Are Learning Objectives Still Necessary?

During a recent brainstorming session for a new training project, a member of the client’s development team wondered aloud about the importance of learning objectives. “Since the size of training modules today is shrinking to accommodate mobile learning and reduced seat time per session,” she asked, “do we really need to create objectives anymore?”

The short and simple answer punctuated by the use of all capital letters to clearly emphasize its importance is “YES!”

Learning objectives benefit everyone involved with the training course—from the course instructional designer to the user to the training evaluator—so that the overall learning experience is engaging, memorable, and effective.

For instructional designers, learning objectives are like a GPS navigational system. They keep developers focused on following the best route (i.e. using the most appropriate information and training method) to arrive at the desired location (e.g. content comprehension/behavior change/etc.).

Learning objectives benefit users by keeping them informed of what they’re learning and why it’s relevant to them. Objectives can also help reduce user anxiety because learners know what to expect during their training experience. Users who understand the purpose and intent of the training typically enter the learning experience in a positive frame of mind, which can contribute to the level of success they achieve during the training.

Additionally, learning objectives define expected user performance to allow trainers, supervisors, human resource managers, and company executives to measure employee progress. Also, since many of these people are tasked with creating training curriculum for employees, objectives make it easier to determine which employees need what training (especially important when the training is delivered in smaller chunks for mobile or just-in-time learning).

Keep the following tips in mind when creating learning objectives for your e-Learning course:

• Objectives should be student-centered
• Objectives should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART)
• Each objective should focus on a single task
• Objectives should be challenging

Finally, while it’s important to tell users up front what the course is designed to teach and why the information is relevant to them, don’t think that you always need to offer a bulleted list of objectives. Feel free to work the objectives into an introduction paragraph that, if written well, will pique the users’ interest and motivate them to want to start the course immediately.

 

 

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