words very frequently and very rarely do we use "identify", "classify", "demonstrate", or "generate" which are less vague and easier to measure. The ironic thing is that we are always concerned with evaluation, but the objectives really aren't measurable. This is often the case with objectives to increase knowledge. Knowledge itself can be challenging to evaluate and it makes me realize that a lot of the times our objectives are something like "The person will be able to understand the importance of drinking eight 8 oz glasses of water per day"so we really aren't doing a great job and evaluating rather the person really learned anything from the lesson. I am going to keep this in mind for the future and focus on using stronger verbs.