This material is prepared to help instructors in writing their course objectives

1. Learning Objective
“If You don’t know your
destination, any road can take you?”

2. What Is a Learning Objective?
• A learning objective is a statement of what the learner will
know, understand, or be able to do as a result of engaging in a
learning activity.
• Well-written learning objectives are essential to building a strong
foundation in the development of training materials.

3. Goals vs. Objectives
• The difference between goals and objectives is that goals are
broad, generalized statements of instructional intent, while
objectives are specific, measurable outcomes that help a learner
achieve the goals. For example:
• Goal The overall goal of this presentation is to help
participants understand how to write SMART
learning objectives.
• Objectives: The objectives of this presentation is to help
participants identify action verbs that should not be
included in writing SMART learning objectives.
» Describe the importance of writing SMART learning
objectives.

4. Why Are Learning Objectives
Important?
Developing learning objectives is one of the most critical steps in the
training development process. Well-constructed learning
objectives enable :
 trainers to choose appropriate methods, assessment and
evaluation tools that accurately reflect the course,
 trainees to know what new information or skills they will be
learning. They can take more responsibility for their own learning
when they know what they are expected to achieve they will
learn, and
 Stakeholders to know what will be achieved (knowledge, skills
and attitudes) through the training programs.

5. Potential Problems with Learning
Objectives
• Could limit learning if learning outcomes are
written within a very narrow framework –lack
of intellectual challenge to learners
• Could give rise to confusion among students
and staff if guidelines are not adhered to
when drawing up learning outcomes.
• (So, learning objectives must be clear and
measurable.)

6. How to Write Learning Objectives?
• Here you should consider what exactly you
would like trainees to be able to do by the end of
the training session.
– In what ways will students be “different” when they
finish the course?
– What should students be able to DO with the
knowledge and skills gained in the course?
– What do students need to KNOW in order to do the
things they should be able to do when they finish the
course?
– What types of Attitudes students need to develop?

7. Components of Learning Objectives
• Educational theorist Robert Mager in his 1962
book on “Preparing Instructional Objectives”
created a clear framework for developing
learning objectives, in which they are
constructed around four main components:
ABCD model
(audience, behavior, condition, and
Degree)
• Audience: refers to Participants/trainees/
Students ” – (reminding you that the focus is

8. Cont’d
• Behavior (observable action verb): Choose an
action verb that best describes the type of behavior
that the learner needs to display after the training.
AV
• These might include “list,” “explain,” or “identify.”
• The action verb is the most important component of
the learning objective because it indicates what will
be accomplished through the training.
• Try to avoid verbs such as “understand,” “know,” or
“increase awareness of,” as these are not easily
measurable.

9. For example, compare the ff:
• By the end of this course, trainees will be able to:
 “list the systems for initiating their subordinates,”
X “Know the systems for initiating their
subordinates .”
X Understand the importance of providing
voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services to
pregnant women. (broad & difficult to measure)
 Identify three barriers to implementing effective
voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services.

10. Cont’d
• Condition: Determine under what conditions the
task must be performed.
For example, “By the end of the class, trainees will
be able to list six criteria for initiating
subordinates .”
• The condition might also identify tools,
procedures, materials, aids, or facilities to be
used in performing the task, for example,
“without reference to a manual” or “by checking
a chart.” When you combine these elements, you
get effective learning objectives.

11. Cont’d
• Degree: It describes the level of proficiency to be
elicited by the training—in other words, how the
learner will be able to perform in terms of
quantity, quality, and time limitations.
• It will answer a question such as “How many?”
“How fast?” or “How well?”
• Examples of Degree include
• Accuracy
• Speed
• Number
• Permissible Errors
• Degree of Excellence

12. Examples of Learning Objectives
Condition AUDIENCE
• Following this lecture, the participants will be
able to correctly explain four characteristics
of good research topic. Degree
Degree behavior
AUDIENCE
Condition
• After completing this class, trainees will be
able to correctly conduct a independent
research on identified intelligence problems.
Degree behavior

13. Making Learning Objectives “SMART”
• Use SMART as a checklist to help ensure that you have
considered each item in formulating learning objectives.
• Effective learning objectives are SMART:
Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Reasonable, and
Time bound.
 Specific means that the learning objective describes the
knowledge, attitudes, or skills that a learner should be
able to demonstrate following exposure to a learning
activity.
 Measurable means that achievement of learning
objectives can be measured by test
items, observation, problem-solving exercises, or other
evaluation methods during or after the training.

