OBJECTIVE-

RELATED
PRINCIPLES OF
TEACHING
Guiding principles in Determining and Formulating Learning Objectives
1. Begin with the end in mind
• “Begin with the end in mind,” says Covey, the author of “Seven Habits of Effective
People”. In the context of teaching, this means that we must begin our lesson with a
clearly defined lesson objective. With a clear and specific lesson objective we will have
a sense of direction. With a definite lesson objective in mind, we do not lose sight of
what we intend to teach. No amount of far-fetched question or comment from our
students, no amount of unnecessary interruption or disruption can derail our intended
lesson for the day. With a specific objective, our lesson becomes more focused. We do
not waste nor kill time for we are sure of what to teach, how to teach, what materials to
use.
2. Share lesson objective with students
• Share lesson objective with students. Like a seminar that begins with a statement of
purpose, our lesson ought to begin with a statement and clarification of our lesson
objective. Make known to our students our instructional objective and encourage them
to make the lesson objective their own. This lesson objective when shared and
possessed by our students will become their personal target. It is against this person
target that they will evaluate themselves at the end of the lesson. When our students get
their own personal target we are certain that they will become more self-motivated.
3. Lesson objective must be in the two or three domain
knowledge (cognitive) skill, (psychomotor) and values
(affective)
• Our lesson maybe dominantly cognitive, psychomotor or affective. Dominantly cognitive if it is meant primarily for
knowledge acquisition and honing of skills. Lesson objectives in the effective domain are mainly focused on attitude and
values formation. A cognitive or a skill lesson must always include the affective dimensions for wholistic learning. A lesson
objective that dwells on trivia is hardly a motivating force. What if a student is able to identify the parts of a plant? What has
that to do with him/her and his/her life? In other words, a lesson is worthwhile if it gets connected to everyday life, how the
student is and ought to be concerned with it, what difference it makes for fuller existence. We will find it very difficult
sometimes to determine whether a lesson is in the cognitive or psychomotor domain. When you face the difficulty, don’t let it
bother you. If we come to think of it even a dominantly cognitive lesson includes teaching of skills, say for instance
intellectual skills like reasoning and interfering. Likewise, an intended lesson objective in the psychomotor domain such as
“to focus the microscope under low and high – power objectives in 30 seconds” includes the cognitive elements of knowing
the parts and functions of each part of the microscope and understanding the “do’s” and the “don’ts” in focusing a
microscope. Furthermore, a lesson objective geared towards the formation of desirable attitudes and habits has definitely a
cognitive base. We may not succeed in effecting change in attitude and behavior in people (affective) without explaining
what the desired attitudinal and behavioral change is all about and why such change is desired (cognitive).
• Anyway, what is most important according to this principle is that our lesson is wholistic and complete because it dwells on
knowledge and values or on skills and values or on knowledge, skills and values. If we teach only knowledge, this is
incomplete for this may not in any way teach and bring about change in the learner. We may end up with more head
knowledge that is measured in test then completely forgotten after the test. If we teach only skill unaccompanied by values,
we may contribute to the formation of people who will have all the skills to oppress, to abuse and to take advantage of the
unskilled and the unlearned. So it is necessary that our lesson gets direction from objectives in the two or three domains with
the affective domain always present.
4. Work on significant and relevant
lesson objectives.
• With our lesson objective becoming our students’ lesson objective too, our students will
be self-propelled as we teach. The level of their self-motivation all the more increases
when our lesson objective is relevant to their daily life, hence, significant.
5. Lesson objective must be aligned with the aims of education as embodied
in the Philippine Constitution and other laws and on the vision-mission
statements of the educational institution of which you are a part
• The aims of education as embodied in our fundamental law of the land in the Education
Act of 1982, the Ten-Year Medium Term Development Plan must be reflected in the
vision-mission statements of educational institutions. In turn, the vision-mission
statements of education institution must filter down to the course objectives stated in
course syllable and in lesson objectives laid down in lesson plans.
6. Aim at the development of critical and
creative thinking.
• This is said more than done. We need not go into a laborious research to be convinced that
the development of critical and creative thinking is waiting in classrooms. Most questions
asked whether oral or written are convergent, low-level questions. With teachers quite used
to awarding and praising pupils/students giving the right answers and sometimes branding
the pupil or student who asks questions “pilosopo”, the classroom atmosphere that prevails
is not ripe for the development of critical and creative thinking. If we want to contribute to
the development of citizens who are critical and creative thinkers, the type of citizens
needed to make democracy, then we should include in our scope of question high-level,
divergent, or open-ended questions. It must be good likewise not to frown on students
question a lot – all for the development of critical and creative thinking. Our teaching
strategies and techniques must be such that they serve as catalyst in the development of
higher-order-thinking skills(HOTS) and creative thinking skills. For more notes on creative
and higher-order critical thinking skills, refer to Chapter 2 of this Unit.
• For this reason, the whole brain must be used for balanced learning not just the left for
critical thinking but also the right for creative thinking.
7. For accountability of learning, lesson objectives must be
SMART, i.e., Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Result-oriented
and Relevant, Time-bound and Terminal
• When our lesson objective is SMART it is quite
• easy to find out at the end of our lesson if we attained our objective or not. It will also
be easier on our part to formulate a test that is valid to measure the attainment of our
lesson objective. Moreover, our lesson becomes more focused for we have a concrete
picture of the behavior that our students should be able to demonstrate if we realized
our lesson objective.
• In short, SMART objectives increase our accountability for the learning of our students.
With SMART objectives we depart from the unsound practice of teaching that is so
spread out that in the end we find ourselves unclear on what test we are going to give to
assess learning. With SMART lesson objectives, there is greater match between
instruction and assessment. There is curriculum alignment.
TAXONOMY OF OBJECTIVES

