this is a great forum. I am finding all these very helpful as I'm a new instructor.
Adrian,
I am excited that your are excited. I wish you much success in your instructional endeavors.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Having clear goals and objectives eliminates the "Am I Doing This Right?" concern that many students have. They will know if they are doing something right because they will have the measurable goals and objectives there for them to evaluate themselves by. In addition, it shows learners what the purpose is behind a particular class and how it will benefit them and how it aligns to their personal goals and objectives.
Shawn,
Good way to make the expectations of the course clear to the students. You are right they know where they are in the course and how they are doing with this approach.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I don't know where this might fit into the conversation however what are your thoughts on the use of study guides provided to students in preparation for exams to further their focus on achieving the goals and objectives.
sam
It's important to any endeavor that you have clear goals and objectives. In order to achieve something or "get somewhere", you need to first know where or what that goal(s) is in order to plot a course toward it. Without clear goals and objectives, it is like trying to shoot an arrow at a target with a blindfold on: You have to see what you're shooting for to have any reasonable chance of hitting it.
That is an awesome quote. I believe all instructors have gone into a classroom at one time or another and have felt less prepared than they wanted to be due to lack of preparation. A classroom definitely runs much smoother when the instructor is prepared.
CLEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES NOT ONLY PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTENT OF THE COURSE BUT IT ALSO HELPS DEVELOP THE LOGICAL FLOW OF THE MATERIAL TO BE PRESENTED.
It is critically important that the student understand the requirements for the course, the subject matter to be covered and the time lines. This reduces the anxiety the student might face and provides a blueprint for what is expected and when.
Thomas,
Yes it is. They need to get this understanding right from the beginning of the course so they can focus on meeting the requirements rather than worrying about what the instructor wants them to do.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
If you clearly know your goals and objectives prier to addressing your class, when you do address the class and present the students with an outline of these goals and objectives the fact that you are prepared to deliver the instructions with confidence can emit a confidence to your students that can make them more receptive to you and have confidence that there instructor knows what they are talking about.
Getting my initial presentation of course goals and objectives right took a bit of work. The first time I presented the introduction of the course I felt I had done a good job in laying out the objectives, however I had missed the mark. Revamping my introduction to better articulate where we were going and what the students would gain from the course took work but once the students could envision the concrete objectives and benefits of the material - they were more enthusiastic and interactive.
so that i can have a plan to complete the course.
Michael,
It is a learning process for sure. The key is being able to adjust as needed and you have done that. The more experience you gain the better you will get at targeting your learners and providing them with the instruction and support they need to be successful. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
JOHN,
How do your shape your goals and objective to come up with your course plan?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Goals and objectives are critical not only for the classroom but for life in general. Goals and objectives provide purpose (why am I doing this), direction (what do I have to complete this task), and motivation (the satisfaction of accomplishing this goal or objective) to reaching our desired end state.
Goals and objectives seem crucial for students and teachers. Instructors should design their course based on an end goal of knowledge. Each class meeting should include goals for learning. The weekly goals will advance us to the main end goal. Goals will help students understand what they are going to do. The reasons for the goals can be discussed.
Objectives provide more clear and specific check points for skills. Objectives make the course goals relevant.
I teach signal flow to beginning audio students. They often do not know what signal flow is. When I tell them that their first objective is to be able to connect a microphone to an amplifier and mixer and send that signal to another amplifier and speakers they start to understand their success and where they are headed.
Planning and preparation is important. Identifying clear goals and objectives aids in time management by avoiding going off on tangents that may confuse some learners. Later, if there is time, some tangents can be addressed, but the primary focus on the defined goals and objectives.
John,
Well put in terms of the value of goals and objectives. They need to see the basics and then build on them to create higher level units that will lead to a successful career in their field.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I absolutely love quote when you compare "goals to a road map". I'm definitely going to use it for my class.
