Alignment: Objectives, Activities, and Assessments

Learning objectives describe what students should know or be able to do after completing a course, module, or learning activity. They should be specific and measurable so that student achievement can be demonstrated and assessed.

Bloom's Taxonomy can help identify action verbs that reflect different levels of learning, from remembering and understanding to applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

For example: Instead of: Understand principles of effective communication. Consider: Apply principles of effective communication to a patient interaction. The verb apply describes an observable action and provides clearer direction for determining how students will practice and demonstrate their learning.

Course-level objectives identify the broader learning students should achieve by the end of the course. Module-level objectives (if used) identify the knowledge and skills students develop along the way.

Module objectives should support progress toward relevant course objectives, creating a clear connection between individual learning experiences and the overall goals of the course.

Course Objective → Module Objective → Learning Experience → Assessment

Once the objectives are established, consider what students need to engage with, practice, and demonstrate to achieve them.

• Instructional Materials: Select readings, videos, examples, and other resources that directly support the knowledge and skills identified in the objectives.
• Learning Activities: Provide opportunities for students to practice, apply, discuss, or reflect on the intended learning.
• Assessments: Measure the knowledge or skills described by the learning objectives at the appropriate level of Bloom's Taxonomy.
• Technology and Tools: Use Canvas features, LTI integrations, or other technologies when they support the learning objective or activity rather than simply adding technology to the course.

Consider a module designed around the following objective:

• Module Objective: Analyze a patient case to identify relevant risk factors.
• Instructional Materials: Readings and examples introduce relevant risk factors and demonstrate the case-analysis process.
• Learning Activity: Students practice analyzing a sample case and discuss their findings.
• Technology: A Canvas Discussion provides a space for students to share and compare their analyses.
• Assessment: Students independently analyze a new patient case and identify and explain relevant risk factors.

Each component serves a specific purpose in helping students achieve or demonstrate the objective.

As you review a course or module, ask:

• Are the learning objectives clear and measurable?
• Do module objectives support the relevant course-level objectives?
• Do instructional materials provide the information students need to achieve the objectives?
• Do learning activities give students opportunities to practice the intended knowledge or skills?
• Do assessments directly measure the learning objectives at an appropriate level?
• Do Canvas, LTI, or other tools serve a clear instructional purpose connected to the learning objectives?

• A Guide to Learning Objectives A Guide to Learning Objectives