Learning objectives: In 

education, learning objectives are brief statements that describe what

students will be expected to learn by the end of school year, course, unit, lesson, project, or
class period. They state the purpose of the learning activity and the desired outcomes.

Example: By the end of the lesson students will be able to:    

 Identify elements of a piece of writing that constitute a journal such as  1.sequencing of

time, 2. concepts of past, present and future 3. use of temporal words
 summarize the events of their day in a personal journal 
 Learning Aim: We can think of learning aims as concise descriptions of the overall goals or
purposes of a piece of learning (a programme, a module or even an individual lecture or
seminar). They are like ‘mission statements’ that encapsulate the scope and values of the
offering.

When defining learning aims, it can be helpful to ask questions such as:

 From your perspective as the educator, what is this piece of learning for? 
 What are the main benefits it will bestow on learners? 
 What is the programme or module trying to achieve?
Example: This module will provide a general overview of research methods in healthcare and
reinforce understanding of the importance of research for the evaluation of clinical practice.
(Department of Surgery and Cancer)
Example 2 Topic A job interview
Aims
• To provide listening practice through watching a video called ‘A job interview’
• To develop learners’ vocabulary to talk about jobs and the interview process
• To develop learners’ ability to write a short story using the past simple tense
• To provide speaking practice by taking part in a job interview role-play
 Learning outcome: Learning outcomes are statements that describe the knowledge or skills
students should acquire by the end of a particular assignment, class, course, or program, and
help students understand why that knowledge and those skills will be useful to them. They
focus on the context and potential applications of knowledge and skills, help students connect
learning in various contexts, and help guide assessment and evaluation.

Example: By the end of this course, students will be able to:

 predict the appearance and motion of visible celestial objects

 formulate scientific questions about the motion of visible celestial objects

Course Description: The course description orients students by outlining the rationale for the
course subject or theme, framing a brief overview of the key content, knowledge and skills to be
learned and stating the major learning strategies and activities that students will experience.

A course description is a brief summary of the significant learning experiences for a course.
Course descriptions appear in individual Course Outlines and in the Program of Studies (POSs)
for individual programs.

Course Description Format

WHY?  Purpose or rationale for the course/subject area covered (1st sentence)

WHAT?  Key content/principles/topics to be learned (2nd sentence and/or 3rd sentence)
HOW?  Types of major learning activities and student experiences in the course (last sentence)
(case study, mock interviews, role-playing, group discussions, etc.)

Course descriptions should:

 Be student-centered, rather than teacher-centered or course-centered

 Use brief, outcomes-based, descriptive phrases that begin with an imperative or active
verb (e.g., design, create, plan, analyze)
 Be clear, concise, and easy to understand (< 80 words)
 Detail significant learning experiences and benefits students can expect
 Align with the outcomes identified in the rest of the course outline
Example:
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to provide an initial study of language acquisition by focusing on the
sequence and process of typical communication development in children. Topics include
theories of language development, the sequential acquisition of the major components of
language, variables affecting language acquisition, and clinical application.
Learning outcomes vs learning objectives: what is the difference?
You will often see learning outcomes and learning objectives used interchangeably, but they are
different. The following concepts and examples will show how learning objectives and learning
outcomes for the same activity are different, although connected to each other.

 Perspective of the teacher vs student

Learning objective: Why the teacher is creating a learning activity.

Example: This training session will discuss the new policy for reporting travel expenses.

Learning outcome: What the learner will gain from the learning activity.

Example: The learner understands how to properly report travel expenses.

 Purpose vs outcome

Learning objective: States the purpose of the learning activity and the desired outcomes.

Example: This class will explain new departmental HR policies.

Learning outcome: States what the learner will be able to do upon completing the learning
activity.
Example: The learner is able to give examples of when to apply new HR policies.

 Future vs past

Learning objective: What the teacher hopes that the learning activity will accomplish. It looks
to the future, what will happen.

Example: This seminar will outline new health and safety protocols.

Learning outcome: This looks at what has been accomplished, what has happened for the
learner as a result of their participation in the activity.

Example: Seminar participants can correctly identify new protocols and explain why they have
been established.

 Intended outcome vs observed outcome

Learning objectives: What the creators of the learning activity hope to achieve.

Example: This training activity will illustrate the five styles of effective communication in the
workplace.

Learning objectives: What can be demonstrably shown to have been achieved by the activity.

