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Writing Learning Goals, Objectives and Outcomes

Crafting learning goals and objectives that put students at the center can make your course more engaging and effective.

At a Glance 

  • Learning goals are broad intentions, objectives are specific and observable steps, and outcomes are the measurable results students demonstrate.
  • Start with what you want students to achieve, determine how they’ll show it, and then plan activities that help them get there.
  • Create some student-centered goals by connecting course content to students’ lives, interests, and future applications.
  • Use action verbs and ask, “How will students show what they’ve learned?” to ensure objectives are clear and measurable. 

What Are Learning Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes?

In course design, it’s important to distinguish between learning goals, learning objectives, and learning outcomes – they are related but not the same. Here’s what each term means:

  • Learning Goals: Broad, general statements of what the course or program aims for students to achieve. Goals describe the overall purpose or big-picture targets of instruction. They provide a framework under which more specific objectives can be developed.
  • Learning Objectives: Specific, observable statements of what learners will be able to do by the end of a lesson or course. Objectives are more precise than goals and guide the design of your teaching activities and assessments. (Think of these as the steps students take to reach the broader goal.)
  • Learning Outcomes: Clear descriptions of the specific knowledge, skills, attitudes, or habits of mind students should be able to demonstrate after completing the course. Outcomes are what you (and they) can look at to say “Yes, they learned/did it” by the end. These are often measurable evidence of learning that align with your goals and objectives.

Each level moves from less specific (broad goals) to more specific (detailed outcomes). In sum: Goals are the destination, Objectives are the waypoints, and Outcomes are the evidence that the destination was reached.

 

Tips for Writing Learning Objectives

Write goals and objectives that start with “Students will…” rather than “The course will cover…” or “I will teach…”. Test: Try leading with a phrase like “During this unit, students will ___.” Does it clearly state what students do? If so, it’s likely student-centered.

Avoid vague terms like “understand” or “learn about.” Instead, use concrete action verbs that describe observable outcomes (e.g., analyze, design, compare, create, present, solve). This makes it clear what action or product you expect from students. Test: After writing an objective, ask yourself “How will I know if my students learned this? How will they know?”. If you can picture a student doing something (explaining a concept, solving a problem, writing an essay, giving a presentation) to demonstrate their learning, your objective is observable. If not, refine the verb or detail until it is.

Ensure the goal speaks to how students will be changed by the course (skills gained, perspectives broadened, etc.), rather than just listing topics. For example, instead of “Cover the principles of economics,” a student-centered objective would be “Students will apply principles of economics to analyze current events.” This way, the emphasis is on what students take away and can do with the knowledge.

Use plain language that students themselves can understand. If you read the goal to a student on day one, would they grasp what they’ll be able to do by the end? Clear, jargon-free wording makes goals more accessible and meaningful.

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Create Goals & Objectives

Purpose: For students to retrieve relevant information from their long-term memory

Examples of learning goals & objectives aligning with “Remembering”

   - “By the end of this course, students will be able to identify ________.”

   - “Students will recall ________.”

   - “Students will recognize the basic facts of ________.””

Purpose: For students to explain ideas or concepts.

Examples of learning goals & objectives aligning with “Understanding”

 - “Students will explain the significance of ________.”

   - “By completing this course, students will be able to describe the relationship between ________ and ________.”

   - “Students will summarize the main ideas of ________.”

Purpose: For students to use information and concepts in new situations.  

Examples of learning goals & objectives aligning with “Applying.”

   - “Students will apply the principles of ________ to ________.”

   - “By the end of this course, students will be able to solve problems in ________ by using ________.”

   - “Students will demonstrate how to use ________ in ________ scenarios.”

Purpose : For students to break down material into its constituent parts and detect how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure and purpose.

Examples of learning goals & objectives aligning with “Analyzing”

   - “Students will differentiate between ________ and ________.”

   - “Students will analyze ________ to determine ________.”

   - “By completing this course, students will be able to compare ________ and ________ in terms of ________.”

Purpose: For students to make a judgment based on criteria and standard.

Examples of learning goals & objectives aligning with “Evaluating”

   - “Students will evaluate ________ and defend their stance on ________.”

   - “By the end of this course, students will be able to critique ________ by ________.”

   - “Students will assess the effectiveness of ________ in ________.”

Purpose: For students to put elements together to form a novel, coherent whole or make an original product.

Examples of learning goals & objectives aligning with “Creating”

   - “Students will design a ________ to address ________.”

   - “By completing this course, students will be able to construct ________ that solves ________.”

   - “Students will develop a new method for ________ that incorporates ________.”

References and Resources

Ambrose, S., Bridges, M., Lovett, M., DiPietro, M., & Norman, M (2010). How Learning Works: 7 Research – Based Principles for Smart Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Dirks C, Wendroth MP,  Withers M. (2014). Assessment in the College Classroom. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman and Company.

Krathwhol DR. (2002). A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy: An Overview. Theory Into Practice 41(4): 212- 218.

Richmond, A., Boysen, G., and Gurung, R. (2016). An Evidence-based Guide to College and University Teaching. New York: Routledge.

Wiggins GP, McTighe J. (2005).  Understanding by Design. Moorabbin, Vic: Hawker Brownlow  Education.