Establish Course-level Learning Objectives

Why Are Learning Objectives Important?

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:

What do I want students to know, learn, or be able to do?
How will I know when students have accomplished or advanced their learning?
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(link is external), a framework for categorizing educational goals and outcomes.

Example Action Verbs

Knowledge	Comprehension	Application	Analysis	Synthesis	Evaluation
define describe examine identify indicate know label list match name outline recall recognize record relate reproduce restate select show state	choose cite convert defend describe detect discuss distinguish estimate explain extend generalize give examples identify infer locate paraphrase predict recognize rephrase report restate select summarize	act administer apply change collect compute construct control convert demonstrate derive develop diagram discover employ estimate facilitate generalize help illustrate implement interpret manipulate modify operate perform practice predict prepare present produce provide regulate schedule share show solve use	analyze appraise assess break down calculate categorize classify compare contrast debate deduce describe detect diagram differentiate discriminate distinguish elicit examine extrapolate identify illustrate infer inspect question recognize reflect relate select solve sort systematize tabulate test	adapt arrange articulate assemble collaborate combine communicate compose consolidate construct create design develop devise establish explain formulate generate incorporate initiate integrate intervene justify manage modify organize plan predict prepare propose reflect relate revise summarize synthesize tell write	appraise assess collaborate compare conclude contrast criticize critique describe discriminate estimate evaluate explain interpret judge justify measure rate reconsider reflect relate summarize support validate verify

Writing learning objectives that are student-centered, actionable, and measurable is a non-trivial task. Learn from examples collected from UC Berkeley undergraduate courses.

Examples of Learning Objectives from UC Berkeley Undergraduate Courses

Aligning Learning Objectives to Assessments and Activities

Learning objectives can inform the remaining components of your course by creating links between what students are expected to learn and the assignments and activities students complete throughout the semester.

As you begin the process of designing course assignments, consider these questions:

What learning objective(s) is associated with each assignment?
If an assignment is worth a significant portion of students’ grades, are students demonstrating a cumulation of knowledge? Does the timing of the assignment permit a reasonable amount of time spent learning and practicing knowledge leading up to the assignment?
If an assignment is an ungraded activity or worth a small portion of students’ grades, how might this assignment or activity prepare students for a high-stakes assignment later in the semester?

Linking learning objectives with assessments and activities helps to prioritize what skills are most important for students to learn, and then prepares students to meaningfully engage with and practice these skills. By identifying course-level skills in the form of learning objectives, you begin to make the teaching and learning process more transparent. Additionally, knowing what the components of each skill are will help in writing the course description, assignment descriptions, and developing effective and fair grading tools.