7 Steps to Develop Well-Designed Course Objectives

7 Steps to Develop Well-Designed Learning Objectives

• Learning objectives tell students what they are supposed to be learning
• Learning objectives enable students to focus their attention on the core
concepts
• Learning objectives help students manage their study time efficiently,
so they don’t waste time on less-important topics.
Why are well-designed learning objectives so important? The
answers may seem self-evident; they provide a roadmap for students
to follow, and they enable the measurement of student learning. But,
there are other benefits that directly relate to how students study and
how their organize their learning:

1. Be Clear.
Write clear learning objectives, so
students know what is expected of them
upon completion of the course.

2. Connect the
Dots.
Design course learning objectives to
contribute and interrelate to program
learning goals and college general
education goals.

3. Get Active.
Choose action verbs based on the desired
end result of the course. More general
terms such as “learn,” “understand,” and
“be familiar with,” are difficult to assess.

4. Keep Bloom’s
in Mind.
Consider the appropriate level of
knowledge in Bloom’s taxonomy. For
example, in an introductory class, more
knowledge of and comprehension-based
objectives including “describe,” and
“identify,” may be more appropriate.

5. Emphasize Higher-
Order Thinking.
For more advanced courses, choose verbs
such as:
• Evaluate
• Construct
• Defend
• Analyze
• Apply

6. Get Organized.
Organize your teaching materials to align
with learning activities and assignments to
ensure all the objectives are taught.

7. Don’t Go
Overboard.
Consider limiting the number of objectives
to allow for efficient assessment of
student learning.

List compiled by Melissa Altman-Traub, a dietetics
instructor at the Community College of
Philadelphia, and a registered dietician-nutritionist.
Professor Altman-Traub holds a B.S. in Nutrition
from the Pennsylvania State University and an M.S.
in Health Education from Arcadia University. Her
clinical experience includes hospitals, long-term
care, and renal nutrition.
Arizona State University (N.D.), Writing Measurable Learning Objectives
https://teachonline.asu.edu/2012/07/writing-measurable-learning-objectives/
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (2007): Student Learning Assessment:
Options
Images: pexels.com

7 Steps to Develop Well-Designed Course Objectives

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