Objectives

Note: Non-Plus courses are not submitted to Quality Matters for certification, however, iPD design best practice includes creating Learning Objectives that follow these standards. 

Alignment

Quality Matters 

2.1 C Course-level learning objectives or competencies are measurable and describe what learners will be able to demonstrate as a result of successfully completing the course. 

2.2 C The module/unit-level objectives or competencies describe outcomes that are measurable and consistent with the course-level objectives. 

2.4 C Learning objectives or competencies are designed and written for the target student audience.

National Standards for Quality Online Teaching

H5 The online teacher continuously reviews and aligns all course content with applicable course objectives and standards.

H6 The online teacher creates, selects, and organizes appropriate assignments and assessments to align curricular content with associated standards-based learning goals.

Specific: Does the learning objective provide enough detail or context for a student to determine when it is met?

Measurable/Observable: Does the learning objective use a measurable verb? (e.g., explain instead of know) 

Student-centered: Is the learning objective written from the point of view of the student using terminology that the student will understand?

Outcome-Based: Does the learning objective describe an outcome or product of the instruction?

Common Unmeasurable Verbs (QM will not approve)

• Understand
• Know
• Learn
• Demonstrate

Course-Level Objectives

The course-level objectives are adapted from the state standards. The course objectives determine the behavior, skill, or action that students must master by the end of the course. The course-level objectives form the foundation of the course. Everything else in the course should correspond to these objectives to ensure the student’s mastery of the course objectives. 

The course-level objectives are completed at the top of the Scope and Sequence. They will be listed as CO 1, CO 2, etc., as they will need to be identified in the unit(s) in which they will be addressed. 

Unit/Lesson-Level Objectives

Lesson-level objectives align with the lesson assessment and are needed to start breaking down the direct behavior, skills, and actions that are needed in order to master the standard(s) that have been identified for the unit.

• Utica EDU: Bloom’s Taxonomy of Measurable Verbs
• AAPA: List of Verbs for Formulating Education Objectives
• Quality Matters: Making Your Course Better Through Measurable Objectives
• Style Guide: Alignment Document
• QM K-12 Rubric, Fifth Edition.pdf
• Style Guide: Assignment Directions
• Style Guide: SLS Audience
• Style Guide: Unit Checklists