Instructional Design · 4 min read
Measurable Objectives and Bloom's Taxonomy
Objectives Based on Data and Subject Matter
A learning objective is a specific, measurable statement of what students will be able to do after instruction. Objectives guide planning, direct student attention and supply the criteria for assessment. They describe observable performance, not internal mental states.
Two sources shape an objective. Subject matter, expressed in the standards, determines what is to be learned. Data, such as pre-assessment results, prior work and progress-monitoring records, determine the starting point and a realistic criterion. A teacher whose pretest shows that most students already add fractions with like denominators writes the objective for unlike denominators.
Objectives may be written for a class or for one student, such as a fluency goal for a student reading well below the grade-level benchmark.
Condition, Behavior, Criterion
A well-written objective has three parts. The condition states the circumstances or materials. The behavior names an observable action. The criterion sets the level of acceptable performance, which may be expressed as accuracy, speed or quality.
| Component | What it specifies | Worked example |
|---|---|---|
| Condition | The setting, materials or prompts under which students perform. | Given a blank map of the United States, |
| Behavior | An observable action stated with a precise verb. | students will label the states |
| Criterion | The standard for acceptable performance. | with at least 40 of the 50 correct. |
Two observers would agree on whether this objective was met. That agreement is the practical test of measurability.
Observable Verbs
The verb decides whether an objective can be measured. Verbs such as understand or appreciate name mental states that cannot be seen; a measurable objective names the action that would show the understanding.
| Vague verb | Why it fails | Measurable alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| understand | No visible performance is named. | explain, summarize, classify, give an example |
| know | Does not state how the knowledge will be shown. | list, define, identify, label |
| appreciate | Describes an attitude without evidence. | choose, justify, describe the value of |
Bloom's Revised Taxonomy
Bloom's taxonomy classifies cognitive objectives by the complexity of thinking they demand. The original version listed knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The revised version uses verbs and places creating at the top. Lower levels supply the foundation for higher ones.
| Level | What students do | Sample verbs |
|---|---|---|
| Remember | Retrieve facts and terms from memory. | list, name, recall, define |
| Understand | Construct meaning and explain it in their own words. | explain, summarize, paraphrase, classify |
| Apply | Use a procedure or concept in a new situation. | solve, use, demonstrate, compute |
| Analyze | Break material into parts and determine how the parts relate. | compare, contrast, differentiate, organize |
| Evaluate | Make judgments based on criteria and standards. | critique, justify, defend, judge |
| Create | Combine elements into a new, original product. | design, compose, construct, formulate |
Sound planning includes objectives at several levels. Recall of basic facts is not a flaw in a unit; stopping there is. The assessment for an objective should demand the same level of thinking as its verb.
Three Domains of Learning
The cognitive domain covers knowledge and intellectual skills. The affective domain covers attitudes, values and emotional responses, such as willingness to participate. The psychomotor domain covers physical skills and coordination, such as handwriting or handling lab equipment. Many objectives span domains: a science lab requires reasoning, precise use of equipment and responsible work with partners.
Essential Questions
Essential questions are open-ended questions that drive inquiry toward the big ideas of a unit. They have no single correct answer and recur across the curriculum. Examples include "How do authors use structure to convey meaning?" and "What makes a government legitimate?"
- To pick the best-written objective, look for an observable verb plus a criterion. Eliminate options built on understand, know, learn or appreciate.
- To classify an objective by Bloom's level, read the verb and the task together. Identifying a date is Remember; identifying the flaw in an argument is Analyze or Evaluate.
- Questions about data reward the choice that uses pre-assessment or prior performance to set the target.
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