- Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence

Objectives for Schreyer Institute Grants

This document describes the difference between goals and objectives and provides lists of explicit verbs that can be used to write clear, action- and behavior-oriented objectives for students or faculty (depending on the focus of your proposal) that will demonstrate project success.

Learning Goals and Objectives

In this video, you'll learn how to define the terms learning goals and learning objectives, evaluate the clarity of existing learning objectives, and perhaps write your own learning objectives for your courses.

Goals and Objectives -- Using Explicit Verbs

Writing learning goals and explicit learning objectives will make it easier for students to understand what is expected of them in your course. Goals communicate what students will learn and objectives communicate the kind and quality of work you expect of them. Explicit objectives also make it easier for faculty to make decisions about course content, activities, assignments, and grading.

Student Learning Goals and Objectives Description

This document provides a brief description of course goals and course objectives or course outcomes for student learning. Learning outcomes (or learning objectives) are useful to develop during course design, as well as when creating an assignment or activity.

Test Blueprint Template

This test blueprint template can be downloaded and manipulated to help instructors effectively map exam questions to learning objectives, topics, modules, or themes.

Program Assessment Process

This document describes each step in the program assessment or learning outcomes assessment process beginning with developing goals and ending with developing a plan for ongoing assessment. Included are instructions for how to develop learning goals and learning objectives as well as how to check for alignment between courses and learning objectives. Additional steps include choosing evidence to assess learning objectives and interpreting the results of the assessment.

Midterm Class Interviews

The Midterm/Midsemester Class Interview (or Small Group Instructional Diagnosis, SGID) is a process designed to help instructors learn what their students think about how the course is going. Students identify elements of the class that are helping them learn and offer suggestions to strengthen the course. We recommend using this procedure in the middle of the semester, after students have received at least one grade. The process involves three steps: 1) meeting with an instructional consultant to discuss the instructor's objectives for the process; 2) a class interview with small groups and a whole class discussion; and a post-interview summary and discussion of the results with the consultant.

Learning Objectives-Nemmec & Bussema

Learning Objectives article, 3 pages, published in the _Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal_ by Patricia B Nemec and Evelyn Bussema. They state." The article differentiates between general goals and instructional objectives. The article is copyrighted by the APA.

Making Multiple Choice Tests More Effective PowerPoint - Linda Suskie

These PowerPoint slides accompanied a presentation by Linda Suskie delivered via Zoom on Tuesday, Apr. 25, 2017. Multiple-choice tests can have a place in many courses. If they’re well designed, they can yield useful information on student achievement of many important course objectives, including some thinking skills. An item analysis of the results can shed light on how well the questions are working as well as what students have learned. Viewers will be able to use principles of good question construction to develop tests, develop test questions that assess thinking skills as well as conceptual understanding, and use item analysis to understand and improve both test questions and student learning. Be sure to open the handouts file listed below as you view the presentation!

Making Multiple Choice Tests More Effective Handouts - Linda Suskie

These handouts (minus quizzes for test security) accompanied a presentation by Linda Suskie delivered via Zoom on Tuesday, Apr. 25, 2017. Multiple-choice tests can have a place in many courses. If they’re well designed, they can yield useful information on student achievement of many important course objectives, including some thinking skills. An item analysis of the results can shed light on how well the questions are working as well as what students have learned. Viewers will be able to use principles of good question construction to develop tests, develop test questions that assess thinking skills as well as conceptual understanding, and use item analysis to understand and improve both test questions and student learning.

Bloom's Taxonomy Handout

Bloom's Taxonomy Handout distributed in Schreyer Institute workshops and courses. Contains a list of active verbs for use in crafting learning objectives.

Midsemester Class Interviews_Desc and Form

The Midterm/Midsemester Class Interview (or Small Group Instructional Diagnosis, SGID) is a process designed to help instructors learn what their students think about how the course is going. Students identify elements of the class that are helping them learn and offer suggestions to strengthen the course. We recommend using this procedure in the middle of the semester, after students have received at least one grade. The process involves three steps: 1) meeting with an instructional consultant to discuss the instructor's objectives for the process; 2) a class interview with small groups and a whole class discussion; and a post-interview summary and discussion of the results with the consultant.

