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- (17) Do you know what you're learning and why?
(17) Do you know what you're learning and why?
The importance of meaningful learning objectives
Kevin Colangelo
February 28, 2024
Welcome to Issue #17!
Incredible, isn’t it?
How can there be dozens of skills training programs out there and yet few that take the time to spell out exactly what you will learn - and why?
Private companies, schools, nonprofits, professionals associations - all offer some flavor of learning content beyond the law itself. Whether identified as “business of law,” “modern practice,” “legal operations,” or “experiential” skills, the positioning is basically:
“Learn how to set yourself apart and thrive
in the ever-changing legal profession”
Crystal clear, right? 🤔
(ok, moving on . . . )
You’ll recall that last issue we dove into what the ABA has been doing in terms of starting to establish baseline standards for the “new” skills law schools must teach. Today, we’re examining Learning Objectives - what they are, why they’re important and how to craft them to line up with cognitive development.
With that, it’s about time we get familiar with Benjamin Bloom . . .
First up: what are learning objectives?
Learning objectives are clear, concise statements, typically articulated by educators at the outset of a course or learning module, that define what learners will be able to know, do, or demonstrate after successfully completing a learning process. (yes, it’s that straightforward)
Next: why are learning objectives important?
Learning objectives provide a roadmap for both instructors and learners, outlining the expected outcomes of the educational experience. This clarity helps in designing the curriculum, pedagogy (instructional methods, see last issue), and assessments that are designed to achieve these outcomes.
By helping learners focus on key concepts & skills, understand the purpose (the “why?”) of their learning activities, and gauge their progress, learning objectives are essential for guiding the learning process. This also enhances motivation and engagement by making the learning process more transparent and purposeful.
Learning objectives also serve as benchmarks for educators to assess (via quizzes and exams) whether the instructional strategies were effective in conveying the intended knowledge. For learners, the objectives provide a clear indication of what is expected of them, enabling self-assessment and reflection on their learning journey.
Finally: how do educators create learning objectives?
[Simple question, right? It isn’t, and yet another reason that professional educators are so critical to training better lawyers]
Educators create learning objectives by following a structured process that includes identifying what learners should be able to do upon completing a course or training session. Some typical elements:
1. ID learners’ needs: understanding the background knowledge of learners and any gap between current capabilities and where they need to be.
2. Determine learning outcomes (outcomes, not objectives): defining clear, measurable outcomes that learners should achieve by the end of the course. These outcomes are framed in terms of skills, capabilities and mindsets.
3. Utilize Bloom's Taxonomy: this helps in creating objectives ranging from simple recall of information (remembering) to complex tasks like making something new (creating). The verbs associated with each level of Bloom's Taxonomy guide educators in formulating objectives that match the desired level of learning. More on this below 👇🏽
4. Make specific and measurable: learning objectives should be clear and concise, indicating what the learner will be able to do and under what conditions. Action verbs are crucial. Again, see below 👇🏽
5. Align with instruction and assessments: learning objectives that guide the methods of instruction and how learning will be assessed ensure that lessons and assessments are directly tied to the objectives.
6. Review and refine: not surprisingly, educators routinely review learning objectives to ensure they are achievable, relevant, and aligned with broader educational goals or standards. Feedback from peers and learners is critical.
For your consideration . . .
a selection of materials to help you better understand the importance of learning objectives:
Article: “Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives,” Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence at the University of Illinois: Chicago
Link to PDF of typical action verbs for learning objectives (grouped by Bloom’s Taxonomy)
Sample learning objectives from my upcoming introductory course on The Whole Lawyer Program
Last but not least . . .
the poll results are in and we have a WINNER (which we’ll discuss soon)!
The single most important factor to me when evaluating whether to take an online course is:
🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ the relevance of the topic to my practice or my career path
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ the availability of CLE credit
(WINNER)🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 the quality of the experience (audio, video, instructor and/or pedagogy)
🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ the cost of the course
Next Ish:
Time to go Back to the Future!
Many current subscribers missed our first 11 issues (all still available, of course) where we explored, in significant detail, the 76 foundational skills, capabilities and mindsets that deep research has shown are critical in the modern legal environment.
So, we’ll be starting a series where we revisit these in the context of everything we’ve discussed in our last 6 issues. That’s the link to Back to the Future. I think.