Inquiry-Oriented Student Performance Objectives Activity

NOTE: This activity assumes that all students have read and understood the article Writing Inquiry-Oriented Student Performance Objectives.

Participating in the activity below will help you to write and assess several inquiry-oriented student performance objectives. Objectives must be written in such as was that they are realistic, easy to comprehend and perform, and upon which lesson plans and assessment tasks can be developed.

Think-Pair-Share Activity:

  1. Decide on ONE specific goal for a physics course you will assumed to teach (e.g., students will understand resistance relationships). Be certain to distinguish between teacher goals and student outcomes. There is a difference, and the two should not be confused. Ask if you are uncertain.
  2. Working in teams and using a whiteboard, write six inquiry-oriented student performance objectives that relate directly to the goal. No two objectives should come from the same areas of Bloom's taxonomy below (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation).
  3. In each objective be certain to describe what students will be expected to do to demonstrate they had mastered each objective. Use the verbs in the lists below to help you associate a skill with the student performance. It is best to keep your objective reasonably narrow.
  4. Present your whiteboard to the class, stating your subject matter area and explaining your six inquiry-oriented student performance objectives.
  5. Lead a discussion among your peers in which you ask your fellow teacher candidates to assess what you have written.
  6. Revise each of your objectives as necessary with the assistance of your peers.

Action words that indicate a student's understanding:

KNOWLEDGE: These verbs indicate that a student can recall knowledge.

reproduce state list
define identify quote
name match recite

COMPREHENSION: These verbs indicate that a student comprehends the meaning of material.

describe paraphrase interpret
explain rephrase give examples
represent illustrate summarize
convert reword relate
translate depict  

APPLICATION: These verbs indicate that a student can apply the knowledge.

classify apply relate
employ compute predict
solve demonstrate utilize
discover present show

ANALYSIS: These verbs indicate that a student can define the organizational structure of knowledge.

analyze diagnose distinguish
outline diagram conclude
discriminate determine separate
find infer dissect
examine reduce point out

SYNTHESIS: These verbs indicate that a student can create new knowledge or organizational patterns from constituent parts.

combine compile revise expand
rewrite generalize theorize integrate
create design propose synthesize
rearrange develop modify write
invent extend conceive compose

EVALUATION: These verbs indicate that a student can determine the value or the suitability of knowledge for a particular purpose.

apprise conclude critique
judge assess deduce
weigh compare evaluate

 

(Last updated 3/24/2010, cjw)