• With educational taxonomy, learning is classified into three domains namely: (1)
cognitive, (2) affective, and (3) psychomotor or behavioral.
• Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive domain. Benjamin Bloom (1956) led his group in
coming up with the list of instructional objectives in the cognitive domain. Arranged
from lowest to the highest level, they are as follows:
• Knowledge or recall – knowledge of terminology and conventions, trends and
sequences, classifications and categories, criteria and methodologies, principles,
theories, and structures: e.g. to identify the capital of the Philippines.
• Comprehension – relate to translation, interpretation, and extrapolation; e.g. to
interpret a table showing the population density of the world.
• Application – use of abstractions in particular situations; e.g. to predict the probable
effect of a change in temperature on a chemical.
• Analysis – objectives relate to breaking a whole into parts; e.g. to deduce facts from a
hypothesis.
• Synthesis – putting parts together in a new form such as unique communications, a plan
of operation, and a set of abstract relations; e.g. to produce an original piece of art.
• Evaluation – judging in terms of internal evidence or logical consistency and external
evidence or consistency with facts developed elsewhere; e.g. to recognize fallacies in an
argument. Bloom identified six levels within the cognitive domain, ranging from
simple recall to recognition of facts as the lowest level, through increasingly more
complex and abstract mental levels, to the highest level which was identified as
evaluation.
*Figure 3a Bloom’s Taxonomy
*Figure 3b Anderson’s Taxonomy

Ev Crea
al. ting

Synthesis Evaluating

Analysis Analysing

Application Applying

Comprehension Understanding

Knowledge Remembering
ANDERSON’S TAXONOMY OF
COGNITIVE DOMAIN
• In the1990’s, Anderson. Bloom’s former student, together with a team of cognitive
psychologists revisited Bloom’s taxonomy in the light of the 21 st century skills. This led
to Anderson’s taxonomy in 2001. Study figure 3-b. Determine for yourselves the
differences between the cognitive taxonomy of Bloom and that of Anderson

Table 1a – Definitions of Anderson’s Revised Taxonomy

Definition Verbs
Remembering: Can the student recall or remember the Define, duplicate, list, memorize, recall, repeat, reproduce, state
information?
Understanding: Can the student explain ideas or concepts? Classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify, locate, recognize, report,
select, translate, paraphrase

Applying: Can the student use the information in a new Choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate,
way? schedule, sketch, solve, use, write

Analyzing: Can the student distinguish between the different Appraise, compare, contrast, criticize, diffentiate, discriminate, distinguish,
parts? examine, experiment, question, test

Evaluating: Can the student justify a stand or decision. Appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, evaluate

Creating: Can the student create new product or point of Assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write
view?
 Krathwohl’s taxonomy of affective domain. David Krathwohl’s affective learning is
demonstrated by behaviors indicating attitudes of awareness, interest, affection and values of
concern, and responsibility, ability to listen and respond in interactions with others, and ability to
demonstrate attitudinal characteristics or values which are appropriate to the test situations and the
field of study. The taxonomy of objects is ordered according to the principles of internalization. The
levels of affective behavior are arranged according to level of internalization. Internalization of a
value begins with the awareness of the value. This value awareness leads to a point where the value
becomes internalized and it becomes part and parcel of a person’s character consequently guiding
or controlling his/her behavior.

Figure 4

Character
ization
by Value
Set
Organization

Valuing

Responding

Receiving

Usually the waterloo of teachers, is the formulation of objectives in the affective domain. The Table
below may be of help
Table 1b Krathwohl’s Taxonomy of objectives in the affective domain

    Learning Outcomes   Sample

Level What it is Verbs Objectives
 
  Refers to the learner’s Learning outcomes in this area …………….. ………………….
Receiving sensitivity to the existence of range from the simple services
  certain ideas, material or that a thing exist to selective
phenomena and the willingness …………………
to particular phenomena of
stimuli such as classroom
activities, textbook, music,
etc.)

