Overview | Objectives | Resources | Events

Overview

Research suggests that students perform better in instructional situations if they have a clear understanding of what is expected of them (Angelo, 1990). Instructors should communicate to students what they are expected to know and be able to do as a result of the instruction. Such statements are known as Performance Objectives. The writing of objectives is probably one of the best known components of the instructional design process. Since the 1960s, thousands of educators have been trained on the writing of what was termed “behavioral” objectives. However, as noted by Dick and Carey (2015), major difficulties emerged from this approach. In Unit 5, you will be asked to generate a set of performance objectives for your instructional unit based on your analyses. It should take you and team approximately 5-8 hours to complete this unit.

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Objectives

Terminal Objective

– Given the results of an instructional, context and learner analyses, select a logical cluster of sub-skills and knowledge, and generate a set of performance objectives and a list of pre-requisite entry level behaviors for a unit of instruction.

Enabling Objectives

– You should also be able to:

• select a logical cluster of skills, knowledge and entry behaviors for a unit of instruction by analyzing instructional, context and learner analysis reports;
• identify four key components of a performance objective;
• differentiate among the terms instructional goal, terminal objective, enabling objectives, performance objectives, instructional objectives and behavioral objectives.
• recognize one method for defining course scope and sequence.

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Required Resources

• Copy of your Goal Analysis and Subordinate Skills Analysis Diagrams
• Copy of your Learner Analysis Report
• Copy of your Context Analysis Report

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Recommended Instructional Events

1. Review Dick, Carey & Carey (2022) Chapter 6 – Writing Performance Objectives.
2. Complete practice items presented at the end of Chapter 6 using feedback provided in textbook to check your own work.
3. Scan description of Assignment 2, focusing on the components of the Learner Assessment Alignment Table.
4. Read Unit 4.0 – Performance Objectives Supplement.
5. Complete optional Quiz 4.0 to self-assess and monitor your own acquisition of key concepts.
6. Go to and complete Unit 5.0 Learner Assessment BEFORE you begin drafting objectives for your instructional unit.
7. Respond to any posted questions and post any additional questions or comments you may have about the information covered in this unit in the proper location on the course bulletin board system.

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Last Updated 08/19/23