1. Creating Course Objectives
Hi everybody, this is Scott Switzer, and this module is focused on Creating Course Objectives.

2. Developing Course Objectives
Students need to be here…
Whether teaching online, face-to-face or hybrid, the first step in any course design is to identify what your students will learn; your course objectives. Begin by asking yourself if my students could learn only five things in my course, what would they be? Your course objectives should communicate what your students will learn and what they actually will be able to do after taking your course.
Students are here…
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

3. Developing Course Objectives
Assessment
What do you want them to do…?
How do you know that they have learned it…?
As this slide depicts, you begin with a statement of what you want learners to be able to do. Then, after taking the course, we assess learners to determine that they have learned what we want them to learn. So, the assessment is about how we know that learners have learned to do what we want them to do!
Course
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

4. Developing Course Objectives
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

5. Developing Course Objectives
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

6. Developing Course Objectives
Course objective = clear statements that describe the competencies that learners should demonstrate upon completion of your course
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

7. Developing Course Objectives
Course objective = clear statements that describe the competencies that learners should demonstrate upon completion of your course
[Action verb]
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

8. Developing Course Objectives
Course objective = clear statements that describe the competencies that learners should demonstrate upon completion of your course
[Action verb] +
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

9. Developing Course Objectives
Course objective = clear statements that describe the competencies that learners should demonstrate upon completion of your course
[Action verb] + description of the performance of what you want learners to do
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

10. Developing Course Objectives
Course objective = clear statements that describe the competencies that learners should demonstrate upon completion of your course
[Action verb] + description of the performance of what you want learners to do
Example:
Getting Started with the Course Planning Document

11. Developing Course Objectives
Course objective = clear statements that describe the competencies that learners should demonstrate upon completion of your course
[Action verb] + description of the performance of what you want learners to do
Example:
Apply current standards of care, trends, and technologies used in critical care nursing
Getting Started with the Course Planning Document

12. Developing Course Objectives
Course objective = clear statements that describe the competencies that learners should demonstrate upon completion of your course
[Action verb] + description of the performance of what you want learners to do
Example:
Apply current standards of care, trends, and technologies used in critical care nursing
Getting Started with the Course Planning Document

13. Developing Course Objectives
Course objective = clear statements that describe the competencies that learners should demonstrate upon completion of your course
[Action verb] + description of the performance of what you want learners to do
Example:
Apply current standards of care, trends, and technologies used in critical care nursing
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

14. Developing Course Objectives
Course objective = clear statements that describe the competencies that learners should demonstrate upon completion of your course
[Action verb] + description of the performance of what you want learners to do
Example:
Apply current standards of care, trends, and technologies used in critical care nursing
This learning objective is observable or measurable by the course instructor
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

15. Developing Course Objectives
Try to be as specific as possible when writing course objectives
Begin all course objectives with action verbs that you can measure or observe in instructional activities or in assessment
Avoid using general words like “know,” “learn,” and “understand” – these words are typically subjective and are more difficult to measure
When developing course objectives, try to be as specific as possible. Also, begin all course objectives with “action verbs” that you can easily measure or observe in your instructional activities or in your assessments. Finally, avoid using words like “know,” “learn,” or “understand” when stating objectives. These words are subjective in nature and are more difficult to measure.
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

16. Examples
Understand the various types of political systems around the world
Identify the [specific number of] different political systems around the world
Describe the interrelationships between political systems, where applicable
Compare and contrast the different types of political systems
Here is an example – “Understand the various types of political systems around the world” might be restated as “Identify the different political systems…” or “Describe the interrelationships…” or “Compare and contrast the different types…” Each of these objectives are more specific in nature and are much more easy to measure in an activity or assessment.
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

17. Examples
Identify appropriate concepts of physics to solve complex physics problems
Here is an example of an objective that begins with an appropriate action verb, but is still not as specific as it could be.
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

18. Examples
Identify appropriate concepts of physics to solve complex physics problems
It begins with the verb “identify,” which is appropriate, but we can make the objective more specific.
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

19. Examples
Identify appropriate concepts of physics to solve complex physics problems
Identify three concepts of physics that solve problems for high-energy particle physics
By writing “Identify three concepts of physics that solve problems for high-energy particle physics,” the objective gets more specific so that learners have greater clarity on what is expected on them in the course. This helps the learner on the expectation and also helps when it is time to develop the assessment.
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

20. Examples
Identify appropriate concepts of physics to solve complex physics problems
Identify three concepts of physics that solve problems for high-energy particle physics
By writing “Identify three concepts of physics that solve problems for high-energy particle physics,” the objectives get more specific so that learners have greater clarity on what is expected on them in the course. This helps the learner on the expectation and also helps when it is time to develop the assessment.
Getting Started with the Course Design Process

21. Developing Course Objectives
As a guide, we have provided Appendix 1, the Bloom’s Taxonomy Action Verbs – this chart will allow you to select the corresponding action verb for what you want your learner to do in your learning objective. If you have questions about this, please consult your mentor. Thanks so much for listening!
Getting Started with the Course Design Process