Writing Strong Learning Objectives (15 Minutes)
Bloom's Taxonomy ( 5 mins)
Here's a list of measurable verbs:
- Define
- Categorize
- Calculate
- Interpret
- Create
- Summarize
- Hypothesize
- Defend
Here's a list of verbs/verb phrases that are hard to measure:
- Understand
- Learn
- Appreciate
- Become familiar with
- Observe
- Read
- Consider
- Know
All learning objectives must include a behavior describing what the audience will be able to do. There are a few examples above, but there are many more verbs to describe what students can or will do. Bloom's Taxonomy organizes these verbs into hierarchical levels based on the thinking skills required to complete tasks.
Bloom's Taxonomy provides a list of measurable verbs that help identify desired behaviors. The taxonomy consists of 6 levels with each level building upon the next. The higher levels represent higher-order thinking skills. Usually, in introductory courses, the objectives and learning activities focus more on knowledge and comprehension, then move gradually to application and analysis. Higher-level courses focus more on application, evaluation, and creation.
Download Bloom's Taxonomy for your records. You can also find this document in the Elaborate section of this module.
