Why is it important that instruction and assessment should be aligned to the learning targets?
Show
Learning objectives describe what learners will be able to do upon completion of a course or instructional unit. Educators often refer to learning objectives as student learning outcomes, learning goals, performance outcomes, instructional objectives, behavioral objectives, or core competencies. Well-crafted courses have learning objectives that describe overall, high-level objectives for the course (the big ideas), as well as more detailed learning objectives for each unit or module of content. Why Is It Important?Carefully written learning objectives provide students with a roadmap that explains where they are going in the course and what to expect when they get there. They describe the intended purposes and expected results of the course, unit, or activity. Unit or module learning objectives also provide students with benchmarks by which they can measure their progress towards achieving the course outcomes. Learning objectives also guide instructors to align critical course components, such as student assessments, instructional materials, course activities, and course technology. When aligned, the major course components work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning objectives. In an online course especially, objectives help instructors guide their choices about the content that needs to be included—what is truly important versus what is just nice to have. How to Put Into Practice?How to Write Measurable Learning Objectives
Note: A smaller number of well‐written objectives communicate the purpose of a course better than a larger number. The number of objectives really depends on what students “need” to learn, either for that week, unit or module, or the entire course. While there are many things it would be “nice” to know, always ask yourself:
Where to Find Resources?
Want More?The “Learning Objectives & Alignment” deep dive topic examines strategies for developing and refining learning objectives and how to begin to align course elements. Topics covered include:
Note: This course is available for FREE to all UW-Madison faculty and staff. When you click the link you will be prompted to sign in with your UW-Madison NetID and password. Then you will be taken to the topic homepage where you can learn more and complete activities. Why is it important that an assessment method is aligned to a learning target?Without the alignment between learning objectives and learning activities/assessments, students will spend time on activities, assignments and assessments that do not lead to intended goals.
Why is it important to align learning outcomes and assessment?Building alignment between assessment and learning outcomes also allows you to develop and communicate the pathway for students' learning progression. It enables you to explain what knowledge and skills were expected on entry to the course and the knowledge and skills that will be developed throughout the course.
Why should learning objectives and assessments be aligned What if the components are misaligned?If assessments are misaligned with learning objectives or instructional strategies, it can undermine both student motivation and learning. Consider these two scenarios: Your objective is for students to learn to apply analytical skills, but your assessment measures only factual recall.
How do you align assessment with learning outcomes?How can I plan assessments that are aligned to learning outcomes? Start by looking at the verbs in the learning outcome statements. Assessment tasks should mirror the verbs (or the actions) and enable students to demonstrate their learning (what they know, can do, or appreciate/value).
|