Example: Learners can list and define the styles of communication.

 Specific units of knowledge vs broad outcome

Learning objective: Describes discrete concepts, skills, or units of knowledge.

Example: This lecture will list ten ways to de-escalate a confrontation in the workplace.
Learning outcome: Describes a wider range of behavior, knowledge and skill that makes up
the basis of learning.

Example: Learners can reliably demonstrate how to use de-escalation techniques to neutralize
conflicts.

 Example of learning objectives and learning outcomes

Activity: A lecture on organization strategies

Learning objective: Lecture will illustrate how proper organization can help managers optimize
workflow within their teams.

Learning outcome: Learners can demonstrate how they will use organization strategies with
actionable steps.

 Importance of Learning Objectives:

1. Managing learning: Management of learning suggests a more active role by the student.

Learning objectives tell students what is important and what is expected. Students can use
objectives to guide their learning efforts -- choosing appropriate materials, reading
selectively, etc. Objectives can also be used for self-evaluation, which may direct the
student's efforts (e.g., skipping ahead or reviewing). 
2. Planning instruction: Once you have developed learning objectives for a course or
module of learning, it can become easier to sequence instruction, allot time to topics,
assemble materials, and organize instructional time. (e.g., small-group work, independent
study, Socratic questioning, etc.).
3. Enhancing learning: If the student has a set of learning objectives which provide
information about the content to be learned and the way in which he/she will have
to demonstrate adequate knowledge, that student can make more appropriate choices about
study methods and content emphasis.
4. Facilitating assessment: Learning objectives can facilitate various forms of assessment,
which may be formative or summative. Learning objectives can form the basis for grading
or for determining levels of student achievement. Assessments can be more effectively
accomplished by comparing student work with the learning objective(s).
5. Designing or redesigning curriculum: To revise the curriculum or instruction in a
particular course, you may begin with the learning objectives for that course and/or program
outcomes for the program and work backwards. Sets of learning objectives for one course
may be compared with the expected entry behaviors for the next course in the sequence.
6. Producing new insights: The process of clarifying objectives may produce major
changes in those who engage in the effort. For example, instructors who spend time
developing learning objectives are said to acquire increased understanding about what is a
feasible goal.

 Role of Learning Objectives in Assessment of students:

Why assess students?
• To gather evidence of student learning
• To assess the extent to which learning objectives have been achieved
• To inform instruction
• To motivate students and increase student achievement
Assessment in education is the process of gathering, interpreting, recording, and using
information about pupils’ responses to an educational task. (Harlen, Gipps, Broadfoot,
Nuttal,1992)

Learning objectives can facilitate various forms of assessment, which may be formative or
summative. Learning objectives can form the basis for grading or for determining levels of
student achievement. The goal of formative assessment is to gather feedback that can be used
by the instructor and the students to guide improvements in the ongoing teaching and learning
context. The goal of summative assessment is to measure the level of success or proficiency that
has been obtained at the end of a course or instructional module. This can be more effectively
accomplished by comparing student work with the learning objective(s).

 Role of objectives in educational evaluation

Evaluation is a tool which can be used to help teachers judge whether a curriculum or
instructional approach is being implemented as planned, and to assess the extent to which stated
goals and objectives are being achieved.
It allows teachers to answer the questions:
Are we doing for our students what we said we would? Are students learning what we set out to
teach? How can we make improvements to the curriculum and/or teaching methods?
→ Objective is a point of the possible achievement of a student is to be able to do
when the whole education system is directed to him.
→ Objectives can be achieved.
→ Objectives originate from aims.
→ Objectives are specific and become meaningful.
→ Objectives are different from class to class, course to course and institution to institution.”

 Designing or redesigning curriculum: To revise the curriculum or instruction in a

particular course, you may begin with the learning objectives for that course and/or
program outcomes for the program and work backwards. Sets of learning objectives for
one course may be compared with the expected entry behaviors for the next course in the
sequence. The two should interlock; where they do not, curriculum adjustments can be
made.
 The process of clarifying objectives may produce major changes in those who engage in
the effort. For example, instructors who spend time developing learning objectives are
said to acquire increased understanding about what is a feasible goal.

 The Difference Between a Learning Goal and a Learning Objective

 Learning Goals are what you hope to accomplish in your course: the overall goals that do
not necessarily correlate with observable and measurable behavior.
 Learning Objectives are brief, clear statements about what students will be able
to do once they complete instruction.

