Learning objectives for this lesson:

•  identify three components of writing learning objectives

•  recognize Bloom's six level of learning

•  match action verbs with learning levels by using Bloom's taxonomy

•  sharpen the learning objectives of your course by using Bloom's taxonomy

What are learning goals and learning objectives?
In a nutshell, learning goals are where we would like the students to achieve at the end of the course. The objectives are the steps needed to get there.

Specifically, the goals are broad, generalized statements about what is to be learned. In contrast, learning objectives (sometimes is used interchangeably with learning outcomes) specify what a learner is expected to know, understand or be able to perform as a result of a learning process. For example,

Why are learning objectives important? They enable faculty to communicate expectations to the learners, review curriculum and content, design appropriate assessment, and evaluate the effectiveness of learning. It is advisable that your learning objectives should match your instructional activities and assessments.

The Components of Learning Objectives

1. behavior – skill or knowledge to be gained. Use an action verb, such as define, count, list, to describe what  a learner will be doing.

2. conditions of performance – under what circumstances will the learning take place.

3. measurable performance criteria – how will the learning be evaluated.

Example
In an oral presentation, students will paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King's I have a dream address,
conditions of performance                              behavior

mentioning at least 3 of  the 5 major points discussed in class.             
               measurable performance criteria  

 More examples on specific domains.

What is Bloom’s taxonomy?
Bloom and his colleagues (1956) proposed that knowing is actually composed of six successive levels arranged in a hierarchy: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. Research has generally confirmed that the first four levels are indeed a true hierarchy. However, there are mixed research findings regarding the relationship between Synthesis and Evaluation; it is possible that these two are reversed or they can be two separate activities (Seddon, 1978).

Bloom’s Taxonomy attempts to divide cognitive objectives into subdivisions ranging from the simplest behavior to the most complex. There are six levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.

1. Knowledge is defined as the remembering of previously learned material. It requires the learners to bring appropriate information to mind. Examples include: knowledge of common terms, specific facts, methods and procedures, basic concepts, and principles, among others.

2. Comprehension is defined as the ability to grasp the meaning of material. This may involve translating material from one form to another (words to numbers), interpreting material (explaining or summarizing), and estimating future trends (predicting consequences or effects). Examples include: to understand facts and principles, to interpret verbal material, to interpret charts and graphs, to translate verbal material to mathematical formulae, and to justify methods and procedures. 

3. Application refers to the ability to use learned material in new and concrete situations. This may include the application of such things as rules, methods, concepts, principles, laws, and theories. Examples includes: apply concepts and principles to new situations, apply laws and theories to practical situations, solve mathematical problems, construct graphs and charts, and demonstrate the correct usage of a method or procedure. 

4. Analysis refers to the ability to break down material into its component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood. Analysis may include the identification of parts, the analysis of the relationship between parts, and the recognition of the organizational principles involved. Examples include: to recognize unstated assumptions, to recognize logical fallacies in reasoning, to distinguish between facts and inferences, and to analyze the organizational structure of a work, such as art, music, and writing.  

5.  Synthesis refers to the ability to put parts together to form a new whole. This may involve the production of a unique communication (theme or speech), a plan of operations (research proposal), or a set of abstract relations (scheme for classifying information). Examples include: to write a well organized theme, to give a well organized speech, to propose a plan for an experiment, and to formulate a new scheme for classifying objects. 

6. Evaluation refers to the ability to judge the value of material (statement, novel, poem, research report).  The judgments are to be based on definite criteria, which can be internal criteria (organization) or external criteria (relevance to the purpose). Examples include: to judge the logical consistency of written material, to judge the adequacy with which conclusions are supported by data, and to judge the value of a work.