CHAPTER 4: INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Developing the Curriculum Eighth Edition Peter F. Oliva William R. Gordon II

AFTER STUDYING THIS CHAPTER YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO: Identify the three major domains of learning. List the major categories of learnings from one taxonomy of each of the three domains Explain the relationships between curriculum goals and objectives and instructional goals and objectives. Distinguish between instructional goals and instructional objectives. Be able to identify and write instructional goals in each of the three domains. Be able to identify and write instructional objectives in each of the three domains.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES DEFINED The thesis of this chapter is that, regardless of the teacher’s model or style of teaching, curriculum goals and objectives are more likely to be accomplished and students more likely to demonstrate mastery of learning if instructional goals and objectives are specified before starting instruction.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES DEFINED Instructional goals and objectives are directly related to the previously specified curriculum goals and objectives. Instructional goals provide direction for specifying instructional objectives.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL DEFINED An instructional goal is a statement of performance expected of each student in a class, phrased in general terms without criteria of achievement. An example of an instructional goal is: The student will show an understanding of the “stock market.” It indicates the performance expected of the learner, but the performance is not stated in such a fashion that its attainment can be readily measured.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE DEFINED An instructional objective is a statement of performance to be demonstrated by each student in the class, derived from an instructional goal and phrased in measurable and observable terms. The following statement is an example of an instructional objective: “The student will convert the following fractions to percentages with 100 percent accuracy: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4.”

THE USE OF BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES Whether to use behavioral objectives or not is a debate that has raged among educators for years. Supporters of behavioral objectives argue that this approach to instruction: forces the teacher to be precise about what is to be accomplished enables the teacher to communicate to pupils what they must achieve simplifies evaluation makes accountability possible makes sequencing easier

THE OPPONENTS OF BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES HOLD THAT WRITING BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES: is a waste of time is dehumanizing restricts creativity leads to trivial competencies

INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS AND BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES The writing of instructional goals and behavioral objectives forces teachers to identify the outcomes they seek. The practice of identifying and writing both, instructional goals and objectives, has considerable merit.

GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Instructional goals and objectives should: relate to the already specified curriculum goals and objectives be specified for three domains of learning—the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor— whenever applicable be identified at both low and high levels of learning with greater emphasis on the higher follow a few simple rules of writing

SPECIFICATION OF BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES Three current emphases in instruction serve as a guide for teachers in the specifying behavioral objectives. The areas are: The development of critical thinking skills. The integration of the curriculum through thematic interdisciplinary units. Recognition of intelligence as multiple, rather than global.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Instructional goals and objectives should be derived from curriculum goals and objectives that should be familiar to the teacher. The distinctions between curriculum and instructional goals and objectives matter only to the extent that neither of the two sets is overlooked. Whatever the degree of congruence, there is a direct and natural progression from curriculum goal to instructional objective.

DOMAINS OF LEARNING The instructional goals and objectives should be specified for three domains of learning: The cognitive The affective The psychomotor

DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEARNING Examples of the different types of learning are: knowledge of the system of election primaries (cognative) enjoyment in reading (affective) skill in laying bricks (psychomotor) Normally, the domains overlap; each possesses elements of the other and teachers should identify and write instructional goals and objectives in all three domains, making allowances for the nature of the subject matter.

CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS The use of a cognitive classification system enables teachers to distinguish between higher and lower order objectives. Noted classification systems are: The BloomTaxonomy The Anderson-Krathwohl Taxonomy The Marzano-Kendall Taxonomy Webb’s Depth-of-Knowledge (DOK).

CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS Affective learning has typically held a lesser position. Affective objectives are both difficult to identify and extremely difficult—often impossible—to measure, and these difficulties constitute another reason why teachers tend to shy away from the affective domain. If affective learnings should be taught and values should be among those learnings, then identifying common values is an essential task for the curriculum planner.

CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS Classification systems of the psychomotor domain do exist, but they seem not to be as widely known as those of the other two domains. Classification systems in the three domains serve as guidelines that can lead to more effective instruction.

RULES FOR WRITING The instructional objective must include behavior expected of the learner as a result of exposure to instruction. To help with the writing of instructional objectives, the teacher may wish to develop lists of behaviorally-oriented verbs such as: identify analyze design

RULES FOR WRITING Additionally, the following must be considered when writing instructional objectives: Teachers must specify conditions under which the behavior is demonstrated. Teachers must include criterion of mastery if applicable. Teachers must add a stability component.

VALIDATING AND DETERMINING PRIORITY OF INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Teachers should validate instructional goals and objectives and determine which are appropriate and which are the more important. Instructional goals and objectives are content-specific and are not normally submitted for validation with any regularity.

VALIDATING AND DETERMINING PRIORITY OF INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Instructors validate instructional goals and objectives and place them in order of priority by referring to text materials written by experts and by seeking the judgments of knowledgeable colleagues, supervisors, and consultants from both within and outside the school system. A teacher should have a foundation both in the subject matter being taught and in the methods for teaching that subject matter.

A FINAL THOUGHT: Instructional goals and objectives are directly related to the previously specified curriculum goals and objectives. Instructional goals provide direction for specifying instructional objectives.