Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
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Performance Outcomes
[from: http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/objective_formats.htm]
2. Conditions - An objective describes the important conditions (if any) under which
the performance is to occur.
Ultimately, the Mager format includes the learner's actions, the learning conditions,
and the criteria for assessing the learner's performance The following are examples
of the Mager format:
Given a list of thirty five chemical elements (condition), the learner must be able to
recall and write the valences (performance) of at least thirty (criterion).
Given a meter scale (condition), the learner is to be able to identify the value
indicated by the position of the pointer (performance) as accurately as the
construction of the meter will allow (criterion).
The Gagné and Briggs Format
The Gagné and Briggs (1997) format for writing instructional objectives consists of
five components. They are:
1. Situation
2. Learned Capability
3. Object
4. Action
5. Tools and Other Constraints
The components of the Gagné and Briggs format match Mager's condition,
performance, and criterion, only to add the object, or content, of the learning activity
as well as any tools used. Here are some examples of objectives according to Gagné
& Briggs:
Given a battery, light bulb, socket, and pieces of wire (situation), demonstrate
(learned capability) the making of an electronic circuit (object) by connecting wires
(action) to battery and socket (tools) and testing the lighting of the bulb (action).
In response to a question (situation), the learner will state (learned capability) orally
(action) three technological trends that will affect the future capabilities of navies
(object). The answer is to be completed in three minutes (constraints/tools).
The name of the ABCD format for writing instructional objectives is simply a
mneumonic for:
1. Audience
2. Behavior
3. Condition
4. Degree
These are the four components that comprise the instructional objective. Notice
again that it is similar to Mager's format, yet includes an additional element for
identifying the target audience. Below are examples of the ABCD format:
Given all the basic shapes - cone, cylinder, cube, and sphere (condition), each
second-semester geometry student (audience) will identify (behavior) orally each
shape (degree).
Using tape recorded readings of the tryout sessions for the school play (condition),
students in the drama class (audience) will select (behavior) the proper voice for
each character as indicated in the drama text (degree).
Table 1: Comparison of Formats
Seels & Glasgow (1990). Exercises in Instructional Design. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill
Publishing Company.