Primer for Teaching Online
2. Develop Course Goals and Objectives
Course goals and objectives form the basis for any course, whether it be traditional or online. What is it that you want your students to know? What skills should they have mastered at the end of the course? How will you measure whether or not they have achieved mastery?
Differences Between Goals and Objectives
- Goals are broad in nature and are usually intangible elements of what you hope to accomplish. Goals can be described as intentions expressed in general terms about the course direction.
- Objectives are more specific and are expressed in concrete terms. Objectives are measurable elements of what students should know at the end of the session. Objectives typically restate goals in specific, definable and measurable terms.
Samples
Review the following examples from the Auraria Library, University of Colorado , Denver for the differences between goals and objectives.
Goal 1: Know your research topic
Objectives:
- Identify a specific research problem. express the information need in terms of a researchable question.
- Express the information need in terms of a researchable question.
Goal 2: Understand common library access points and services
Objectives:
- Identify service points within the Auraria Library.
- Find research help through the Reference Desk and department.
- Gain access to the library resources from off-campus computers.
- Identify and use the course reserves module to access reserve items.
- Distinguish between the different formats of information in the library and their location.
