Given this post, readers will be able to describe my perspective on course objectives to 100% accuracy

If you write clear objectives, make sure your course's content allows participants to meet those objectives and your assessment measures whether the objectives were met, then you are doing a great job. If not, please give me a minute of your time.

Objectives have a purpose. They are NOT just to tell participants what they will learn at the beginning of a course. I think of them as a contract. It is an agreement between the content and the audience. And the assessment measures whether the contract was fulfilled.

• When writing objects be very clear and thorough of what will be learned. I prefer the ABCD format (Audience, Behavior, Condition, Degree).


• The content must provide all that is needed for the learner to meet the objectives.


• The assessment must measure whether the objectives were met. If the assessment is not tied to the objectives, then you and the learners will not be able to demonstrate if the objectives were met.

If you are writing assessment questions or content that is not "tied" to the objectives, then you must revisit the course's objectives and determine what additional objective(s) you must add or why you are bothering the learners with irrelevant content and questions.

To be honest, I really get burnt up when there is no thought or concern when writing objectives and especially when assessments do not measure if objectives were met or if learning occurred. This is why I am ranting about it.

Objectives are your best friend when designing a course. Treat them as such.

Thank you.