Introduction
A well-constructed behavioral learning objective describes an intended learning outcome. It is a clear and unambiguous description of your educational expectations for students. A learning objective written in behavioral terms includes three components: student behavior, conditions of performance, and performance criteria.
These three components mean nothing if stand alone but when combined into a sentence or two it:
- communicates the conditions under which the behavior is performed,
- contains a verb that describes the behavior itself, and
- includes the degree (criteria) to which a student must perform the behavior
If anyone of these three components is missing, the objective cannot communicate accurately.
Components
1. Student Behavior (Condition)
The conditions part of an objective specify the circumstances, commands, materials, directions, etc., that the student is given to initiate the behavior. All behavior relevant to intended student learning outcomes can best be understood within a context of the conditions under which the behavior is to be performed or demonstrated. The conditions part of an objective usually begins with a simple declarative statement.
For example:
- Upon request, the student will (this means the student is given an oral or written request to do something).
- Given (some physical object) the student will (this means the student is actually given something, such as a map, a number or multiplication problems, a literary passage, etc., that relates to performing the intended behavior).
2. The Verb
We all learned in elementary school that a verb is an action word. In a learning objective, the verb is also an action word, but it is also a special kind of action word. The verb in a learning objective is an action word that connotes an observable behavior. It includes an action that the student is able to do and skill or knowledge to be gained.
For example,
- add (verb) two-digit numbers (goal or knowledge to be gained)...
- define (verb) vocabulary words (goal)...
What then are behavioral verbs? The answer is quite simple. A behavioral verb is a word that denotes an observable action or the creation of an observable product. Verbs such as identify, name, and describe are behavioral because you can observe the act or product of identifying, naming, or describing. Some verbs are embedded in a phrase that gives them a specific behavioral meaning. Such as state a rule or apply a rule. In this case, the behavior is contextual, and the context is the rule in question. Terms like "appreciate", "know", or "understand" are impossible to see when a student "appreciates", "knows", or "understand" something. Hence, these terms are not appropriate in a learning objective.
3. The Criteria
The criteria part of a learning objective is a declarative statement that describes how well the behavior must be performed to satisfy the intent of the behavioral verb. Usually, criteria are expressed in some minimum number, or as what must be, as a minimum, included in a student response.
For example:
- 80 out of 100...
- within 500 words...
- Given a list of the first 100 numbers arranged in ascending order (conditions), the student will identify (verb) at least nine prime numbers (criteria)
- Given the unlabelled diagram of the respiratory system (conditions), the student will label (verb) the parts of the human respiratory system to include the trachea, bronchi, lungs, thoracic cavity, and diaphragm (criteria)
References
Kizlik, B. (May 25, 2015). How to Write Learning Objectives that Meet Demanding Behavioral Criteria. Available online @ http://www.adprima.com
