Learning Objectives that Are Measurable

When designing a new online course or modifying an existing one, be sure the learning objectives of the course describe outcomes that are measurable. This is best accomplished using the following guidelines:

• First, be sure that you have listed measurable learning objectives in an obvious location (usually they’re identified in the course syllabus and/or at the beginning of each learning module).
• Second, be sure to precisely describe what students are to gain from the content/instruction and “what” will guide you in accurately assessing your students’ accomplishments. Appropriate terms should be used such as “identify,” “define,” “develop,” “perform,” “explain” and “select” as opposed to less measurable terms such as “understand,” “appreciate,” “be aware of,” and “know.”
• Second, objectives should describe student performance in specific, observable terms. If this is not possible, (e.g., internal cognition, affective changes), there should be other clear indications that the learning objective can be meaningfully assessed.

Other course design tips are available at http://ce-annotations.blogspot.com/search/label/Course%20Design. The Quality REACHE (QR) rubric and other information about QR is available at http://cite.nwmissouri.edu/QualityReache/.