This selection, one of two from a book on designing instructional systems, focuses on preparing learning objectives. The How and Why of Performance Objectives. From Designing Instructional Systems . Non-exclusive World English language rights granted by Kogan Page. Introduction One major difficulty encountered in trying to extract precise behavioural objectives from general and often very loosely stated educational aims is not so much to state an objective but to get other teachers, course designers or curriculum developers to agree on the same objectives.
Discussion ranges over every word if the objectives are being developed 'in committee'.
Alternatively, individual contributions are criticized from different standpoints by everyone to whom they are shown resulting in much time and effort wasted in rewriting. The procedure described below is designed to develop objectives in a controlled group, using the proven benefits of brainstorming techniques to promote creativity and discipline criticism. The procedure has been used and taught by the author for some years with much success. It is based on ideas presented by Robert Mager in Goal Analysis . Write down the aim as it was first presented at the top of a clean sheet of paper or on a blackboard.