CHAPTER 2

GOALS
and
OBJECTIVES
“If you’re not sure where you
are going, you’re liable to end
up some place else.”
~ Robert Mager, 1997
 "You've got to think about the
'big things' while doing small
things so that all the small things
go in the right direction." ~Alvin
Toffler
Instructional goals and objectives are the
heart of instruction. When well written,
goals and objectives will help identify
course content, structure the lecture and
guide the selection of meaningful and
relevant activities and assessments. In
addition, stating clear instructional goals
and objectives help students understand
what they should learn and exactly what to
do to achieve them.
 Comparison of Goals and Objectives
Goals are: Objectives are:
Broad, generalized Narrow, specific statements
statements about what is to about what is to be learned
be learned
General intentions Precise intentions
Intangible Tangible
Abstract Concrete
Cannot be validated Can be validated or measured
Long term Short term
Defined before analysis Written after analysis
Written before objectives Prepared before instruction is
designed
Goals should be written from Objectives should be written
the instructor’s point of view from the student’s point of
view
ABCD Model of Instructional Objectives
Audience Who will be doing the
behavior?
Behavior What should the learner
be able to do? What is
the performance?
Condition Under what conditions
do you want the learner
to be able to do it?
Degree How well must the
behavior be done? What
is the degree of mastery?
NEEDS, GOALS and
OBJECTIVES
 Needs Analysis

-generates a tremendous amount of information for the formulation of program goals and
objectives.
GOALS

 or program goals are general statements concerning desirable and attainable

program purposes and aims based on perceived language and situation needs.

 focuses on what the program hopes to accomplish in the future.

 basis for developing more precise and observable objectives.

- never viewed as permanent.

TWO TYPES OF PROGRAM
 Brand-new
 Well-established

TWO SHAPES OF GOALS

 Language-centered
 Situation-centered
 OBJECTIVES
 or instructional objectives are specific statements
that describe the particular knowledge, behaviors,
and/or skills that the learner will be expected to
know or perform at the end of the course or
program.

 provides the building blocks from which the

curriculum can be created, molded, and revised.
distinction of GOALS to OBJECTIVES

-level of simplicity

-three essential characteristics of objectives indicated by Mager (1975)

o Performance
o Conditions
o Criterion