Notice that Example 5 includes all four parts of a Learning Objective, including the optional conditions and performance requirements. An ancillary benefit to Learning Objectives that contain testing criteria is that students know up front what they are expected to know and how they will be tested. Although, as instructors, we are sometimes reluctant to disclose our testing intentions, doing so can actually enhance your training. A useful tool is to inform the officers in advance that they will be tested, what form the test will take, and the performance standard they must achieve. To further define your Learning Objectives, use terms that relate to the type of skill you are instructing.
Cognitive tasks use action descriptors like list, decide, identify, select, and choose.
Psychomotor tasks generally involve the physical application of knowledge. Objectives for application tasks can indicate action with words like load, draw, and assemble. Although harder to measure, affective or attitudinal tasks can nevertheless be used as Learning Objectives with such terms as empathy, respect, value, compassion, sensitivity, and professionalism. Here, the evaluation is subjective based on foundational information provided by the instructor. Either the student can sufficiently demonstrate an appropriate response or he cannot.