Aims are broad statements about the intent of education as a whole. Goals or standards are statements about what students are expected to learn. Objectives specify content and behavior and sometimes a proficiency level to be achieved at some level of instruction.
Objectives are written at several levels, including program, grade, subject, course, classroom, unit plan, and lesson plan, and at several degrees of specificity, from broad to precise.
The most popular approaches to formulating objectives are based on the work of Tyler, Bloom, Gronlund, and Mager. Tyler identifies purposes and then to derive instructional objectives interprets them in the light of philosophical and psychological concerns.
Bloom's work (a taxonomy of educational objectives) entails three domains of learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. The taxonomy was revised in 2001 to emphasize types of knowledge and cognitive processes.
Gronlund distinguishes between general objectives and specific learning outcomes.
Mager relies on three major characteristics for writing objectives: behavior, condition, and proficiency level.
A number of recommendations for writing objectives can facilitate teacher planning.
