D3.1.1

=Activities, content and assessment used in the course design are linked with common learning outcome statements. =

Evidence
The learning objectives/outcomes and active learning literature make it clear that effective e-learning requires the complex links between pedagogical approach, course content, and use of technologies to be constructively aligned to defined learning objectives and outcomes (Laurillard, 2002; Ragan, 1999).

Unless objectives are stated clearly and are fixed in the minds of both teachers and students, tests are at best misleading; at worst, they are irrelevant, unfair, or uninformative (Mager 1997).

‘A learning objective must clearly communicate not only the content of the aim and the action to be taken, but also how what it describes can be assessed as having been achieved’ (Laurillard 2002, p. 182). Furthermore, ‘a well written objective will prescribe the form of the test items by which the objective can be assessed.’ (Mager 1997, p. 148)

Some statements have the appearance of objectives but contain no performances, therefore they are not objectives. Once objectives are created the assessments must be consistent with the objectives.

Rust (2002) describes Biggs (1999) ‘constructive alignment’. This is the process whereby teachers identify learning outcomes, then design appropriate assessment to assess if the outcomes are met, and finally, design learning opportunities so that students are ready to face the assessments. This ensures that learning objectives are linked explicitly to learning activities.

Resources
Many web resources offer guidelines to writing good instructional objectives based on Mager’s (1984) and Bloom’s (1956) work, e.g.:

http://med.fsu.edu/education/FacultyDevelopment/PDF/writingobjectives.pdf

http://www2.gsu.edu/~mstmbs/CrsTools/Magerobj.html

http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/develop_objectives.htm

http://www.e-learningguru.com/articles/art3_4.htm