Doug Belshaw's Open Educational Thinkering - Latest Comments in Learning objectives: the basics

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

sibrown1 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:18:20 -0000

My worry with all, most, some is that it creates a feeling of “well I have achieved “all”, why bother stretching myself” though I do use these myself and they create a great conversation point for differentiation.

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

sibrown1 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:18:20 -0000

I really like;
Content
What am I learning?
Process
How I am learning it?
Benefits
Why I am learning this?
Without learners understanding the importance of the learning objective or intention you run the risk of them become disengaged from the start.

My worry with all, most, some is that it creates a feeling of “well I have achieved “all”, why bother stretching myself” though I do use these myself and they create a great conversation point for differentiation.

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Paddy McGrath — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:46:55 -0000

why am i learning this is exceptionally powerful for students getting this right enables us a teachers to provide an meaningful and purposeful lesson. However i can imagine getting authentic walts in all lessons must be challening

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Paddy McGrath — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:46:55 -0000

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Ian Squire — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:38:15 -0000

Why would objective give away the learning. It is possible to have enquiry based learning and effective Learning objective. Remember the brain works best when it knows what it has to do. Correctly written you can have both.

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Ian Squire — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:38:15 -0000

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:55:42 -0000

WALT and WILF are in the Academy's official lesson plan. WALT, however, stands for 'Why Am I Learning This?' and WILF = 'What I'm Looking For' (broken down into ALL, MOST and SOME students...)

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:55:42 -0000

WALT and WILF are in the Academy's official lesson plan. WALT, however, stands for 'Why Am I Learning This?' and WILF = 'What I'm Looking For' (broken down into ALL, MOST and SOME students...)

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:54:38 -0000

The 'trigger verbs' are indeed very important. I shall be dealing with those in a follow-up post. :-)

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:54:38 -0000

The 'trigger verbs' are indeed very important. I shall be dealing with those in a follow-up post. :-)

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Daniel Stucke — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:25:33 -0000

We used WALT & WILF in my last school.

We Are Learning Today was the old fashioned objective.

What I'm Looking For was more of a success criteria, it could have been a smart target like you listed above, or in Maths it could have been an example solution showing best practice.

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Daniel Stucke — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:25:33 -0000

We used WALT & WILF in my last school.

We Are Learning Today was the old fashioned objective.

What I'm Looking For was more of a success criteria, it could have been a smart target like you listed above, or in Maths it could have been an example solution showing best practice.

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Andreajh — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:40:31 -0000

I think the acronym should be smarta. The A being 'active', as in engaged learning. (or smarte!) Then that would help choose active verbs like 'evaluate' 'create' etc. These types of verbs help you create engaged activities for your learners

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Andreajh — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:40:31 -0000

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:41:32 -0000

Hi Richard. Good points and something I'll be dealing with in a follow-up post. I usually frame my lesson titles as questions - e.g. in the example above it might be 'Who were the Romans?'

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:41:32 -0000

Hi Richard. Good points and something I'll be dealing with in a follow-up post. I usually frame my lesson titles as questions - e.g. in the example above it might be 'Who were the Romans?'

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:40:07 -0000

Thanks Mike - I absolutely agree about the difference between the *way* and the *what* something is taught. Teachers should teach to their strengths but students need equity of provision.

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:40:07 -0000

Thanks Mike - I absolutely agree about the difference between the *way* and the *what* something is taught. Teachers should teach to their strengths but students need equity of provision.

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:38:44 -0000

Your comment about 'babysitting' is interesting - I've seen far too many lessons in my time that are either that or crowd control...

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Doug Belshaw — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:38:44 -0000

Your comment about 'babysitting' is interesting - I've seen far too many lessons in my time that are either that or crowd control...

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Richard Smart — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:47:06 -0000

I agree. I can't imagine not using learning objectives. I like the SMART acronym, and the all, many, some (I learned this as: all must, many should, and some could).

While I use objectives to plan my lessons and units, I don't share them with students. We use questions instead, following Christine Counsell's ideas on historical inquiry and the essential questions of Grant Wiggins (http://www.authenticeducati.... I find that students struggle to internalize objectives, but instantly respond to a question. I guess it is the way we are made?

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Richard Smart — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:47:06 -0000

I agree. I can't imagine not using learning objectives. I like the SMART acronym, and the all, many, some (I learned this as: all must, many should, and some could).

While I use objectives to plan my lessons and units, I don't share them with students. We use questions instead, following Christine Counsell's ideas on historical inquiry and the essential questions of Grant Wiggins (http://www.authenticeducation.org/bigideas/arti.....). I find that students struggle to internalize objectives, but instantly respond to a question. I guess it is the way we are made?

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Mikefisher821 — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:40:33 -0000

Because I do a lot of work with teachers and mapping their curricula, I think objectives are VERY important and I like that there was mention of them being specific AND measurable. These are not hoops to jump through, these are target skills for helping students understand content. Additionally, good objectives/skill statements help to inform and align appropriate assessment practices. If you don't want to "reveal" the objective for fear of "giving the game away," then don't. Those skills are a road map for you to stay on the journey you intended, not necessarily a check off list for student use. Also, if I can add one more thing, it is important, vitally important, for like teachers (grade levels/content areas) to have discussions around this and have a set prioritized curriculum. Besides the obvious benefits for children, it also benefits teachers to be conversational and collaborative about what they do in their classrooms. It doesn't mean that the WAY something is taught must be the same from classroom to classroom, but the WHAT and the HOW are exactly the same. The fact that this is being discussed at all is fantastic. Many teachers (particularly new teachers) are accustomed only to Curriculum Practice decisions. What you're discussing here is all about Curriculum Design, a much more thought-provoking and metacognitive activity to determine what kids should know and be able to do! Kudos!

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Mike — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:40:33 -0000

Re: Learning objectives: the basics

Paddy McGrath — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:52:42 -0000

learning objectives are important, without knowing where we are at or where we are going is there much point to what we are learning.
I sometimes dont always state the Lo at the start of my lessons as we may start with a story to hopefully engage and inspire, but once I have finished the story I link that to the objective and bigger picture otherwise I would feel as though i was baybysitting or entertaining students.