14. Cont’d
 Action-oriented means that the objective includes
an action verb that demonstrates change or
acquisition of knowledge, attitudes, or skills.
 Reasonable means that the objective reflects
realistic expectations of knowledge, attitude, or
behavior acquisition/change given the conditions
for instruction (e.g., time and scope of training).
 Time-bound means that the objective specifies a
time frame in which learners are expected to
achieve the learning objective(s)—usually by the end
of the training.

15. Examples of SMART objectives
• After the end of this course(time-bound),
participants will describe (action-oriented) four
factors (specific, measurable, reasonable) that
increase the risk of HIV transmission in women.
• After attending the class and studying the
assigned handouts (time-bound, reasonable),
participants will list (action-oriented) three types
of tests (specific, measurable) performed in
Ethiopia to detect HIV.

16. Examples of poorly written objectives
(not SMART)
1. After completing the course, the trainees will be able to have
adequate knowledge of counter terrorism.
• This objective is time-bound, The action verb is “have,” which is
not specific. Simply stating “adequate knowledge” is difficult to
determine if it is reasonable or not. It is not specific enough to
measure.
2. Trainees able to understand the functions of EW at all levels.
• This objective is not time-bound, which makes it difficult to
determine if it is reasonable or not. The verb, “understand,” is not
an action verb and is not easy to measure.

17. The Cognitive Domain
1. The cognitive domain relates to
knowledge and intellectual skills such
as understanding, organizing
ideas, analyzing and synthesizing
information, applying
knowledge, choosing among
alternatives in problem solving, and
evaluating ideas or actions.
2. Subcategories in the cognitive
domain, described in the table
below, move from simple cognitive
processes — such as the basic recall of
information — to more complex
cognitive processes — such as the
analysis, and application of knowledge.

18. COGNITIVE DOMAIN, ACTION VERBS for OBJ ECTIVES
Knowledge Comprehens application Analysis Synthesis evaluation
ion
Describe, Articulate, Apply, change, Analyze, Compile, Appraise,
define, distinguish, construct, categorize, create, assess,
identify, estimate, demonstrate, compare, design, compare,
list, name, explain, modify, contrast, diagnose, conclude,
recognize, generalize, operate, differentiate diagram, contrast,
reproduce, infer, predict, identify, discriminate criticize,
state interpret, prepare, illustrate, explain, critique,
paraphrase, produce, infer, generate, describe,
rewrite, show, outline, modify, evaluate,
summarize, solve, relate, organize, explain,
translate use select, plan, relate, interpret,
separate reorganize, justify,
separate, summarize,
summarize, support
write

19. The Affective Domain
• The affective domain relates to the
emotional component of
learning, and is concerned with
changes or growth in
interest, attitudes, and values. It
emphasizes
feeling, tone, emotion, or degree of
acceptance or rejection.
• Subcategories, described in the table
below, move from more simple
affective components — such as
receiving and responding to new
information — to more complex ones
— such as organizing and
internalizing values.

20. Affective Domain, ACTION VERBS for OBJ ECTIVES
Receiving Responding Valuing Organization Internalizing
values
(characterization)
Ask, Answer, Complete, Adhere, Act,
choose, assist, demonstrate alter, display,
describe, discuss, , arrange, influence,
give, greet, differentiate, combine, listen,
identify, help, explain, compare, modify,
locate, participate, follow, defend, perform,
select present, initiate, explain, propose,
read, join, integrate, question,
report, justify, modify serve,
select, propose, solve,
Tell read, verify
Share

21. The Psychomotor Domain
• The psychomotor domain
(developed by Dave's in (1975)
relates to the physical skills
and/or the performance of motor
tasks according to a standard of
accuracy, rapidity, or smoothness.
• Subcategories progress from
imitation to performance of a
procedure to mastery of a
physical skill. Learning is
demonstrated by the learner
performing the skill to a level of
proficiency.

22. PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN ACTION
VERBS for OBJ ECTIVES
Imitation Manipulation Precision Articulation Naturalization
Observe, Complete, Arrange, conduct, arranges,
attend to, demonstrate, choose, construct, builds,
ask, replicate, conduct, design, combines,
participate, share, construct, integrate, composes,
Answer point out, design, organize, constructs,
participate, break down, integrate, perform, creates,
tell, put organize, modify, designs,
give together perform, refine, initiates,
examples, modify, mixes, makes,
express refine, originates
confidence mixes,
respond,
vary