Comments on Focus on the Student: How to Use Learning Objectives to Improve Learning

Daniel F. Bassill — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:52:25 GMT

Do you know of people in the Chicago area (or Internet) who might want to apply this concept in an internet learning environment focused on connecting volunteers, businesses and philanthropic organizations more consistently with kids living in poverty? At http://www.cabriniconnections.net you can see that we already connect inner city teens with adults. By applying the concepts described in this article I feel we can have a greater impact on what the volunteers learn from their experience, and thus, the extra roles they will take over time to help kids who are in 7th grade when they join us, be starting jobs/careers 12 to 15 years later.

Thanks. Contact me at tutormentor2@earthlink.net if you have recommendations.

Wendy Cown — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:51:56 GMT

Hi Michael, I agree that a sound assessment method is also an integral part of successful education. Objectives should be regularly checked against student assessment as a way to keep them based in reality.

It’s a good sign if there’s a range of student results, with the majority succeeding. But if a large portion of students are having trouble meeting the objective goals or, alternatively, if the majority are surpassing them very quickly then it’s a sign that the objectives need adjusting to meet your students’ learning needs.

In my mind, it’s very similar to testing a website to make sure the users can meet their goals.

Thanks for your comments,
Wendy

Michael — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:51:56 GMT

One thing that often isn’t incorporated into teaching (well everywhere that I’ve been educated) is a consistent emphasis on the student progress. A lot of teachers simply fire information at you in a way that best suits them without giving much thought into the consequences.

As you say, the idea of learning objectives is simple but revolutionary.

This having been said, perhaps it would be worthwhile having regular assessment and a means of comparing performance against objectives.

It makes the teacher end of the bargain appear more useful than them simply standing up and feeding you information. Obviously there is only so much ‘babying’ that can be done on their behalf, but I think incorporating something following the method just discussed isn’t asking too much!

A big challenge (sadly) in school is realising the deficiencies in the methods of teaching, seeing past them and ‘playing the game’. We all handle that in different ways. It would be nice however to not have so much to see past.