Performance Objectives

At the beginning of an instructional design process the designer drafts a list of performance objectives. They come from the initial instructional needs analysis and document what the learner will be able to do upon completion of the learning. It is these objectives that drive the learning content, reflect the purpose for the instruction, and guide the designer through the assessment pieces.

These are not intended as the list given to the learner describing what the learning covers. They are a roadmap for the design team. The learning objectives presented to the learner as a way to describe what the lesson includes will reflect the performance objectives, but are presented differently.

The Objective Language
The objectives themselves have a specific format to follow. They must contain three (3) components. The first describes the action or behavior identified, the second describes the conditions in which the learner will perform the task, and the third describes the criteria used to evaluate learner performance.

The language in the objectives must be clear and measurable. In writing objectives ask yourself, “Could I observe this?” Only specific language, generally containing a verb, is used to facilitate development. Vague objectives do not provide direction for the instructional design or assist in any of the analysis.

For example, a simple complete objective is stated as: Given a list of states and capitals, match at least 40 or the 50 states to the capitals without the use of maps or lists within 15 minutes.

• The behavior: matching the states with the capitals
• The conditions: doing the task without any supporting material
• The performance criteria: completing the task within 15 minutes

This example shows that the lesson is about matching states with their capitals and the learner is expected to memorize them and be able to match them within a certain amount of time without any aids. It is easy to take this objective and translate it into learning and accompanying assessments.