Behavioral objectives that
are useful in the classroom must meet certain criteria.
The four essential elements of a well-written behavioral objective are
outlined below. When writing a behavioral objective, evaluate it using these
behavioral objectives are student-oriented.
A behavioral objective, which is student-oriented, places the emphasis
upon what the student is expected to do, not upon what the teacher will do.
Sometimes teachers use instructional goals which emphasize what they are
expected to do rather than what they expect of their students. Such teacher-oriented objectives only have the value to the
extent that they direct the teacher to do something, which ultimately leads to
student learning. A teacher
attempting to help his or her students attain the goal of solving long division
problems may work out some of the problems on the blackboard, explaining each of
the steps involved. A
teacher-oriented objective associated with this behavior might read something
like: "To explain the steps of
long division on the blackboard." Notice
that this might be a helpful teacher activity, but it is only one of many
possible activities that could help the students reach the goal of solving long
behavioral objectives describe learning outcomes.
The important thing to keep in mind here is that we are interested in
what the students will learn to do. In
other words, it is the learning outcome that is important, not the
learning activities that should lead to that outcome.
To say that students will practice long division problems, using two
different methods, is not to specify a learning outcome; it describes a process.
It specifies an activity designed to help the students reach some
outcome. As such, it is a
student-oriented activity, not an outcome. Your objective should reflect outcome
language, rather than process phrases.
It may be helpful to you as
a teacher to determine what kind of learning activities you may want your
students to carry out. However,
determining which learning experiences and activities are most appropriate for
your students can only be made after you have decided what it is you want
your students to accomplish. Once
learning outcomes are identified and described, then activities that are
appropriate for attaining those outcomes can be determined.
behavioral objectives are clear and understandable.
The first prerequisite for a clear and understandable objective is
explicitness. It should contain a
clearly stated verb that describes a definite action or behavior and, in most
cases, should refer to an object of that action.
People observing the products of those behaviors should agree in their
judgment about whether the behavior had occurred as stated.
behavioral objectives are observable.
The evaluation of learning outcomes hinges on the ability to observe
those outcomes. The key to an
observable objective is an observable verb.
Consequently, when selecting behavioral objectives for use in your
teaching, watch the verbs! The verb must describe an observable action or an
action that results in an observable products.
Set induction refers to those actions and statements by the teacher that
are designed to relate the experiences of the students to the objectives of the
lesson. Effective teachers use set
induction to put students in a receptive frame of mind that will facilitate
learning -- be it physical, emotional, or mental.
Set induction has as its first purpose - to focus student attention on
the lesson. The first
motivational function of the teacher is to engage the student in learning.
As its second purpose, set induction attempts to create an organizing
framework for the ideas, principles, or information, which is to follow.
Telling students in advance about the way in which a lesson is organized
is likely to improve their comprehension and ability to recall and apply what
A third purpose of set induction is to extend the understanding and
application of abstract ideas through the use of example and analogy.
An idea or principle that is abstractly stated can be difficult for many
students to comprehend. Moreover,
many students who do under-stand an idea or principle have difficulty in
applying their knowledge to new situations.
The clever use of examples and analogies can do much to overcome such
limitations. The fourth and last
purpose of set induction is to stimulate interest and involvement in the
lesson. The point here is that
active involvement at the beginning of a lesson can increase curiosity and
stimulate student interest in the lesson.
An effective lesson introduction should have as its purpose at least one
of the items listed and discussed above. A
good example is the teacher who wishes to teach the concept of categorizing and
brings a collection of baseball cards, record jackets, or even a basket of
leaves to class. Then the students,
divided into groups, are asked to categorize their collections and explain how
and why the chose what they did.
focus the student's attention on the presentation the teacher is about to make
by employing an activity, event, object, or person that relates directly to
student interest or previous experience.
provide a structure or framework that enables the student to visualize the
content or activities of the presentation.
aid in clarifying the goals of the lesson presentation.
provide a smooth transition from known or already covered material to new or
unknown material by capitalizing on the use of examples (either verbal or
nonverbal), analogies, and student activities which students have interest in or
To evaluate previously learned material before moving on to the new
material or skill-building activities by employing student-centered activities
or student-developed examples or analogies that demonstrate understanding of
previously learned content.
Closure refers to those actions or statements by teachers that are
designed to bring a lesson presentation to an appropriate conclusion.
Teachers use closure to help students bring things together in their own
minds, to make sense out of what has been going on during the course of the
lesson. A good way to think about
closure is to consider it the complement of set induction.
If set induction is an initiating activity of the teacher, then closure
is a culmination activity. Research
into the psychology of learning indicates that learning increases when teachers
make conscious effort to help students organize the information presented to
them and to perceive relationships based on that information.
Closure, then, has as its first purpose to draw attention to the end
of a lesson or lesson segment. Many
teachers have neglected the development of this important skill. Often, typical closure procedure goes something like this:
"Okay. There's the
bell! Get going!
You'll miss your next class!" "Enough
of this! Let's close our books and
line up for recess." "The
bell? All right, we'll stop here and pick up at the same point
Good. Let's move on to the
next chapter. These forms of
closure completely ignore the fact that effective learning depends on the
effective sequencing of lesson presentations.
And one of the most important events in effective sequencing is providing
opportunity for feedback and review. Closure
must be planned just as carefully as its counterpart, set induction, and timing
is critical. The teacher must be
aware of the clock and must begin to initiate closure proceedings well before
the activity is due to end.
A lesson's conclusion is not enough.
A great deal of information and a great many activities may have been
covered, and it is the teacher's responsibility to tie it all together into a
Finally, closure has as its third purpose to consolidate or reinforce
the major points to be learned. Having
signaled the end of the lesson and made an effort to organize what has occurred,
the teacher should briefly refocus on the key ideas or processes presented in
the lesson. The ultimate objective
here is to help the students retain the important information presented in the
lesson and thus increase the probability that he or she will be able to recall
and use the information at some later time.
Closure, then, is the skill of reviewing the new points of a lesson, of
tying them together into a coherent whole, and finally, of ensuring their use by
anchoring them in the student's larger conceptual framework.
1. Attempts to
draw student's attention to a closing point in the lesson.
2. Reviews major
points of teacher-centered presentation.
sequence used in learning material during the presentation.
summary of important student-oriented discussion.
lesson to original principle or concept.
6. Attempts to
lead students to extend or develop new knowledge from previously learned
students to practice what they have learned.
Closure does not have to be teacher-centered. Have your students do one of the above-mentioned items.)