Introduction to Instructional Design

Writing Performance Objectives Dr. Lloyd Rieber

The University of Georgia Department of Instructional Technology Athens, Georgia USA

Objectives
Name and describe the components of a properly written performance objective. Write a terminal objective that includes relevant information about the instructional context. Write performance objectives for skills that have been identified in an instructional analysis.

Conduct Conduct Instructional Instructional Analysis Analysis Assess Need Assess Need to Identify to Identify Goal(s) Goal(s) Write Performance Objectives

Revise Instruction

Develop Assessment Instruments

Develop Instructional Strategy

Develop And Select Instructional Materials

Design and Conduct Formative Evaluation

Analyze Learners and Contexts

Design and Conduct Summative Evaluation

(Dick & Careys Model)

Instructional Congruency
Instructional Objectives

Instruction

Evaluation

Performance Objective
A detailed description of what students will be able to do when they complete a unit of instruction. It will provide an instructional focus for the designer when deciding about content, strategies, and evaluation.

Performance Objective
Performance objectives are derived from the skills in the instructional analysis. This includes sometimes writing objectives for the skills identified as entry behaviors.

Performance Objective
Terminal Objective The objective that describes exactly what the student will be able to do when he or she completes a unit of instruction. Subordinate Objective The objective that paves the way to the achievement of the terminal objective.

Components Of An Objective
Robert Mager has long advocated constructing an objective with three components: The components are as follows: 1.Conditions of Demonstration: describes the tools or information that learners will be given when they demonstrate their learning 2.Terminal Behavior: describes the learner actions that demonstrate that learning has occurred. Action verbs such as select, identify, and list included rather than ambiguous terms such as understand, be aware of and appreciate. 3.Standards/Criteria: describes how well the learner must do for you to say the learner has achieved the objective.

Components Of An Objective
Another method for writing objectives is to include five components as described by Gagne, Briggs and Wager(1989)

Components Of An Objective
1. Situation: what is the stimulus situation faced by the student? Describe the environmental conditions under which the behavior is performed. 2. Learned capability verb: helps designer to inform others of the type of outcome being refer to. Helps to reduce ambiguity 3. Object: indicates the content of the learners performance. Example: the calculation of the sum of two three-digit numbers 4. Action verb: describes how the performance is to be completed. 5. Tools, constraints, special conditions, or criteria: in some situations, the performance will require the use of special tools, certain constraints, or other special conditions.

Learned Capability Verbs

Problem-solving Rule-using Concepts Verbal information Affective Psychomotor Generate Demonstrate Classify, identify State, list, recite, summarize Choose Execute

Components Of An Objective
Example: Given an illustration of three plane figures, two the same
< condition >

and one different, the LWBAT point to the figure that

< Terminal Behavior >

is different without assistance.

< criteria>

Components Of An Objective
Example: Given an illustration of three plane figures, two the same
< situation >

and one different, the LWBAT discriminate the figure that

< LCV > < action> < criteria> < object >

is different by pointing to it without assistance.

What Are The Differences Between Objectives And Goals?

Goals are typically written from the courses perspective whereas objectives are written from the learners perspective. A goal is a generic, less precise description of the outcome of instruction. The objectives reflect some type of criteria or standard whereas the goal does not; descriptions of the outcome of instruction is very precise.

Derivation of Behaviors
: the designer should carefully consider the verbs that may be used to describe behavior. Intellectual Skills It can be described by such verbs as discriminate, identify, classify, demonstrate, or generate.

Derivation of Behaviors
Psychomotor Skills Objectives that relate to psychomotor skills usually are easily expressed in terms of executing a physical behavior (e.g.,running, jumping, or driving) Attitudes When objectives involve attitudes, the learner is usually expected to choose a particular alternative or sets of alternatives. Verbs for Declarative/Verbal Information learning Outcomes Count, define, list, name, quote, recite, state and write

A List Of Other Types Of Performance Verbs

Verbs for General Discrimination Learning Outcomes : choose, collect, define, describe, detect, discriminate, distinguish, identify, indicate, isolate, list, match, omit, order, pick, place, point, select, and separate. Verbs for Psychomotor Learning Outcomes : arch, bend, catch, climb, float, grab, grip, hit, hop, jump, kick, knock, lift, pitch, pull, run, skate, step, stretch, swim, swing, throw, and toss Miscellaneous Verbs : aim, buy, complete, crush, determine, develop, erase, expand, finish, repeat, suggest, support, vote, and watch.

Derivation Of Conditions
: In selecting appropriate conditions you need to consider both the behavior to be demonstrated and the characteristics of the target population. You should also distinguish among the functions that the conditions component serve.

Derivation of Conditions
These functions include specifying: 1) The cue or stimulus that learners will use to search the information stored in memory. 2) The characteristics of any resource material required to perform the task. 3) The scope and complexity of the task.

Derivation of Conditions
The conditions associated with an objective will shape the instruction every bit as much as the behavior in the objective. How does the designer decide exactly what the conditions should be? Sometimes it is simply a matter of SME judgment. The context analysis describes the situations under which the desired behavior will occur, and that is what we want to describe in the conditions of an objective.

Derivation of Criteria
The final part of the objective is the criterion for judging acceptable performance of the skill. In specifying logical criteria, you must consider the nature of the task to be performed.

Process For Writing Objectives

The steps in writing objectives are: 1. 2. 3. Edit goal to reflect eventual performance context. Write terminal objective to reflect context of learning environment. Write objectives for each step in goal analysis for which there are no substeps shown. 4. Write objectives that reflect the substeps in one major objective, or write objectives for each sub-step. 5. 6. Write objectives for all subordinate skills. Write objectives for entry behaviors if some students are likely not to possess them.

Lloyds Advice on Writing Objectives

A-B-C, and maybe D, but definitely include the cap-a-bil-a-tee.

SWBAT (audience), Behavior, Condition, add Degree if it makes sense, and if you
have the basis for determining this.

A Little More About Adding The Degree

You should have a basis for determining the degree to which learning/performance should be demonstrated?
I would not expect students to solve certain problems more than 10-25% of the time. (Remember the first time you baked a cake?)

Some educators default to the 80% of the time rule.

Does anyone know where this statistic comes from?

Example: Verbal Information

Given a list of 20 chemical symbols, SWBAT list the chemical's name by writing it next to the symbol.

Example: Concrete Concept

Given pictures of 12 geometric figures, SWBAT identify by circling all the polygons.

Example: Defined Concept

Given three video scenes showing a teacher using grouping strategies, SWBAT classify by labeling the scene that demonstrates the principles of cooperative learning.

Example: Rule/Principle
Given two numbers greater than 100, SWBAT demonstrate by multiplying the two numbers together correctly within 5 minutes.

Example: Problem-Solving
SWBAT generate by constructing lesson plans that appropriately use and integrate computer tools to teach about subject matter of their choice.

Example: Attitude
SWBAT choose to design a personal dietary plan that meets the fundamental requirements of good nutrition based on the "food pyramid."

Do these objectives sound like tests?

If they do, then give yourself a point for insight! Well-written objectives can be considered first drafts of assessment instruments. Tuck this thought away for a later discussion about assessment (chapter 7).

Closing
A well-written objective describes very precisely the expected learning outcome in terms of a behavior or performance that can be clearly and fairly assessed. A well-written objective is the main tool for the subsequent design of instructional strategies (i.e. lesson design) and assessment. There are several recipes for writing objectives, but all have the same fundamental components.
A-B-C, and maybe D, but definitely include the cap-abil-a-tee.