8.+Goals

=  __**Goals and Objectives**__    =

Goals and objectives are very important for both the learner and the teacher. A clearly written goal statement tells the learner exactly what they will be responsible for learning, creating, completing, etc. Likewise, a clearly written goal statement helps the teacher, or any instructional designer, to create instruction that lines up with what is expected of the learner. To create a well written goal, you need to have clear and complete needs and learner analyses. As the instructional designer, you must know where the students are (learner analysis) and where the learner needs to be (needs analysis). This knowledge, along with a clear task analysis, enables you to create well written goal statements.

Table of Real-World examples of Instructional Objectives
||= ** Poorly written examples ** ||
 * = ** Well written examples **
 * Distinguish between living and nonliving things.

Biggs, Alton, et al. __South Carolina Science Grade 6__. New York, New York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2007.

This is a simple statement that tells the student what they need to be able to do. It might help to provide a bit more detail, such as, "by listing four unique characteristics of each." || The students will demonstrate their mastery of energy.

I have to take credit for this stinker! Demonstrate how? What type of an assessment will they be expected to complete? What is mastery? 80%? 90%? 100%? What parts of energy? ||
 * Apply the law of conservation of energy to energy transformations.

Biggs, Alton, et al. __South Carolina Science Grade 6__. New York, New York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2007.

Again, this simple statement tells the student what they need to be able to do. || The theories and language used to describe chemical bonds have evolved over the years. In this chapter we begin with the simplest concepts.

Brady, James, Humiston, Gerard. __General Chemistry Principles and Structure__. 3rd edition. New York, New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1982.

<span style="color: rgb(6, 0, 255);">This isn't nearly as bad as the one that I provided, but it is fairly vague on what will be covered (beyond, that is, chemical bonds which is such a narrow topic!). ||

<span style="font-size: 125%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center; display: block;">Table of Examples of Instructional Objectives from Conference Brochures
Domain ** || Written** || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">This workshop will show attendees how to integrate learning objectives into serious game design, using an instructional design approach. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> __Association for Educational Communications and Technology__. 2008. AECT Convention. 2 October 2008 <http://www.aect.org/events/program/myaect.asp?clientid>
 * =  ||= **<span style="font-size: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Cognitive Domain ** ||= **<span style="font-size: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Psychomotor Domain ** ||= **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Affective/Interpersonal
 * = <span style="font-size: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> **Well

<span style="color: rgb(0, 9, 255);">This objective makes it clear what you will focus on and what you will be able to do afterward. || Participants in the session will learn more about the methodology behind MindRap, and how it has influenced the students that have participated in the program. Samples of the multimedia hip-hop modules the students have produced will be shown.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__International Society for Technology in Education__. 2007. NECC Convention 2007. 2 October 2008 <http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2007/program/search_results_details.php?sessionid=40231689&selection_id=43593030&rownumber=1&max=2>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 9, 255);">This objective isn't loaded with specifics, but it does get right to the point. It is clear what will be presented. A brief definition of MindRap might have helped to clarify this objective as well as what an attendee would take from this workshop. || Students need to learn how to effectively recognize and address cultural differences that occur in culturally heterogeneous, remote collaborative endeavors. This presentation demonstrates a model for recognizing and effectively incorporating cultural differences in the online environment.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__Association for Educational Communications and Technology__. 2008. AECT Convention. 2 October 2008 <http://www.aect.org/events/program/myaect.asp?clientid>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 9, 255);">This objective works well on several fronts. It clearly states the need and what the workshop will provide for attendees. || Written** || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">This workshop involves tools for assessing learning and performance in complex, problem-solving domains.
 * = <span style="font-size: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> **Poorly

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__Association for Educational Communications and Technology__. 2008. AECT Convention. 2 October 2008 <http://www.aect.org/events/program/myaect.asp?clientid>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 9, 255);">This objective does not make it clear what you will focus on and what you will be able to do afterward. The tools are not defined (as they were in the previous example) and it does not tell you what you will be able to do after the workshop. || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Use GPS technology to access social, cultural, geographical, physical, mathematical resources in the world around them. Engage in the meaningful application of technology that will extend beyond school.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__International Society for Technology in Education__. 2007. NECC Convention 2007. 2 October 2008 <http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2007/program/search_results_details.php?sessionid=40231689&selection_id=43593030&rownumber=1&max=2>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 9, 255);">This objective has some good points, but could use more specific details. It mentions the technology that you will use and the sites you will geocache, but it does not go into details about what you will specifically use or create. || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">An effective learning system creates personalized contexts for each student. The 'one size fits all' concept is not very effective across a large number of diverse students. An adaptive instructional approach is more suitable for reaching large diverse groups of students in electronic learning environments. The research presented here was influenced by the compelling impact of social and cultural issues on academic performance in addition to supporting research on using gaming technology to educate.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__Association for Educational Communications and Technology__. 2008. AECT Convention. 2 October 2008 <http://www.aect.org/events/program/myaect.asp?clientid>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 9, 255);">The main problem with this objective is that it is not really that much of an objective. There is little clarity on what specifically will be presented and what a participant will come away with. ||