Developing Effective Learning Goals for Hybrid and Face-to-Face Classes | UWB

Having good course learning goals are essential for not only developing effective hybrid classes but for teaching courses in any format whether face-to-face, hybrid and online.

Essentially, learning goals answer the question of what a student will have learned.

For students, learning goals help to illuminate what’s important in a course and make it easier to reflect on their learning at the end of a course. This learning roadmap is especially important for students who are taking a hybrid course since there is more out-of-classroom learning which can sometimes lead to miscommunication.

For faculty, learning goals can help structure a course and make it easier to determine what will be evaluated throughout the course. Course-level goals can also be used to create learning goals for modules or units within a course.

So what goes into creating a good learning goal?

1. It should be measurable and something that can be clearly assessed. Avoid using the word “understand” when creating goals since it’s a vague term that’s hard to assess.

2. It should be clearly written (avoid jargon) and use concrete action verbs. The Office of Educational Development at UC Berkley has created a great list of action verbs tied to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning which can be used to create learning goals.

List of Action Verbs

Knowledge	Comprehension	Application	Analysis	Synthesis	Evaluation
define describe examine identify indicate know label list match name outline recall recognize record relate reproduce restate select show state	choose cite convert defend describe detect discuss distinguish estimate explain extend generalize give examples identify infer locate paraphrase predict recognize rephrase report restate select summarize	act administer apply change collect compute construct control convert demonstrate derive develop diagram discover employ estimate facilitate generalize help illustrate implement interpret manipulate modify operate perform practice predict prepare present produce provide regulate schedule share show solve use	analyze appraise assess break down calculate categorize classify compare contrast debate deduce describe detect diagram differentiate discriminate distinguish elicit examine extrapolate identify illustrate infer inspect question recognize reflect relate select solve sort systematize tabulate test	adapt arrange articulate assemble collaborate combine communicate compose consolidate construct create design develop devise establish explain formulate generate incorporate initiate integrate intervene justify manage modify organize plan predict prepare propose reflect relate revise summarize synthesize tell write	appraise assess collaborate compare conclude contrast criticize critique describe discriminate estimate evaluate explain interpret judge justify measure rate reconsider reflect relate summarize support validate verify

3. Make sure you provide information to students on how they can meet the learning goals. Refer back to the goals with all of your assignments.

You can read more about learning goals from UC Berkley’s concise learning goals page and at Western Washington University’s course improvement handbook (chapters 5 and 6).

UWB | DIGITAL LEARNING

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