The Effect of Specificity and Presentation of Learning Objectives on Assessment Performance and Expectations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess how best to use learning objectives to communicate educational goals to students and make their learning more successful and efficient. Methods: Nine topics within a course were randomized to either have specific or vague learning objective phrasing; the learning objectives were then actively or passively presented in class. Phrasing specificity was manipulated through choice of verbs and specificity of the assessment. Presentation of learning objectives consisted of degree of explanation during the beginning of the lesson, explicit tying of learning objectives to activities, and summaries of learning objectives at the end of the lesson. For performance, students were quizzed on the topic at minimum 24 hours after each class. For efficiency measures, students were asked how long they studied for the quiz and their degree of expectation for the assessment questions. A survey was conducted at the end of the course to capture general preferences about learning objectives. Results: When learning objectives were actively or passively presented, there was no difference in student performance or studying time. However, students performed better on the quizzes when they were provided with learning objectives that were specific versus vague. We found students were more likely to expect a quiz question when provided with specific learning objectives. Conclusions: As opposed to vague, specific learning objectives can increase successful learning. Instructors can promote successful completion of educational goals when students are given a clearer statement about what the goals are in the form of a learning objective.Doctor of Pharmac