Educators – Writing Goals and Objectives For Your Instruction – Make Your Objectives Measurable
17th September, 2009 - Posted by Meggin - No Comments
So many so-called teaching objectives are, in fact, fuzzy, unfocused, and worst of all – they aren’t measurable. So, you have no way of knowing whether or not your teaching is having any impact. The list of words included in this article are meant to prompt you to write and re-write your objectives so that you have clear, measurable, focused objectives. This will help you be even more effective in your teaching because you have set up a goal for yourself AND for your students.
- accept
- actively respond to
- add to
- adjudge
- advance
- alter
- analyze
- annotate
- anticipate
- apply
- appraise
- apprehend
- arbitrate
- arrange
- assay
- assemble
- assess
- assume
- audit
- avail
- award
- blend
- break down
- breed
- build
- calculate
- canvass
- capitalize on
- categorize
- cause
- censure
- change
- check
- check for
- choose
- cite
- clarify
- classify
- code
- collect
- combine
- compare
- compile
- compose
- comprehend
- compute
- conceive
- conclude
- constitute
- construct
- construe
- consume
- contemplate
- contrast
- contrive
- convert
- copy
- count
- create
- criticize
- deal with
- debate
- decide
- decide which
- decree
- deduce
- defend
- define
- demonstrate
- derive
- describe
- design
- detect
- determine
- determine the factors
- develop
- devote
- diagnose
- diagram
- differentiate
- discern
- discover
- discuss
- disprove
- dissect
- distinguish
- distribute
- divide
- dramatize
- draw
- duplicate
- effect
- employ
- encode
- enumerate
- estimate
- evaluate
- evidence
- evolve
- examine
- exercise
- exert
- expand
- experiment
- explain
- exploit
- expound
- express
- extend
- extrapolate
- fill in
- find
- find an unusual way
- find out
- follow
- forecast
- form
- formulate
- furnish
- generalize
- generate
- get
- get excited about
- give an example
- grade
- graph
- grasp
- group
- handle
- hold
- hypothesize
- identify
- identify who, what, when…
- illustrate
- imagine
- imitate
- in your opinion
- include
- indicate
- infer
- inspect
- integrate
- internalize
- interpret
- invent
- inventory
- isolate
- judge
- justify
- label
- learn
- list
- locate
- look into
- make
- make up
- make use of
- manage
- manipulate
- mark
- match
- measure
- memorize
- mobilize
- moderate
- name
- notes
- obtain
- offer
- omit
- operate
- organize
- originate
- outline
- paraphrase
- perceive
- perform
- pick
- plan
- ply
- point
- practice
- predict
- prepare
- pretend
- preview
- prioritize
- process
- produce
- profit by
- project
- propose
- prove
- provide
- put in action
- put in order
- put to use
- put together
- qualify
- question
- quote
- rank
- rate
- react to
- read for
- rearrange
- reason
- reason about/out
- recall
- recite
- recognize
- recombine
- reconstruct
- record
- refer to
- referee
- reject
- relate
- render
- reorder
- reorganize
- repeat
- report
- reproduce
- reset
- restate
- retell in your own words
- review
- revise
- reword
- role play
- rule on
- say
- schedule
- scheme
- score
- screen
- scrutinize
- search
- section
- select
- separate
- set up
- settle
- shop
- show
- sift
- signify
- simplify
- sketch
- solve
- sort
- specify
- spell
- spell out
- state
- state a rule or principle
- structure
- study
- submit
- suggest
- summarize
- support
- suppose
- survey
- syllogize
- synthesize
- tabulate
- take apart
- take up
- tally
- tell
- test for
- think about
- think critically
- touch
- trace
- transfer
- transform
- translate
- try
- umpire
- uncover
- underline
- understand
- use
- utilize
- value
- vary
- verbalize
- visualize
- weigh
- wield
- work with
- write
- yield
Take a look at one of your upcoming lessons. Whatever objectives you have, see if you can rewrite them using some of the words listed above. For example, if your current objective states
Students will learn more about Shakespeare.
…then rewrite that objective using this format:
Students will be able to ________ (one of the words from the list) using what they learned from today’s class about Shakespeare.
If you have an objective that currently is written as:
Students will learn the step to solve for x.
…then rewrite that objective using this format:
Students will be able to solve 5 problems without errors using the steps they learn today’s class.
If you have an objective that currently is written as:
Students will find out more about how alternative energy sources are wise investments.
…then rewrite that objective using this format:
Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of at least one of the alternative energy sources and its financial benefits by writing individual letters to the editor of the local newspaper. All facts will be verified and the logic will be supported.
Clearly-defined learning objectives provide a better target for your instruction and for the students’ learning. Yes, it takes a little longer to write these out – but you’re investing in your effectiveness as a teacher and so it’s worth it, right?!
And to access scores of free resources that you can use to support the learners in your classroom, including PowerPoints, PDFs, and Word documents, just go to
** http://www.OwningWordsforLiteracy.com - and you can click on the Downloads tab.
To get numerous articles with teaching tips (for free), just go to
http://www.ArticlesforTeachers.com and see what’s there for you to use in your classroom.
(c) 2009 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., “The Ph.D. of Productivity”(tm).
Tags: Educators, goals, instruction, objectives, schedule
Posted on: September 17, 2009
Filed under: Educators
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