Of course we need to establish clear goal and objectives for the course--but how does one deliver all that information on the first day without the students feeling overwhelmed but rather excited? I teacha three week class, so everything seems jammed-packed.
To help students develope a clear pathway to achieving the objectives in an effecetive way.
Also to ensure the students can master the information presented to them in a logical way or in a format that enhances the students understanding.
Having an organized structure for the course makes it easier for students and the teachers to stay focused and not get side-tracked.
If I do not, there simply seems to be no good reason for teaching! I pull from my experience and education and teach from the sum of the parts. I read the group for their enthusiasm level and go from there. It's a viable process.
This is clear to me at the beginning of the quarter and I set out to do it and spend a lot of time on it; but there are factors that tend to bog down the process, such as student absences, one-on-one time with students to bring them up to speed and reinforcing issues to be certain the basic understanding is there. I do have to do a re-evaluation and redefine--or slightly tweak--the goals and objectives at mid-quarter to make certain we're all where we're supposed to be. I am conscious of this weekly.
Hi Dorothy,
The goals and objectives for the course comes out of the competencies that the students need to have at the end of the course. Sort of a form of reverse engineering. Then break the objectives down into learning activities that will give the students the knowledge and learning opportunities that will help them acquire the needed competencies for that unit. Go into each class with a clear idea of what you want to accomplish that day and what your students will need to do to learn effectively and efficiently. So if a group discussion, guest speaker, lecture, demonstration or panel presentation will do that then that is what you do. Check for comprehension on a regular basis so you can measure your effectiveness.
If you have any specific questions let me know and I will be glad to help you in anyway I can.
Gary
Hi Dorothy,
The first step is to break the content of your course down into instructional "chunks". Then you can develop supports like worksheets, guided notes, guest speakers and other delivery methods that help to illustrate and reinforce the content they are acquiring. Get feedback from your students on a regular basis about how well they see themselves doing in the course and with the assignments. This will help you to see where you need to make adaptations in delivery that will more accurately target your instruction to them.
Gary
I have been doing clinical with the students for the last 5 years. My goals and objectives for the students follow the curriculum and I post them on each unit that the students are assigned to so it is visible for the students and the staff. The students review their goals and objectives with the staff they are assigned to so there is not a miscommunication. I am there to make sure the goals and objectives are successfully met.
Have you taught your course several times? I'm on my first time through a course and can see the need to have had better, clearer goals and objectives before I began teaching the class. I am learning along with my students at this point. Could you tell me how you formulated your goals and objectives? I'd like to be better with that the second time through.
Yes, I would like to know how you go about doing this. I so much want to make sure my students learn practical things and things that they can use in their prospective careers. What do you do to adapt the lesson material to meet their needs?
Clear Goals and Objectives work both ways. By doing the work to develop them for my students, it makes me focus on the class as a whole. I can't develop goals and objectives without having a very good working knowledge of everything that goes into the course. This makes me a better instructor and a more knowledgable professional.
It is very important for an instructor to have clear instructional goals and objectives. They are directional indicators to the students exactly what the course is about and what they are expected to do. Well structured goals and ojectives divide the course into organized units and can make lesson planning easy for the instructor.
Students will also have a clear understanding of the skills that are required and plan in advance how they are going to apply themselves.
Hi Herb,
This is a good point. How do you go about aligning the course to student needs? What are some of your strategies that you can share with us?
Gary
Hi Sara,
I call this vision sharing. We (instructor and students) need to have the same vision for where we are going in the course. If we do then the journey of learning is going to be much smoother and the challenges smaller. This is what makes teaching and learning enjoyable for all involved.
Gary
aligning course needs to students, options for meeting varied student needs.
It is important so that not only you as the Insructor but the students can have a clear understanding of what is to be achieved in the class.
Goals and objectives are absolutely critical because they define the scope for a course.
The actual subject matter related to a given course title can be many times wider and deeper than can be covered in a single course--which is why we come up with conventions like Calculus I, Calculus II, etc. By clearly stating goals and objectives, both the instructor and student are aware of exactly what material from the overall curriculum is going to be important in that section of the program, -and- both instructor and student know how the course needs to fit into that program.
Well-defined, detailed objectives also provide students with a terrific means of self-evaluation--especially if the syllabus and those goals and objectives are repeated throughout the course.
Super important to have clear goals for you as the instructor so you can make sure that it is clear to the students and that the understand what the expectations are for the course.
Hi James,
You make a very good point about the need for clear goals and objectives. These are the road maps from which both the students and you are going to operate so they need to be well developed and thought out.
Gary
It is important to have clear goals and objectives so your students know what to expect from the class. If you are vague, or not specific about what is going to be accomplished in the course, students may get confused and may not know what the purpose or intention of the course is. With goals and objectives you can be specific about what it is that you are going to learn and how this will help you in your given career. Once students see how this is going to help them in their field, they are more apt to pay attention and really try to learn what it is you're teaching.