CIRTL instructor endorsement form

This form is for CIRTL participants who are taking a course, short course, or workshop that fulfills one or more of the Penn State CIRTL learning objectives. The instructor or facilitator signs the form, and the participant submits it when turning in their materials at the end of the Associate-level CIRTL process.

CIRTL facilitator endorsement form

Course instructors and short course/workshop facilitators sign this form to document participants' successful completion of programming that satisfies one or more learning objectives of the Penn State CIRTL Associate-level teaching certificate.

CIRTL Matrix

List of Penn State CIRTL learning objectives; courses, short courses, and workshops that fulfill them; and contact people for each.

Post-Election Teaching

The Center for Teaching Excellence at Boston College provides this resource to help instructors decide whether and when to talk about the election in the post-election period. It outlines factors you might want to consider as you plan your responses and a few different paths you could take in your response. While students appreciate when instructors respond in some way to upheavals in the wider world, you do have options. When deciding how to talk about the election, it can be helpful to bear in mind your own goals for teaching and learning, the fact that major events can be distracting and make it more difficult to teach and learn, and that students in your class may have differing perceptions of what is at stake in the election in light of their own histories and identities.

Components of a Teaching Portfolio

Document describes components of A teaching portfolio: summary of teaching responsibilities, statement of teaching philosophy, teaching goals and methods, evidence that goals have been achieved, and future goals. Document provides links to examples of teaching portfolio components.

Colorado State Univ Annual Review Process

Colorado State's center for teaching and learning (TILT) recommends instructors set one SMART goal in one domain of teaching each year using the Teaching Effectiveness Framework (TEF). This process emphasizes growth, the use of evidence-based teaching practices, and continuous reflection. Given the interdependence of the seven domains of teaching, we recommend a deeper dive into one domain at a time as growth in one domain will positively impact other domains of teaching.

Teacher Knowledge for Active-Learning Instruction_Expert-Novice Comparison Reveals Differences

Helping Practitioners and Researchers Identify and Use Education Research Literature. By K. J. Wilson and C. J. Brame. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 17(1). 22 Mar 2018
This article discusses a study that reveals the impact that active learning has on students' ability to learn fundamental concepts and skills varies with instructor knowledge of teaching and learning. The goal of the study was to discover knowledge that is important to effective active learning in large undergraduate STEM courses. The authors note that experts more commonly consider how students are held accountable, notice topic-specific student difficulties, elicited and responded to student thinking, and provided for students to generate their own ideas and work.

Course Outline Word Version

For use in course design or revision, this Course Outline assists you aligning course topics with course learning objectives, finding and filling gaps in that alignment, and planning how much class time is necessary for students to achieve the learning objectives. The outline is particularly useful in developing shared learning goals for multiple course sections, integrated courses, and linked courses, as well as for submissions for curricular review and assessment planning.

Course Outline Excel Version

For use in course design or revision, this Course Outline assists you aligning course topics with course learning objectives, finding and filling gaps in that alignment, and planning how much class time is necessary for students to achieve the learning objectives. The outline is particularly useful in developing shared learning goals for multiple course sections, integrated courses, and linked courses, as well as for submissions for curricular review and assessment planning.

Course Assessment Plan Word Version

Based on backward design principles, this Course Assessment Plan helps you to align course learning objectives with the formative and summative assessment tools and with the instructional activities that enable students to demonstrate their learning. The document is particularly useful in preparing for course design, course revision, and assessment planning, as well as for curricular and/or accreditation review.

Course Assessment Plan Excel Version

Based on backward design principles, this Course Assessment Plan helps you to align course learning objectives with the formative and summative assessment tools and with the instructional activities that enable students to demonstrate their learning. The document is particularly useful in preparing for course design, course revision, and assessment planning, as well as for curricular and/or accreditation review.

