First conceptualized and implemented in World War II to make learning more efficient, objectives describe what the learner is expected to achieve. A goal, on the other hand, describes what the learner will gain from instruction. Though similar sounding and sometimes used interchangeably, goals and objectives represent two different ways of measuring academic achievement and performance. Goals are more broad, and help students and teachers focus on the big picture. They serve as an umbrella for several related objectives that specifically define what a pupil will gain from a particular lecture or assignment.
The importance of writing measurable educational objectives is hard to overstress. Once a goal is divided into chunk-size objectives, it becomes much easier to measure. From there, learning can be made more effective by experimenting with writing the same objectives in several different ways and evaluating which one produced the most effective learning. Effectively written objectives also make the educator more clear and precise in her assignments.
The six areas of cognitive domain include knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Each area involves a demonstration that a greater understanding of an educational objective has been achieved. These subdivisions exist because, depending on the task at hand, individual objectives require different types of demonstration. Knowledge and comprehension may involve describing or contrasting various attributes, while synthesis and application may involve assembling and examining something. Finally, analysis and evaluation categorize and adopt an understanding.
Objectives must contain actionable verbs which help educators decide if an activity or lecture helps improve competence. Verbs like "know, learn, improve and understand" must be avoided because they are not action-orientated. Without action, nothing can be measured, and it would be difficult to determine if progress has been made. Examples of recommended verbs include "memorize, extrapolate, schedule, summarize, prepare and persuade." Many other appropriate verbs exist, and choosing the correct wording helps to shape the scope and direction of learning.