1. Writing Effective Objectives
Topics & Objectives
Writing Effective Objectives

2. Objective: Welcome! Introduction Tell us a little bit about yourself:
Your name
Role
How you use objectives in your daily responsibilities
Objective:
Write effective objectives for University of Phoenix courses

3. What do we want our students to be able to do?
The Essentials
Topics & Objectives
At the macro-level, for program assessment purposes
At the micro-level, to help the students focus their attention on target
What do we want our students to be able to do?

4. Program Description Topic Objective PSLO PSLO PSLO Course ABC/123
Program Assessment
Program Description
Course ABC/124
Topic
Objective
PSLO
PSLO
PSLO
Course ABC/123

5. Program Objectives Assignments Readings Courses Topic
Learning Alignment
Program
Courses
Topic
Objectives
Readings
Assignments

6. Topics provide the framework for content
Topics provide a framework for course content
Topics may be related:
to other topics in the course
to the whole course
to the other courses
Topics may be sequenced
Parts
Whole
Simple
Complicated
Cause
Effect

7. Examples of Topics Sequencing
Content Area
Sequence
Example
Math
Easy to difficult
+, -, *, /, sq rt, equations
Criminal Justice
Basic concepts to interaction in the system
Policing, court, prison, state level, federal level
History
Historical timeline
What happens first, what happens next, causality, consequences

8. Provide a few examples of topic sequencing.
Exercise Time 1
Considering courses in your program, how are the topics sequenced?
Provide a few examples of topic sequencing.
Content Area
Sequence
Example
Course 1
Course 2
Course 3

9. Objectives identify the learning outcomes for a course
Objectives indicate what the student must be able to do:
specific skills
type of knowledge, and
level of cognitive mastery

10. 4 Types of Knowledge
Factual Knowledge - Basic elements needed to be acquainted with a discipline or solve problems within it (e.g. terminology, specific details & elements)
Examples:
3 major monotheistic religions in the west – Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Types of white collar crime – bribery, blackmail, credit card fraud

11. 4 Types of Knowledge
Conceptual Knowledge -The relationships among basic elements that enable them to function together, (e.g. classifications & categories, principles & generalizations, theories, models & structures)
Examples:
Ecosystems
Bill of Rights – Freedom of speech, to bear arms, unlawful search and seizure
Theory of Demand & Supply
Dietary pyramid

12. 4 Types of Knowledge
Procedural Knowledge -Use methods, skills, techniques, or algorithms, (e.g. apply principles, theories, procedures, or processes, to new scenarios or tasks.)
Examples:
Apply the Scientific Method
Use the Writing Process to develop a research paper
Demonstrate how to change a tire

13. 4 Types of Knowledge
Metacognitive Knowledge –Strategic and self-knowledge, (e.g. knowledge about cognitive tasks, including appropriate contextual and conditional knowledge).
Examples:
Predict ones reactions
Deconstruct one’s biases
Reflect on one’s progress

14. Exercise Time 2
Think of some examples of each type of knowledge in general or in your degree programs.
Factual
Conceptual
Procedural
Metacognitive 1 2 3

15. Cognitive Processes Domains
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Domains- Classification system to scaffold cognitive processes from simple to complex.
Create
Evaluate
Analyze
Apply
Understand
Remember

16. Cognitive Processes Create Evaluate Analyze Apply Understand Remember
Combining information, formulate new structures from existing knowledge and skills.
Create
Judge the value of material
Evaluate
Identifying components, determining arrangement, logic & semantics
Analyze
Use learning in new and concrete situations.
Apply
Restate, paraphrase, summarize, translate materials, construct meaning of the material.
Understand
Remember previously learned material
Remember

17. Bloom’s Taxonomy

18. Exercise Time 3

19. Putting it all together: Writing Effective Objectives
Exercise Time
Putting it all together:
Writing Effective Objectives
(Students will be able to)
specific, measureable verb
at appropriate cognitive level for type of knowledge
+ content
Example:
Describe the impact of dehydration on the body

20. Exercise Time
Use the topic “cybersecurity” as it applies in your content area to apply the different cognitive processes to teach it.
Step 1: Identify appropriate learning outcomes
- What do you expect the students to be able to do?
Step 2: Select the appropriate cognitive level of learning outcomes
- Lower-level courses ( level) – 70-80% of the objectives should
be at the remember, understand or apply levels
- Higher-level courses – a balance between cognitive levels

21. Write effective objectives
Step 3: Identify the types of knowledge required for learning outcome (These will be the content covered in your objectives or materials)
Compose a fiction
Differentiate fiction from non-fiction
Characteristics of fictional literature
Writing
Characters and plot development
Storyline creation
Definition of fiction and non-fiction
Sample works of fiction and non-fiction

22. Write effective objectives
Step 4: Write objectives
Starts with a verb of right level, often the same verb as in the learning outcome
Has a knowledge dimension (facts, concepts, or a process, type of knowledge identified earlier)
Clear, straight to the point, measurable observable skills, meaningful behaviors (not an activity or assignment)

23. Example
Teach “Cybersecurity” at different knowledge dimensions or for different outcome
Factual: definitions, actors
Conceptual: effects on personal and institutional safety
Procedural: Is there a process to prepare and prevent attack?
Depending on the knowledge dimension you plan to teach “Cybersecurity”, your objective will be different.
Explain the key components of cybersecurity
Determine if someone is a threat to cybersecurity

24. Exercise Time Your Takeaway:
Think of a topic in an area that you are currently working on, analyze the possible cognitive levels, and determine the knowledge dimensions of the topic.
Delineate the topic, potential learning outcomes, and objectives you can develop.
Note: It can be a theory, a process or some terminology or facts in the area.
Identify nutrient-rich foods
Compare the juvenile and adult courts
Explain the causes of financial crisis
Compute short- and long-term debt
Evaluate financial ratios to make decisions

25. Exercise Time
Share your examples with the group.