1. First Step in Course Planning: Writing Effective Learning Objectives Center for Learning & Development Fall 2011 Faculty Teaching Workshop Series

2. Learning objectives Upon completion of this workshop, the participant will be able to: 1. Define learning objectives and provide examples 2. Distinguish learning objectives from other types of outcomes 3. Explain the importance of learning objectives to faculty, students, and other stakeholders 4. Identify the characteristics of well-written learning objectives 5. Assess whether a learning objective is well written 6. Write effective learning objectives

3. Before we get started…  Think of the most important concept in your course  Write down two learning objectives you have regarding that concept

4. Why do we need objectives? Student

5. Taylor, J., Simon, B., & Wolfman, S. (n.d.). Learning goals: What, why, how. Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at the University of British Columbia. http://www.cwsei.ubc.ca/Files/LearnWeek_Oct08/LearnWeek_Symposium_combined_Oct08.pdf http://www.cwsei.ubc.ca/Files/LearnWeek_Oct08/LearnWeek_Symposium_combined_Oct08.pdf

6. Taylor, J., Simon, B., & Wolfman, S. (n.d.). Learning goals: What, why, how. Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at the University of British Columbia. http://www.cwsei.ubc.ca/Files/LearnWeek_Oct08/LearnWeek_Symposium_combined_Oct08.pdf http://www.cwsei.ubc.ca/Files/LearnWeek_Oct08/LearnWeek_Symposium_combined_Oct08.pdf

7. Why do we need objectives? Student Instructor

8.  Where are we going?  How will we know when we have arrived?  How will we get there? Learning Activities Goals & Objectives Evaluation 3 questions to ask when preparing for a course: Smith, P. & Ragan, T. (2004). Instructional Design, 3 rd edition.

9. Continuously Align & Improve Goals/ Objectives Learning Activities Evaluation

10. Why do we need objectives? Student Accrediting agency Dean Course director Instructor http://cfmmodules.mc.duke.edu/curriculum/index.html

11. Goals or objectives? 1. Define primary, secondary, and tertiary care 2. Introduce key concepts in cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry 3. Provide students with the knowledge needed to understand and explain osteopathic principles in practice 4. Elicit and record a complete and accurate 24- hour diet recall from a patient Duke University Community and Family Medicine Faculty Development Module: http://cfmmodules.mc.duke.edu/curriculum/index.html http://cfmmodules.mc.duke.edu/curriculum/index.html

12. Goals  Introduce key concepts in cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry  Provide students with the knowledge needed to understand and explain osteopathic principles in practice  Understand how occupational and environmental factors impact the health of individuals and communities Objectives  Define primary, secondary, and tertiary care  Elicit and record a complete and accurate 24-hour diet recall from a patient  Perform and accurately document the physical examination of a patient with an injured knee Duke University Community and Family Medicine Faculty Development Module: http://cfmmodules.mc.duke.edu/curriculum/index.html http://cfmmodules.mc.duke.edu/curriculum/index.html

13. GoalsObjectives ScopeBroadSpecific MeasurableNot directly, only through objectives Yes PerspectiveInstructorStudent Goals vs. Objectives

14. Course Goal Obj. Goal Obj. Goal Obj. Goal Obj.

15. Are they good objectives? Objectives of the lecture  Structure of the Amino Acids  Primary and Secondary Structure of Proteins  Tertiary and Quaternary Structure of Proteins  Myoglobin and Hemoglobin: Structure and Function

16. Are they good objectives?  Write a paper based on readings  Have a group discussion

17. Are they good objectives?  Know the muscles of thigh, their nerve supplies and functions  Become familiar with common eye problems  Understand Medicare and Medicaid

18. What are characteristics of a good objective?  Observable  Measurable  Achievable  Clear & specific  Alignment with expectations

19. Don’t get stuck at the lowest level!

20. UNTHSC School of Public Health rubrics on learning objectives Exceeds ExpectationsMeets Expectations Does Not Meet Expectations Are measurable and/or observable and are linked to competencies addressed in the course. Progress toward more ambitious and rigorous higher order thinking skills. Are anchored by verbs describing what the student will do to provide evidence of mastery. Are grounded in departmental and/or school-wide competencies. Are measurable and/or observable and are linked to competencies addressed in the course. Describe desired behaviors that students will perform to demonstrate skill/concept mastery in the course. Involve cognitive challenge and higher-order thinking skills. Are not measurable or observable. Do not describe behaviors that students will perform in order to demonstrate higher order thinking. Is the same as the competencies identified. May describe content to be covered rather than student learning outcomes.

21. Does not meet expectations … Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:  Understand the historical foundations of the national health programs  Understand domestic health care issues, including:  The evolution of health insurance  Why health care is so expensive  The social role of local health care providers  Relationships among providers  Discuss strategies for improving quality of health interventions

22. Meet expectations … Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:  Describe the role of social and community factors in both the onset and solutions of public health problems;  Identify the causes of social and behavioral factors that affect health of individuals and populations;  Identify basic theories, concepts and models from a range of social and behavioral disciplines that are used in public health research and practice;  Apply ethical principles to public health program planning, implementation and evaluation;  Specify multiple targets and levels of intervention for social and behavioral science programs and/or policies;  Apply evidence-based approaches in the development and evaluation of social and behavioral science interventions;  Organize relationships among critical stakeholders for the planning, implementation and evaluation of public health programs, policies and interventions; and evaluate public health programs, policies and interventions to determine effectiveness.

23. Exceeds expectations … Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:  Describe the roles biostatistics serves in public health and biomedical research;  Explain general principles of study design and its implications for valid inference when, for example, identifying risk factors for disease, isolating targets for prevention, and assessing the effectiveness of one or more interventions;  Assess data sources and data quality for the purpose of selecting appropriate data for specific research questions;  Translate research objectives into clear, testable statistical hypotheses;  Describe basic principles and the practical importance of key concepts from probability and inference, inductive versus deductive reasoning, including random variation, systematic error, sampling error, measurement error, hypothesis testing, type I and type II errors, and confidence bounds;  Apply numerical, tabular, and graphical descriptive techniques commonly used to characterize and summarize public health data;  Identify appropriate statistical methods to be applied in a given research setting, apply these methods, and acknowledge the limitations of these methods;  Differentiate between quantitative problems that can be addressed with standard, commonly used statistical methods and those requiring input from a professional biostatistician; and  Evaluate computer output containing statistical procedures and graphics and interpret it in a public health context.

24. How to rewrite these objectives? Know how to use t-tests and chi- square tests in data analysis Describe the assumptions underlying t-tests and chi-square tests and use these tests to statistically compare two samples Understand how to measure the association between a given risk factor and a disease Define and calculate measures of association between a given risk factor and a disease Basic strategies for assessing environmental health hazards List, describe, and compare the advantages and disadvantages of the basic strategies for assessing environmental health hazards Know about Medicare and Medicaid Compare and contrast Medicare and Medicaid with respect to political history, governmental roles, client eligibility, financing, benefits, and cost-sharing Know the muscles of thigh, their nerve supplies and functions Identify the muscles of the thigh; describe their actions and innervation (nerve supply) Source: Writing course learning objectives, University of Washington School of Public Health http://sph.washington.edu/gateway/learning_objectives.asp

25. Back to your learning objectives  Review your learning objectives using the checklist  Rewrite if necessary:  One LOT objective  One HOT objective

26. Practice tips  Start from exams  From LOT to HOT (use Bloom’s verbs as guideline)  Incorporate knowledge, skills, and attitude objectives

27. Contact Kun Huang, PhD Instructional Designer Center for Learning & Development Kun.Huang@unthsc.edu 817-735-2941