Crafting Learning Objectives

🚀 Most beginner instructional designers make the same mistake when writing learning objectives… and it quietly kills the quality of their training. Learning objectives are one of those things everyone writes… but almost no one is taught well. So what happens instead? We get classics like: ❌ “Participants will understand communication skills” ❌ “Learners will learn Excel” ❌ “This workshop will teach delegation” The problem? These objectives describe the course, not the learner. They’re vague. They’re immeasurable. And they don’t tell us what “good” looks like. Here’s a simple fix 👇 Swap vague verbs for observable actions: ✨ “After this session, team leads will conduct 1:1 conversations using the XYZ framework.” ✨ “After completing the module, analysts will create 3 pivot tables to compare quarterly data.” ✨ “After the workshop, managers will delegate tasks using the 4-step delegation model.” Notice the pattern? Good learning objectives focus on: 🧩 the learner 🧩 the behavior 🧩 in context 🧩 with a measurable action Learning objectives aren’t just nice formatting — they shape design, practice, assessment, and business outcomes. If you want to go further, I’ve linked a short read in the comments that explains how to write proper L&D objectives with real examples. ⸻ What’s the worst (or funniest) learning objective you’ve ever seen or written? 😅 Drop it below 👇

🚀 Most beginner instructional designers make the same mistake when writing learning objectives… and it quietly kills the quality of their training. Learning objectives are one of those things everyone writes… but almost no one is taught well. So what happens instead? We get classics like: ❌ “Participants will understand communication skills” ❌ “Learners will learn Excel” ❌ “This workshop will teach delegation” The problem? These objectives describe the course, not the learner. They’re vague. They’re immeasurable. And they don’t tell us what “good” looks like. Here’s a simple fix 👇 Swap vague verbs for observable actions: ✨ “After this session, team leads will conduct 1:1 conversations using the XYZ framework.” ✨ “After completing the module, analysts will create 3 pivot tables to compare quarterly data.” ✨ “After the workshop, managers will delegate tasks using the 4-step delegation model.” Notice the pattern? Good learning objectives focus on: 🧩 the learner 🧩 the behavior 🧩 in context 🧩 with a measurable action Learning objectives aren’t just nice formatting they shape design, practice, assessment, and business outcomes. If you want to go further, I’ve linked a short read in the comments that explains how to write proper L&D objectives with real examples.

Evidence-based teaching strategies empower educators to design lessons that are both purposeful and impactful, grounded in research that supports student achievement and equity. By incorporating practices like scaffolding, modeling, and frequent checks for understanding, teachers can anticipate learning barriers and proactively address them, ensuring all students remain engaged and supported. Preparation becomes a form of advocacy when educators review prior learning, break down new material into manageable steps, and plan for guided and independent practice, they create a roadmap that builds confidence and retention. Effective communication and clear direction foster trust, reduce cognitive overload, and allow students to focus on meaning-making rather than guesswork. To best prepare, educators can start by identifying lesson objectives, mapping out scaffolds, scripting key questions, and rehearsing transitions that support flow and clarity. These intentional moves transform classrooms into inclusive, enriching environments where every learner feels seen, capable, and connected. 🧭 Steps for Strategic Preparation 1. Clarify the Learning Objective: Start with what students should know or be able to do. Use verbs from Bloom’s taxonomy to guide the level of rigor. 2. Map the Learning Sequence: Break the lesson into digestible chunks review, model, guided practice, independent practice, and reflection. 3. Design Scaffolds and Supports: Prepare visuals, sentence starters, anchor charts, or manipulatives that help all learners access the content. 4. Script Key Questions and Prompts: Plan open-ended questions that connect new material to prior learning and encourage metacognition. 5. Plan for Checks and Feedback: Decide when and how you’ll assess understanding thumbs up/down, exit tickets, think-pair-share, etc. 6. Rehearse Transitions and Timing: Practice how you’ll move between activities, manage materials, and maintain momentum. #TeachWithIntent

📚 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻 "𝗔𝗵𝗮!" 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺'𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝘅𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘀! For years, I saw Bloom's as a simple checklist for writing learning objectives. Pick a verb, plug it in, done. But I was missing the point entirely. What Bloom's Taxonomy isn't: ❌ A mere check-list for choosing action verbs ❌ A rigid template for writing objectives ❌ A box-ticking exercise to meet industry standards What the Revised Taxonomy actually is: ✅ A tool for developing the right thinking skills ✅ A framework for aligning thinking skills with knowledge types (factual, conceptual, procedural, or metacognitive) ✅ A flexible guide for thinking about how students learn. The goal is to shift our focus from 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 students are doing to ℎ𝑜𝑤 they’re thinking and 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑙𝑒𝑑𝑔𝑒 they’re working on. When designing courses or writing objectives, ask yourself: 1️⃣ What kinds of thinking do I want to develop in my learners? 2️⃣ Which types of knowledge are essential for these goals? 3️⃣ How can I structure instruction to foster this development effectively? 🔍 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Thinking to develop: 🔶 Applying strategies, Analyzing situations, Evaluating responses. Essential knowledge: 🔶 Factual: Common objections 🔶 Conceptual: Customer psychology 🔶 Procedural: Objection-handling techniques 🔶 Metacognitive: Self-awareness in high-pressure situations Instructional structure: 🔶 Present objection scenarios (Remember, Understand) 🔶 Practice applying techniques (Apply) 🔶 Analyze recorded sales calls (Analyze) 🔶 Role-play and peer feedback (Evaluate) 🔶 Develop personal objection-handling playbook (Create) 🤖 Need help leveraging Bloom's effectively? I’ve crafted a Custom GPT to apply the framework and taxonomy to your learning experiences. I will share more about this next week! If you want to check it out early, add a comment below, and I’ll send you a sneak peek! ❔ 💭 How has Bloom's helped you in your work to develop more comprehensive learning experiences ? #BloomsTaxonomy #InstructionalDesign #LearningObjectives #EdTech

𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Clarity on the promised transformation (or learning objectives) is crucial when creating a video course to avoid making it just a bunch of videos to watch. Each video should build the skills required to achieve the desired outcome. I like to focus on what I want my viewers to be able to DO after the program. Then, I design a series of videos that walk viewers through how to do it. Each video builds on the previous one, and at the end, learners should be able to do it on their own. Let’s explore why this clarity is essential for both creators and learners. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 1️⃣ 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬: A well-defined transformation helps you stay focused, ensuring your content aligns with your intended outcomes. 2️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Knowing the end goal allows you to create more targeted, relevant material, making the production process smoother. Avoid extraneous content. 3️⃣ 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: Clear transformations make it easier to communicate in your marketing efforts, so you attract the right audience and boost enrollment. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬: 1️⃣ 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Learners are more likely to stay engaged when they know exactly what they'll achieve upon completion. Clear transformations guide your audience on what to expect, keeping them motivated and committed to the course. 2️⃣ 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: A specific promise builds credibility. Learners need to trust that your course will deliver real value. When your promise is clear, they feel confident investing their time and money, knowing they'll achieve the promised outcome. 3️⃣ 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: A well-defined transformation ensures your content is aligned with your learners' goals. This alignment leads to a more focused and effective learning experience, driving better results and higher satisfaction. Remember, clarity isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. Define the transformation and deliver on the promise. Your learners will thank you for it.

Are your learning outcomes helping learners hit their goals? 🤔 Learning outcomes are essential, but without clear, measurable verbs, it’s tough to know if they’re really being met. Measurable verbs make it possible to see whether your training has actually made an impact by focusing on specific behaviors or skills the learner should demonstrate. By defining these actions in a way that can be observed and measured, you ensure your training has clear, targeted goals that are achievable and meaningful. For instance, verbs like "analyze," "demonstrate," or "create" describe precise, observable actions that learners can work toward. In contrast, vague terms like "understand" or "learn" don’t give the learner a clear sense of what they need to do and make it difficult to gauge whether they’ve achieved the outcome. That’s why it’s critical to select verbs that align directly with the skills or behaviors the training is designed to teach. Not sure where to start? Try this! ⬇️ 👉 Try "demonstrate" when outcomes involve showing a skill, like “Demonstrate effective client negotiation techniques.” 👉 Choose "create" for objectives centered on generating new ideas or outputs, e.g., “Create a project plan using new project management tools.” 👉 Opt for "evaluate" when learners need to make judgments or assessments, as in “Evaluate team performance to identify improvement areas.” 👉 Use "implement" when the goal is about applying knowledge, such as “Implement the company’s safety protocols in daily tasks.” Remember, the more specific your verbs, the clearer your objectives become—and the easier it is for learners to succeed. ---------------------- Hi! I'm Elizabeth! 👋 💻 I specialize in eLearning development, where I create engaging courses that are designed to change the behavior of the learner to meet the needs of the organization. Follow me for more, and reach out if you need a high-quality innovative learning solution. 🤝 #InstructionalDesign #LearningOutcomes #CorporateTraining #TrainingDesign #eLearning #LMS #AdultLearning

Are you creating training? Or just adding to the noise? Too often, training fails because the objectives weren’t designed for real behavior change. I've worked in L&D for ~20 years. Here's my approach to writing performance-driven objectives with my nonprofit clients. 1️⃣ Start with the end behavior. What action do you need learners to take? (e.g., giving feedback, asking for donations, creating a lesson plan) 2️⃣ Outline the process. What steps will help them achieve that action? Think of it like a roadmap -how will they get there? 3️⃣ Identify key learning points. What do they need to know or practice to perform each step well? 4️⃣ Shape objectives around real performance. If the objective doesn’t directly help learners take action in their job, it doesn’t belong in your training. Bonus (somewhat controversial) Tip: Work collaboratively with subject matter experts to create objectives—not in isolation. L&D pros bring expertise on how people learn, but subject matter experts know the real actions required for success. Want to hear more about my process for creating performance-driven learning objectives? Tune into episode 124 of the Learning for Good podcast. https://lnkd.in/gdVyugki