In
any discussion of teaching writing, learning objectives should
be the teachers' starting point. However, not all teachers use
the same terminology in that discussion.
You are likely to hear various adjectives used to describe the
writing objectives, such as:
-
Learning objectives
-
SMART objectives
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Behavioral objectives
-
Performance objectives
The terms people use to describe their learning objectives
for teaching writing often reveal their background and
biases. This page will give you a quick overview of the ways
the various terms are used.
Within the educational context, however, each of those terms
refers roughly to the same thing: statements of how teachers
will measure success.
When you are writing learning objectives for use in teaching writing
and teaching other curriculum topics, the objectives will be
written the same way regardless of what you call them.
Learning/educational objectives
Folks who use the specific terminology writing learning objectives or
writing educational objectives probably have an education background.
Learning/educational objectives often target behaviors that are
at the heart of education, but which may not be achievable by the
educational system.
Although such objectives specify outcomes in terms of behaviors,
often the learning objectives are long-range and not directly
measurable in learning period under the teachers' control.
Let me give you an example.
I once developed an online summer dropout prevention program
for eighth grade students identified by their guidance counselors
as likely to leave school without graduating.
The learning objective for the program could be stated thus:
Students will graduate from high school
within 5 years.
Even though the learning objective was measurable, I could not
measure it within the 20 days of the program.
During the program itself, I had to rely on measurements that I
took as proxies for the learning objective. I decided that
if students attending the program every day (attendance was not
required), I would accept that as a proxy for high school graduation.
All 17 students attended the program every day, so I achieved
my proxy learning objective. However, only 16 of the 17 graduated
high school within five years, so I failed to achieve my learning
objective.
Performance objectives
I
like to use the term performance objectives to describe
my writing objectives, that is my objectives with regard to writing,
because I associate performance with the performing arts.
However, the terminology doesn't have anything to do with artistry
and everything to do with profits.
People who write learning objectives they refer to as performance
objectives, probably have a background in business management,
human resources or training.
Performance objectives often are used to describe desired outcomes
that affect a company's bottom line, such as the number of calls
handled by operators at a call center, the number of accident-free
days in a manufacturing plant, or the sales figures for toothpaste.
Performance objectives are set for specific jobs; they
may also be set for specific unit or department. The standard
is good enough so that if each individual meets his/her objectives,
the organization will meet its overall objectives.
Performance objectives recognize the value of the individual
and the cost of replacing him/her. Satisfactory performance on
a given objective is never determined by a single day's performance,
but by a period such as a quarter or a full year.
Unless an employer has an ulterious motive for wanting to get
rid of an employee, an employee who doesn't meet the standard
is given coaching and training to bring him/her to acceptable
work levels. A steller performer may be rewarded, but as long
as performance objectives are met less-than-stellar performance
is not penalized.
Behavioral objectives
The
phrase behavioral objectives originated with psychologists
who wanted to study behaviors they could see instead of theorizing
about internal processes they couldn't see.
The term has fallen out of favor in education for a couple reasons.
One is that the word behavior has a
rather negative connotation among teachers. You
will hear them talk about behavior problems, but never about behavior
accomplishments. Even when teachers say students are "on
their good behavior," the implication is that good behavior
is abnormal.
Behavior objectives are usually specific and relatively short
term. They fit well into classroom management schemes, less will
into educational programs.
Also, behavioral objectives are associated with operant conditioning,
which educators think of in terms of rats pushing levers to get
food pellets. (Educators want to control learners' behavior, but
they don't want to be seen as controlling that behavior.)
SMART objectives
If
you are writing learning objectives you call SMART objectives,
you probably come from a business background.
SMART objectives build in a dose of realism that objectives
by other names sometimes lack. The term also avoids descriptors
that make teachers antsy and substitutes a term that has positive
vibes for educators: educators like anything SMART.
The acronym SMART usually stands for:
-
Specific
-
Measurable
-
Achievable/Appropriate
-
Realistic/Relevant
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Time-specific.
Whichever adjective you use to describe objectives for your classes
in writing, writing learning objectives that let you know if you
succeeded is absolutely essential.
Click to learn about the general procedure for
writing learning objectives.
