Planning Your Course:  Setting Goals

We all have goals in mind when we plan a course.  Our goals, however, are often implicit; they tend to be in the back of our minds.  We may or may not share them with our colleagues or our students.  Moreover, we often fail to formalize them.  Engaging in the process of formalizing goals is important because if forces us to consider four essential questions:

1. Are the goals specific and clearly articulated?

Ø    Write down your goals.

Ø    Share your goals with colleagues.

Ø    Share your goals with students.

Ø    Classify your goals: Knowledge, Skills, Intention, and/or Attitude.

Ø    List your objectives, or ways that you plan to realize your goals.

(See Bloom's Taxonomy of Objectives)

Ø    Refine your goals if necessary.

2. What are the best methods to realize the goals?

Ø    Consider the pros and cons of multiple pedagogical approaches.

Ø    List the classroom activities that will meet your objectives.

Ø    List the outside classroom activities that will meet your objectives.

Ø    Choose a textbook and course readings that will meet as many of your goals and objectives as possible.

3.   Are multiple methods needed to meet the goals of all students?

Ø    Revise your classroom activities to insure that they employ a number of different approaches (e.g., lectures, discussions, group activities, demonstrations, hands-on learning).

Ø    Consider the developmental level of your students.

(See Epistemological Development Handout)

Ø    Consider the preferred learning styles of your students.

(Take learning style questionnaire).

Ø    Consider special needs of particular students.

4. How will we know when we've realized the goals?

Ø    Plan at least two different ways to assess each goal. (See Assessment Handout)

Ø    Assess progress toward goals often.