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Using Learning Objectives for Course and Curriculum Improvement Dr. Donald Carpenter Best Assessment Practices VI Introduction • Learning Objective: a statement of specific observable actions a student should be able to perform after a period of time Upon completion of this [course, chapter, week, lecture], you should be able to [calculate, solve, estimate, describe, design] the … • • Instructional Objectives or Educational Objectives Program Course Unit Examples: • At the end of this lecture you should be able to calculate velocity in a pipe using DarcyWeisbach and Hazen-Williams equations. • At the end of this class period you should be able describe the function of the kidney in a human body. • At the end of this course you be able to generate a business plan for a new venture. • At the end of this session you should be able to explain why we feel fine in 70 degree air but cool in 70 degree water. Action Verb • Avoid using words like “know”, “understand”, or “appreciate” • Action Verbs that are: – – – – Measurable Observable Definable Understandable • Use action verbs at different levels of thinking/performance (Bloom’s Taxonomy) Bloom’s Taxonomy • Six defined levels of learning for the cognitive domain: – – – – – – • • Knowledge – recognize or recall information Comprehension – understand the meaning of information Application – use the information appropriately Analysis – break the information into components Synthesis – put components together to form new ideas Evaluation – judge the worth of ideas Lower Level vs. Higher Level Verb usage does not guarantee desired level Bloom’s Taxonomy • Five defined levels of learning for the affective domain: – – – – – • Receiving – willingness to attend and receive information Responding – actively participate Valuing – the value a student attaches to an idea or object Organization – organizing different ideas, objects, or values Characterization – characterize a value Verb usage does not guarantee desired level Why use Learning Objectives? • Identify critical material • • • • Course or Curriculum Course Organization Curriculum Planning Eliminate excessive duplication of material • Facilitate course activities • Consider delivery of material • Improve student learning (Bloom’s Taxonomy) • Provide a guide for student learning Why use Learning Objectives? • Communication: • Informs adjuncts or new faculty of course expectations • Informs colleagues what students should be able to accomplish (pre-requisite) • Informs students of what they are expected to accomplish upon course completion • Provide for assessment of course performance • Assessment of student learning (direct vs. indirect) • Accreditation Learning Objective Example • At the end of the course I should instill upon the student a comprehension of the design process. • At the end of the course you should comprehend the design process. • At the end of the course the student should be able to apply the design process. • At the end of the course the student should be able to apply the design process for completion of a freeway interchange. Learning Objective Example • To demonstrate to students how to set up the laboratory equipment • By the end of this laboratory section you should be able to, identify the piece of laboratory equipment to be used during this section (wind tunnel) describe verbally and in writing the steps to be followed in setting up the wind tunnel for use list the necessary precautions when using the wind tunnel demonstrate to the instructor the ability to set-up the wind tunnel and perform the drag coefficient experiment Objective: Learn the symbols depicted on this weather map. References • How To Write and Use Instructional Objectives – Norman E. Gronlund, Prentice-Hall, 2000. • Taxonomy of Educational Objectives – B.S. Bloom, Longman, 1994. • A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing – Lorin Anderson and David Krathwohl, AWL, 2001. • Objectively Speaking, Chemical Engineering Education – Richard Felder and Rebecca Brent, 1997. Student Learning Objectives and the use of Action Verbs Learning Objectives are statements of specific observable actions a student should be able to perform after a period of time. They are often referred to as Instructional, Teaching, or Educational Objectives. Typically, a learning objective has the form: Upon completion of this [course, chapter, week, lecture], you should be able to [calculate, solve, estimate, describe, design] the … For example: At the end of this course you be able to generate a business plan for a new entrepreneurial venture. Well-written objectives clarify the expectations of the faculty in terms of measurable or observable student performance. These statements describe the ability of students to demonstrate they have indeed learned what was expected of them. When writing learning objectives, it isn't sufficient to just write 'understand' or 'know' . . . because the expectation of anticipated learning outcomes is not clearly defined. Therefore, action verbs should be used when writing objectives. Additionally, if objectives are not sufficiently well defined, both testing and assessment based on those objectives is unlikely to be effective at determining if students have mastered the required topic. When using action verbs for teaching objectives the verbs should be: 1. 2. 3. 4. Measurable Observable Definable Understandable When defining action verbs, thought should be given to the different levels of learning/performance and how the verb can be applied to the different domains. For example, the cognitive domain has six defined levels (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) as defined by Bloom and Krathwohl. The first three levels are considered lower level thinking skills while the second three are considered higher level thinking skills. Higher order thinking skills are what we would like our students to be able to reach, yet, many of them do not. The cognitive domain is the domain we are typically dealing with in engineering courses, however, the affective domain is frequently important too. ACTION VERBS for the COGNITIVE DOMAIN (intellectual outcomes) 1. KNOWLEDGE define, describe, identify, label, list, match, outline, reproduce, select, state 2. COMPREHENSION convert, defend, distinguish, estimate, explain, extend, generalize, give example, infer, paraphrase, predict, rewrite, summarize 3. APPLICATION change, compute, demonstrate, discover, manipulate, modify, operate, predict, prepare, produce, relate, show, solve, use 4. ANALYSIS break down, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, identify, illustrate, infer, outline, point out, relate, select, separate, subdivide 5.SYNTHESIS categorize, combine, compile, compose, create, devise, design, explain, generate, modify, organize, plan, rearrange, revise, rewrite, summarize, tell, write 6. EVALUATION appraise, compare, conclude, contrast, criticize, discriminate, explain, justify, interpret, relate, summarize, support ACTION VERBS for the AFFECTIVE DOMAIN (emotional outcomes) RECEIVING (willingness to attend) ask, choose, describe, follow, give, hold, identify, locate, name, point to, select, reply, use RESPONDING (active participation) answer, assist, compile, conform, discuss, greet, help, label, perform, practice, present, read, recite, report, select, tell, write VALUING (worth or value a student attaches to a particular object) complete, describe, differentiate, explain, follow, form, initiate, invite, join, justify, propose, read, report, select, share, study, work ORGANIZATION (bringing together different values) adhere, alter, arrange, combine, compare, complete, defend, explain, generalize, identify, integrate, modify, order, organize, prepare, relate, synthesize CHARACTERIZATION BY A VALUE act, discriminate, display, influence, listen, modify, perform, practice, propose, qualify, question, revise, serve, solve, use, verify NOTE: the use of these verbs DOES NOT guarantee the learning objectives are at the desired level!