Schreyer Conference 2017 Suzanne Weinstein Recertification - Learning Objectives FINAL

Assessing Gen Ed Key Learning Objectives FINAL

faculty use of power impacts learning

Let’s Talk About Power: How Teacher Use of Power Shapes Relationships and Learning
Leslie Frances Reid, Jalal Kawash
Proceedings of the University of Calgary Conference on Postsecondary Learning and Teaching, Vol 2, 2017
Abstract
Teachers’ use of power in learning environments affects our students’ experiences, our teaching experiences, and the extent to which learning goals are met. The types of conversations we hold or avoid with students send cues regarding how we use power to develop relationships, influence behaviour and entice motivation. Reliance on prosocial forms of power, such as referent, reward, and expert, have a positive impact on outcomes such as learning and motivation, as well as perceived teacher credibility. Overuse of antisocial forms of power that include legitimate and coercive powers negatively affect these same outcomes. In this paper, we share stories from our teaching experiences that highlight how focusing on referent, reward and expert power bases to connect, problem solve, and negotiate challenges with our students has significantly enhanced our teaching practice. We provide resources that can be used by teachers to become aware of and utilize prosocial power strategies in their practice through self-reflection and peer and student feedback.

Difficult Dialogues Challenging Discussions

For most teachers, leading classroom discussion on difficult topics is a perennial challenge. Part of the challenge lies in the fact that we never fully know which issues will be “hot buttons” for our students. Conversations can become heated very quickly, and before long, it can feel like the class is careening out of control. This guide seeks to help teachers feel more confident leading difficult dialogues by encouraging reflection on how such discussions connect with larger learning goals, and by providing specific strategies and resources that teachers can use to create more productive conversations in their classrooms.

Bloom's taxonomy

This is an interactive webpage that illustrates instersections between learning objectives and skill levels.

Test Blueprint Example

This document provides an example of a test blueprint, which can be used to help guide test development and ensure that the test questions appropriately reflect the learning objectives of the unit that the test is designed to assess. It can also help students when they study for the test.

Synthesis Worksheet

This worksheet can be used to help instructors develop classroom activities that align learning objectives with assessments and course activities.

Aligning Program Goals and Courses: A Matrix

This is a matrix that can be used to align course assignments with program goals for faculty working on program assessment.

Curriculum Matrix for Elementary and Kindergarten Education

This is curriculum matrix was completed by the faculty in the Elementary and Kindergarten Education program at Penn State Berks. It is used to determine which program goals/objectives are addressed in the various courses included in the program. A curriculum map is an important step in the process of learning outcomes assessment (program assessment).

Example Learning Objectives for Internships

This document includes example program-level learning objectives for internships. It was created by faculty at Penn State Berks.

Program Goals and Existing Evidence Worksheet

A one page worksheet that to list program goals and then identify existing evidence for obtaining goals.

A Sample Program Outcome Curriculum Worksheet

A handout to list courses and identify which ones have a particular goal(s).

Grades and Program Assessment

Focuses on program assessment and the role that grades do (or do not) play in providing evidence that program goals are being met.

College of IST Master Assessment Plan

IST's 2010 master assessment plan is a great model for similar programs trying to map their objectives, courses, and assessments.

Rubric for Assessing Course Objectives

This rubric could be used by faculty colleagues to evaluate course objectives.

Matrices for Aligning Gen Ed Goals and Courses

There are matrices to use when aligning specific General Education courses with core competencies.

Test Blueprint Example

This document is an example of a test blueprint (written for a research methods course), which can be created to help you match your test questions with your learning objectives *and* to help your students study for a test.

Assessment Evidence Worksheet

This worksheet was developed for faculty involved in program assessment. The document will help program faculty link program learning objectives with appropriate assignments that can be used as evidence that students have achieved those objectives.

Template for Linking Courses with Program Objectives

This template can be used to develop a curriculum map, or matrix, which allows faculty to see which courses address each program level learning objective. Developing a curriculum map is an important step in the learning outcomes assessment (i.e. program assessment) process.

Psychology Learning Objectives

Example goals (from the discipline of psychology) for program assessment

Curriculum Map Example - General Education

This document is an example of a curriculum matrix, used for learning outcomes assessment (aka program assessment), in which general education program objectives are matched with the courses that address them.

Assessment Results Example for Course or Program Learning Outcomes

This PowerPoint slide shows an example of evidence resulting from the learning outcomes assessment process at the course level (accounting in this example). It shows the extent to which students achieved the learning objectives of the course. This information can also be used to assess course learning objectives or course learning outcomes at the program level.

Tools and Resources

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