Terminal Objective, Enabling Objectives, Tasks & Assessments
Learning Objectives
When creating learning solutions, it is necessary to create a solid plan for learner success.
In order to do this, we create a hierarchal path to achievement.
The hierarchy should consist of:
1. Terminal Objective
The Terminal Objective will be the overall goal for the lesson. It is an umbrella objective that will capture the enabling objectives that follow it. The Terminal Objective describes the desired result, not the process. This should be written from the perspective of what the learner will be able to do at the end of the session, not what the instructor (or lesson) will teach.
Terminal Objective: By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to balance a checkbook.
2. Enabling Objectives
Enabling Objectives further breakdown the Terminal Objective. Enabling Objectives provide the support to how the Terminal Objective will be accomplished. They allow Terminal Objectives to be broken down into smaller, more manageable objectives. A well-written EO will state the expectations of the learner’s performance. Each EO must address the umbrella TO. EOs should be written using measurable verbs from Bloom’s Taxonomy. EOs are objectives and not tasks.
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to:
- Explain credit and debit
- Categorize credit and debit into appropriate checkbook columns
- Calculate the checkbook
There are several Bloom’s Taxonomy verb charts available on the internet.
University of Arkansas’ comprehensive list of Bloom’s verbs
https://tips.uark.edu/blooms-taxonomy-verb-chart/
Bloom’s Taxonomy for Digital Learning
https://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/126-blooms-taxonomy-verbs-digital-learning/
3. Tasks
The tasks states the action the learner will take in order to obtain or demonstrate knowledge for the associated EO. Each tasks should be accomplished with a unique set of tasks or steps. Establish this based on the Enabling Objective.
For the EO — Category credit and debit into appropriate columns, the task may be:
- Read Chapter 1
- Practice entering listed transactions in appropriate debit or credit columns
4. Assessments
Assessments may take the form of quizzes, tests, practical exercises, worksheets or many other variety of formats. The assessment should reflect the associated task. Once learners have completed the tasks, you must ensure the learners have a mastery of that area before moving on to the next. Whether or not the students excelled in the assessments will help you to know where future needs lie: in remediation, in rewrite or in teaching style.
- Multiple choice quiz on Chapter 1 and/or
- Enter transactions into appropriate debit or credit columns
Learning Objective | Task | Assessment worksheet available at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xL-ZHaWDskG4vU11aNNoOhJXMRRv9dB4/view?usp=sharing