 
  Taxonomy of cognitive domain:
1. Remembering: Recognizing or recalling knowledge from memory. Remembering is
when memory is used to produce or retrieve definitions, facts, or lists, or to recite
previously learned information. 
2. Understanding:  Constructing meaning from different types of functions be they written
or graphic messages, or activities like interpreting, exemplifying, classifying,
summarizing, inferring, comparing, or explaining.    
3. Applying:  Carrying out or using a procedure through executing, or
implementing. Applying relates to or refers to situations where learned material is used
through products like models, presentations, interviews or simulations.   
4. Analyzing:  Breaking materials or concepts into parts, determining how the parts relate
to one another or how they interrelate, or how the parts relate to an overall structure or
purpose. Mental actions included in this function are differentiating, organizing, and
attributing, as well as being able to distinguish between the components or parts. When
one is analyzing, he/she can illustrate this mental function by creating spreadsheets,
surveys, charts, or diagrams, or graphic representations.
5. Evaluating:  Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and
critiquing. Critiques, recommendations, and reports are some of the products that can be
created to demonstrate the processes of evaluation.  In the newer
taxonomy, evaluating comes before creating as it is often a necessary part of the
precursory behavior before one creates something.   
6. Creating: Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing
elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning, or
producing. Creating requires users to put parts together in a new way, or synthesize parts
into something new and different thus creating a new form or product.  This process is
the most difficult mental function in the new taxonomy.  
Taxonomy of affective domain:
1. Receiving

This refers to the learner’s sensitivity to the existence of stimuli – awareness, willingness to
receive, or selected attention.

feel  sense  capture pursue  attend

experience perceive

2. Responding
This refers to the learners’ active attention to stimuli and his/her motivation to learn –
acquiescence, willing responses, or feelings of satisfaction.

conform  allow contribute  enjoy

cooperate satisfy

3. Valuing

This refers to the learner’s beliefs and attitudes of worth – acceptance, preference, or
commitment. An acceptance, preference, or commitment to a value.

believe  seek  justify respect  search  persuade

4. Organization

This refers to the learner’s internalization of values and beliefs involving (1) the
conceptualization of values; and (2) the organization of a value system.   As values or beliefs
become internalized, the leaner organizes them according to priority.

examine  clarify  systematize create  integrate

5. Characterization – the Internalization of values

This refers to the learner’s highest of internalization and relates to behavior that reflects (1) a
generalized set of values; and (2) a characterization or a philosophy about life. At this level the
learner is capable of practicing and acting on their values or beliefs.

internalize  review  conclude resolve  judge

Taxonomy of psychomotor domain:

Reflex movements

Objectives at this level include reflexes that involve one segmental or reflexes of the spine and
movements that may involve more than one segmented portion of the spine as intersegmental
reflexes (e.g., involuntary muscle contraction). These movements are involuntary being either
present at birth or emerging through maturation.
Fundamental movements

Objectives in this area refer to skills or movements or behaviors related to walking, running,
jumping, pushing, pulling and manipulating. They are often components for more complex
actions.

Perceptual abilities

Objectives in this area should address skills related to kinesthetic (bodily movements), visual,
auditory, tactile (touch), or coordination abilities as they are related to the ability to take in
information from the environment and react.

Physical abilities

Objectives in this area should be related to endurance, flexibility, agility, strength, reaction-
response time or dexterity.

Skilled movements

Objectives in this area refer to skills and movements that must be learned for games, sports,
dances, performances, or for the arts.

Non-discursive communication

Objectives in this area refer to expressive movements through posture, gestures, facial
expressions, and/or creative movements like those in mime or ballet.  These movements refer to
interpretative movements that communicate meaning without the aid of verbal commands or
help.

 Examples: Cognitive Domain

1. After the completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

 define 'present continuous verb'

 recognize a present continuous verb
 use a present continuous verb in a sentence

2. Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

 explain the purpose and types of adjectives

 identify adjectives in text
 compose adjectives
  Affective Domain:
1. By completing this task, students will be able to:
 Prepare for and take part in interview practice.
 Identify the key elements in good interview techniques.
 Understand the transferable nature of interview skills.
 Gain confidence in interview skills.

 Psychomotor Domains:

After this lesson, students will be able to:

 outline skills needed to play football

 discuss activities, drills, and strategies of football
 describe safety, health, and nutrition related to the game of football