Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education
Date of this Version
Spring 1980
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Instruction is more likely to be successful when the instructor is clear about his/her goals. Upon this axiom, a large number of instructional practices are based. One derivative of this axiom is the following: instruction is more likely to be efficient and effective when the instructor can state his/her instructional goals in clear behavioral objectives. To further clarify the instructor's goals, one might undertake a task analysis, job analysis, content analysis, an analysis of competencies, a needs analysis and/or a learning hierarchy. The results of such "front-end" analyses are usually displayed in the form of page after page of goals, objectives and enabling objectives statements. Theoretically the instructor uses behavioral objectives to create evaluation items which will allow him/her to decide whether the instruction is successful in its present form or needs to be revised.
Comments
Published in the POD Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Spring 1980)