GUIDELINES FOR WRITING LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

An objective is a planned, measurable outcome that results from activities completed during your service-learning project.

All learning objectives must have the following four key elements to be acceptable:

  • What is the task to be learned or accomplished?
  • How will it be learned or accomplished?
  • How will it be evaluated, measured, and by whom?
  • When will it be completed?

Learning objectives must be realistic. Can they be achieved within the timeframe of your project?

They must describe an action to be taken. For example: develop, implement, create, learn, build, explain, locate, perform, repair, solve, research, do, and write. Think of the acronym

SMART.

Specific - Make sure you state exactly what will be accomplished.

Measurable - Set a definitive time or date when your objectives will be completed. Include quantitative statements such as: 95%, not more than once a day or within 20 minutes.

Action-Oriented - Focus on action or Achievable - can you finish the objective in the time allowed.

Realistic - Allow for your personal and professional constraints in accomplishing your objectives.

Time-Oriented - Allow yourself a reasonable amount of time to complete an objective and have a definite finishing date within the timeframe of your project.

Examples of measurable outcomes: 

1. Categories of Learning Objectives

A. Routine Duties: Is there room for improvement in routine or daily tasks?

B. Problem Solving: Is there a problem to be solved that will exhibit measurable results?

C. Creative Goals: Can new policies or procedures be developed that will result in saving time, materials, or costs?

D. Personal Goals: Can improvements be made in relations with co-workers or supervisors?

2.  Writing the Objectives

A. Start off with an action verb. Examples are write, operate, revise, apply, assemble, select, develop, report, install, increase, etc.

B. Be careful of words like: understand, learn, know, or appreciate. It is very difficult to measure how well someone achieves these things

i, an "impact" on a problem your host country mentor is working on (i.e., a change in a population's financial, health and/or functional status, mental well-being, knowledge, skill, attitude, awareness or behavior.)

ii, a change in the degree to which consumers exercise choice over the types of services they receive,

iii, the degree to which consumers are satisfied with the way a service is delivered.

iv, a new model of support or care that can be replicated in the global health network;

v, new knowledge that can contribute to the field of global health