Part 8 – Setting Objectives

Research Based Strategies for the Classroom

Part #8 – Setting Objectives

Setting objectives involves specific teacher and student behaviors, including both decision-making and communicating. First, teachers select and refine learning goals, These goals may be narrow or broad, specific or general. Studies of effective goal setting suggest that goals with a narrow focus will actually minimize learning, because students focus on what has been communicated as important. If goals are too focused, students will ignore related information. Second, goal setting is an act of communicating. Since students focus on what has been set forth as an objective, communicating those objectives becomes central to success. Setting objectives, then, becomes a thoughtful exercise in considering how to generalize selected learning objectives while ensuring student focus, then letting students in on the process through clear communication.

This issue of the Classroom Management Series provides research findings and implementation examples.

To access the full issue of this month’s Classroom Management Series, NASET members should login to view and or download a PDF file version.