Establish Course-level Learning Objectives

As subject matter experts, instructors have a clear understanding of the skills students need to acquire to be successful in their fields. However, this information is not always communicated to students. To set clear expectations for student learning, instructors should answer the question, “What do I want my students to know or be able to do by the end of this course?”

Develop a set of learning objectives for a course by crafting a short list of concepts, topics, or skills that can guide student learning and add clarity to students’ learning experiences. By designing the course from a list of 3-6 course-level learning objectives, students have a clear set of expectations for what they should be able to do by the end of the course and will be better prepared to demonstrate their learning in a way that aligns with their instructor’s expectations.

How Can I Develop Effective Learning Objectives For My Course?

Learning objectives help to break down a complex cognitive process into manageable component skills. For example, an advanced skill like critical thinking might require a student to describe a given situation or context, assess the quality of information provided, and identify points of illogical reasoning or contrasting arguments. Another advanced skill like essay writing might require a student to formulate an informed argument, locate and read relevant peer-reviewed articles or other scholarly sources, and write a 5-page paper with a thesis statement and supporting paragraphs.

Well-written learning objectives should be student-centered, actionable, and measurable.

• Student-centered: focus on what students should be able to know or do, rather than what you plan to teach.
• Actionable: identify concrete actions and behaviors that students are expected to demonstrate, including the kind of intellectual effort required to be successful in this course.
• Measureable: each learning objective points to a clear assessment that can easily check whether students have accomplished that skill or advanced their learning.

Clearly articulated learning objectives inform three key elements of your course design:

1. What do I want students to know, learn, or be able to do?
2. How will I know when students have accomplished or advanced their learning?
3. How will I prepare my students to be successful in my course? What will the overall teaching and learning experience look like?

After you have articulated learning objectives for your course, continue to narrow and prioritize your list of learning objectives. Consider, what is most important for students to learn in your field? How in depth should students learn a given skill, topic, or concept? What can reasonably be accomplished in the span of a semester?

Explore Examples To Help Guide Your Thinking

Begin learning objective statements with action verbs to communicate the skills and tasks students can expect to engage with or do in your course. To learn more about the motivation behind the use of action words, read a summary of Bloom's Taxonomy, a framework for categorizing educational goals and outcomes.