Guidelines for Writing Learning Objectives
Objectives should clearly and concisely communicate what an attendee is expected to know and/or do at the conclusion of an activity. Objectives must be included in the brochure so the attendees may evaluate the relevance of attending a CME activity. The planning committee develops objectives to focus on the purpose of the CME activity.
The three essential elements of learning objectives are a statement of who (the learner), how (the action verb), and what (the content).
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WHO
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HOW
|
WHAT
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| The learner will be able |
to list
|
actions to take to reduce risk for stroke |
| The participant |
can explain
|
successful measures to prevent disorders of bone and mineral metabolism |
| The attendee will be able |
to identify
|
methods of optimizing glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes |
Examples of HOW
To apply
To create
To employ
To list
To relate
To arrange
To describe
To evaluate
To name
To review
To assess
To defend
To explain
To organize
To report
To categorize
To diagram
To formulate
To predict
To sort
To classify
To discuss
To illustrate
To prepare
To solve problems
To contrast
To discriminate
To integrate
To recall
To translate
To construct
To distinguish
To interpret
To recognize
To update
Examples of WHAT
Consider adding performance standards to your learning objectives. Wording that describes acceptable standards might include:
• in a thirty-minute time period
• with no mistakes
• with 90% accuracy
• getting 9 out of 10 correct
Define the criteria or conditions under which the learning is to be demonstrated. Wording that describes learning conditions might include:
• Given a problem of the following type...
• Without the use of any reference materials...
• Using a specific instrument.
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