MODULE 2

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MODULE 2
Defining Learning Objectives
3rd
2nd
1st
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The Backward Design
3rd
2nd
1st
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Learning Objectives

• How to frame learning or understanding?
• How to define course goals and objectives?
• How to unpack the educational standards and
  extract the big ideas?
• How essential questions are related to the big
  ideas?
• How to write learning objectives?

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Defining Learning Objectives
Understanding
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What is Understanding?
You only understand if you can

• Interpret it
• Summarize it
• Generalize it
• Explain it
• Prove it
• Predict it
• Use it
• Connect it
• Give examples

An understanding is a moral of the story that
you can apply to other stories
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How to develop understanding?
3. Application

1. Explanation

2. Interpretation
4. Perspectives
5. Empathy
6. Self-knowledge
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How to develop understanding?
Nurture the ability to explain
How does it work?
What happens if I do this?
How did you get to this conclusion?
Why do you think that?
Encourage the ability to interpret
What is this related to?
How is it related to me?
Why does it matter?
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How to develop understanding?
Create opportunities to apply
How can I solve this problem?
How can I adapt it to this situation?
How can I use this?
Look for different perspectives
What do you think about it?
How about this way?
Why do you think so?
Is it reasonable?
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How to develop understanding?
Pursue empathy
What he was thinking or feeling when he did that?
What do I need to experience to understand?
Encourage self-knowledge
What are my limits? My blind spots?
How I think and why I do this way
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Defining Learning Objectives
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3
1
Unpacking Educational Standards and Framing the
Big Idea
Defining Learning Goals
Defining Learning Objectives
Understanding
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Unpacking Educational Standards
1

• What is the course about?
• What are the priorities?

• What to teach?
• What to leave out?
• What to emphasize?
• What to minimize?

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How to Prioritize?
1

• Break the Educational Standards into Big Ideas!

• What is the most important?
• How do the pieces connect?
• What is the bottom line?

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What is a BIG IDEA?
1

• It is the main point (beyond basic knowledge)
• It is broad and abstract, requiring uncoverage
• It is universal in application
• It is timeless carry through the ages
• It is transferable can be applied to other
  situations

Another way of understanding it is through
framing Essential Questions
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How to find the BIG IDEA?
1
Look for the heart of the course!

• Why study .? So what?
• What is the moral of the story of the topic?
• Do you have to dig deep to understand the
  meaning and implications?
• What is the larger concept between the lines?
• What couldnt we do if we didnt understand?
• How is used in the real world?

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Defining Learning Goals
2

• At the end of the course, students will be able
  to

How to find the goals? Focus on the Big Ideas!!
Big Idea
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Defining Specific Objectives
3
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Defining Specific Objectives
3
Learning Objectives (Specific Behaviors)
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Defining and Writing Objectives
3

• Bloom Taxonomy

or
http//classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/Resourc
es2/bloomstax.htm
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Learning objectives reflect Specific Behaviors
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• Behaviors refers to actions!

Must be described with specific ACTION VERBS
Verbs must reflect actions that can be OBSERVABLE
Action Verb Direct Object
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Pop Quiz
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• Which objectives are unclear?

• Students will be able to
• Understand backward design
• Critique a course syllabus
• Be aware of Learner-Centered Teaching
  characteristics
• Create engaging class activities

Why are they not clear? What they differ from the
other ones?
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3
Bloom Taxonomy
http//cstep.csumb.edu/Obj_tutorial/bloomwheel.htm
l
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3
Bloom Taxonomy
http//cstep.csumb.edu/Obj_tutorial/bloomwheel.htm
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3
Bloom Taxonomy
http//cstep.csumb.edu/Obj_tutorial/bloomwheel.htm
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3
Bloom Taxonomy
http//cstep.csumb.edu/Obj_tutorial/bloomwheel.htm
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3
Bloom Taxonomy
http//cstep.csumb.edu/Obj_tutorial/bloomwheel.htm
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3
Bloom Taxonomy
http//cstep.csumb.edu/Obj_tutorial/bloomwheel.htm
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Learning Questions
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Learning Objectives framed as questions!

• Point out to specific Objectives
• One question should include more than one
  objective
• Drive the content of each session
• By answering these questions, students will be
  able to
• answer the Essential Questions or Big Ideas

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Summary
BIG IDEA
Understanding
Goal 1
Goal 2
Goal 3
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Summary
BIG IDEA
Goal 1
Goal 2
Goal 3
Objectives
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Learning Objectives

• How to frame learning or understanding?
• How to define course goals and objectives?
• How to unpack the educational standards and
  extract the big ideas?
• How essential questions are related to the big
  ideas?
• How to write learning objectives?

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References

• Understanding, Unpacking Standards, Big Idea,
  Essential Questions
• Wiggins, Grant and McTighe, Jay. Understanding by
  Design. 2nd Edition. ASCD, Virginia, 2005.
• Bloom Taxonomy
• http//cstep.csumb.edu/Obj_tutorial/bloomwheel.htm
  l
• http//classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/Resourc
  es2/bloomstax.htm
• http//projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title
  Bloom27s_TaxonomyWhat_is_Bloom.27s_Taxonomy.3F
• Writing Objectives
• http//www.tedi.uq.edu.au/teaching/assessment/lear
  ningGoals.html