1.1 Establish standards-based learning objectives

• 1.1   Establish standards-based learning objectives
  This standard requires the teacher to carefully consider the objective as one small piece of the standard, always keeping in mind the overall goal of the course or the unit. Lessons should be rigorous, promote college-readiness, and must include a measurement as to how the teacher and the students will determine if the objective has been met.
  A.      Selection of learning objectives
  Considerations for Practice at Level III
• Are the objectives directly related to the standard?  For many courses, one needs to read the strands and sub-strands in which the standards are located to determine whether or not the objective is indeed a key learning piece of the course goal.
• Pay close attention to the verbs in the standards.
• Objectives should state what the students will learn, not necessarily what the student will do.  Refer to Bloom’s for appropriate learning verbs.  The teacher may include “doing” objectives as supporting objectives.
• The objectives should be rigorous.  Teachers should focus the lesson around the four highest levels of Bloom’s or around Conley’s key cognitive strategies to ensure rigor.
  Considerations for Practice at Level IV
• Objectives should promote in-depth understanding of complex, interdisciplinary concepts.  Teachers might review the dimensions of Depth and Complexity when writing their objective.
  • The dimensions of Depth provide teacher and students the opportunity to dig deeper into the curriculum. They focus the teacher’s and students’ attention on increasingly more difficult, divergent, and abstract qualities of knowing a discipline or area.
  • Complexity can be defined as the means by which knowledge is extended or broadened. The dimensions of complexity afford the teacher and students with opportunities to make associations and connections between and among areas or disciplines of study.
    B.      Measurability of learning objectives
    Considerations for Practice at Level III
• The first question to ask about measurability is, Can this objective be measured?  “Students will learn to appreciate classical music” is not a measureable objective.
• Once you’ve determined that the objective is measurable, you need to state to which degree students are expected to master it.  How will you know that the objective is met?  Some examples might be:  “…with 90% accuracy;”  “…with a rubric score of 3 or 4;”  “by accurately referencing two supporting statements from the text;”  “by accurately using 4 of the 6 new vocabulary words.”
• The measurability statement does not necessarily need to be included in the same sentence as the objective.  It does, however, need to be included with the objective.
  Considerations for Practice at Level IV
• The objective should include multiple methods of measurement.

Resources
Teacher training module: Writing College-Ready Objectives
This module includes a powerpoint, Bloom’s verbs, Conley’s Redefining College Readiness, and several articles about objectives and measurability.

Teacher training module:  Questioning for High Levels of Cognition
This module includes information about questioning, but included in it is a full explanation and samples of Depth and Complexity.

Doug Lemov: Teach Like a Champion, Chapter 2, “Planning That Ensures Academic Achievement”
In this technique, Lemov explains how teachers can establish strong objectives for student learning in their planning.

Marzano: Designing and Assessing Educational Objectives
This website describes and allows teachers to purchase Marzano’s book and other materials on Designing and Assessing Educational Objectives.  To take a look inside the book, go to www.marzanoresearch.com/popups/look_inside.aspx?product=18.  For free reproducibles from the book, go to www.marzanoresearch.com/Free_Resources/tools.aspx.

ASCD: Crafting Curriculum: Using Standards
This online course focuses on the integration of standards into curriculum planning.  ASCD members can take the course for $100; non-members pay slightly more.  www.ascd.org/professional-development/pd-online.aspx

Conley, Redefining College Readiness
This article describes the key cognitive strategies students need to know and use as part of their college-readiness.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs
Refer to this chart, especially the higher levels, when crafting your objective.