  Is not only being aware of the   Answers, assists, complies, Examples of objectives in the
Responding stimulus and responding to the discusses, helps, performs, responding level are: e.g. to
  stimulus practices, presents, reacts, contribute to group discussions
reports, writes, etc. by asking questions to listen
attentively during group
presentation, to complete
homework to read beyond
assignment, to cb,,,,, rules, to
participate in class discussion,
to show interest in subject, to
enjoy helping others, to read
for enjoyment
  Is concerned with the worth or a This ranges in degree from the   Desires to improve group skills
Valuing value a student attaches to a simpler acceptance of a value  
  particular object, phenomenon, the more complex level of Assumes responsibility for the
or behavior. commitment effective functioning to the
  group
Willing to be perceived by Appreciates the role of science
others as valuing certain ideas, in daily life, shows concern for
materials, of phenomena. others’ welfare demonstrates a
Examples include: to increase problem-solving approach, etc.
measured profiency in, to
relinquish to subsidize, to
debate. E.g. to argue over an
issue involving health care

  Organization is to relate the value   Examples are: to discuss, to To organize a meeting concerning
Organizing to those already held and bring it theorize, to formulate, to balance, a neighborhood’s housing
  into a harmonious and internally to examine. integration plan.
consistent value system or  
philosophy Recognizes the need for balance
  between freedom and
-Bringing together different responsibility in a democracy
values, resolving conflicts among understands the role of systematic
them, and starting to build an planning in solving problems,
internally consistent value accepts responsibility for own
system- comparing, relating, and behavior
synthesizing values and
developing a philosophy of life.
  At this level, the person has     -Displays self-reliance in
Characterization held a value system that has working independently,
controlled his behavior for a cooperates in group
 
sufficiently long time that a activities, maintains good
characteristic “life style” health habits.
has been develop. Behavior -uses an objective approach
is pervasive, consistent and in problem solving
predictable. Objectives are -displays a professional
concerned with personal, commitment to official
social and emotional practice on daily basis
adjustment. -revises judgments and
changes
Anita Harlow’s taxonomy of the psychomotor domain. It is organized
according to the degree of coordination including involuntary responses as well as
learned capabilities. Simple reflexes begin at the lowest level of the taxonomy,
while complex neuromuscular conditions make up the highest level.

FIGURE 5 Harlow’s taxonomy of objectives in the psychomotor domain

Non-discursive
Communication

Skilled Movements
Anita Harlow (1972) did
something parallel to what
Physical Activities
Bloom and Krathwohl did
for learning objectives in Perceptual
the psychomotor domain.
Below is her list of Basic Fundamental Movement
movements in the
psychomotor domain. Reflex Movements
 LEVEL DESCRIPTION EXAMPLES
 
Reflex movement actions elicited without Learning in response to some stimuli Extension, stretch, postural adjustment
 
 

Basic Fundamental Movement Inherent movement patterns which are Pushing, pulling, manipulating. E.g. to run
  formed by combining of reflex a 1-00-yarsd dash
 
 
 

Perceptual Abilities Perceptual refers to interpretation of Coordinated movements such as jumping

various stimuli that enable on to make rope, punting, or catching.
adjustments to the environment, Visual,
auditory, kinesthetic, or tactile
discrimination. Suggests cognitive as well
as psychomotor behavior.

Physical Activities Require endurance, strength, vigor, and Examples: are all activities which require
agility which produces a sound, efficiently a) strenuous effort for long periods of time;
functioning body b) muscular exertion; c) a quick, wide
range of motion at the hip joints; and d)
quick, precise movements.
 
Skilled movements The result of the acquisition Skilled Examples are: all
of a degree of efficiency skilled activities obvious in
when performing a complex sport, recreation, and
task. dance.
 

Non-discursive Is communication through Examples include, body

communication bodily movements ranging postures, and facial
from posture to gestures, expressions efficiently
creative movements facial executed in skilled dance
expressions, act a part in a movement and choreographic
play through sophisticated
choreographic (Harlow, 1972)
 
Moore (1998) also give three levels of learning in the psychomotor domain. They are as
follows:

Precision

Manipulation

Imitation

At the entry level, imitation, a student can carry out the rudiments of the skills with instructional support
from the teacher. Most typically, this level follows modeling by the teacher and involves the student’s first
attempts to perform the skill. The skill is not performed smoothly, nor are the coordination and timing refined.
Examples of students performing at the imitation level include a student who is able to perform the skill
independently, without the aid of the instructor. During this phase of psychomotor learning, the student who is
able to perform skill without prompts from the teacher or without consciously thinking about it. However,
complete fluency or accuracy has not been achieved.
At the level of precision – the highest level of psychomotor taxonomy – students
can perform a skillaccurately, efficiently, and effortlessly. Automaticity, the
ability to perform a skill with unconscious effort, has developed, which then
frees the student to concentrate on other elements of the activity or game.
Examples of precision-level skills include: different notes with different levels of
volume and pitch, without consciously looking at her fingers.

Level Performance

Imitation Models skills

 

Manipulation Performs skills independently

Precision Exhibits skills effortlessly and automatically