1. UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE BAJA CALIFORNIA
Language Bachelor Program
Writing Learning Objectives
Methods of Evaluation

2. What is a Learning Objective?
› A learning objective is a
statement of what students
will be able to do when
they have completed
instruction.
› A Learning objective has
three major components:
1. A description of what the
student will be able to do
2. The conditions under which
the student will perform
the task.
3. The criteria for evaluating
student performance.

3. Why are Learning Objectives
important?
› Learning objectives are guides to:
1. Selection of content
2. Development of an instructional strategy.
3. Development and selection of instructional
materials.
4. Construction of test and other instruments for
assessing and then evaluating student learning
outcomes.

4. How do you write a Learning
Objective?
Focus on student Performance NOT teacher
performance.
Focus on product NOT process.
Focus on terminal behavior - not subject matter.
Include only ONE general learning outcome in
each objective.

5. Three essential characteristics for clear
statements.
› Behavior – A
description of what
the student will be
able to do. (The
choice of a verb is all-
important here).
› The Conditions under
which the student will
perform the task.
› The Criteria for
evaluating the student
performance

6. eXAMPLE
“Recognize and produce wh-information
questions with correct final intonation pattern”
Behavior criterion
conditions

7. Writing learning objectives…
verbs such as "understand," "know," or "learn about" should be
replaced with more specific verbs. The list that follows
provides some of the verbs appropriate for use with the
statement "
list
identify
state
describe
define
solve
compare and contrast
operate

8. Examples
Let's assume that we are creating a
training program for receptionists.
The goal of the program is simply
to train people in proper phone
use. What might the specific tasks
and associated learning objectives
include?
An example of a poorly defined
objective is:
In this course you will learn how to
operate the phone and properly
communicate with callers.
This statement is not an objective .
It’s a description of the course
content

9. The following performance objectives are good examples of
the use of observable behaviors.
After completing this course you will be able to:
place a caller on hold
activate the speaker phone
play new messages on the voice mail system
list the three elements of a proper phone greeting
transfer a call to a requested extension