Google Analytics tell us that a lot of people are searching for good examples of training objectives. I know that I’m one of those people, especially when I’m looking for a new way to approach a topic. Since you clicked on this article, you’re probably one of them, too.
The fun thing about a good learning objective is that if it’s well-written, it basically writes your training for you. I’ll explain what I mean by this in a moment, but first let’s take a quick look at some fundamental elements of a learning objective.
What Is a Learning Objective?
A learning objective is a tool for anyone who designs training and wants to ensure the training is focused and targeted.
A learning objective is a statement that tells you specifically what a training participant should be able to do new, differently or better as a result of your training session. This is different from the overarching goal of your training program.
A training program’s goal might be that the company’s sales increase by 50% over the next year. Sometimes a subject matter expert may say that their goal for a training program will be to explain how to improve the way that engineers and floor managers troubleshoot manufacturing defects. Any of these statements are fine for overall goals of a training program, but they don’t meet the criteria of an instructionally-sound learning objective that can be used to develop an effective training program.
A learning objective needs to be 3 things:
- Participant-centered
- Action-oriented
- Observable
“In this training I’m going to explain how to troubleshoot the root causes of manufacturing defects” is a common way that SMEs will frame their training program, but it’s a sentence that is trainer-centric, not participant-centric. It doesn’t tell us what the participants should be able to do new, differently, or better.
If this is the overall goal, then one way to translate this into an effective learning objective would be to make it participant-centric and observable. Here is one example of how to do that:
Training participants will be able to use the Sparsity of Effects principle in order to identify manufacturing defects.
How Does a Learning Objective Write Your Training for You?
Take a look at the example above. Even if you, as a training designer, know very little about engineering or manufacturing, you can clearly see that this example is participant-centered (after all, the training is about the participants and what they can do new, differently or better). You can also see that, based on this learning objective, a trainer should be able to see whether the participants can use the Sparsity of Effects principle in order to identify manufacturing defects.
How? If this is the learning objective, then you need to make sure there is some sort of activity in the training that will give the participants an opportunity to use the Sparsity of Effects principle to troubleshoot a problem.
With a well-written learning objective, you simply take a look at the verb you’ve used (in this case, “use”), and then you need to integrate an activity that allows you to observe whether the participants can make that verb happen.
If your objective is that participants will be able to make a list of reasons that silos exist across the organization, then you need to distribute pen and paper and integrate an activity that has your participants make a list. If your objective is that participants will be able to compare and contrast the benefits of two different products, then you need to build time into your training plan to allow for a discussion in which participants share their thoughts about the pros and cons of each product.
One note of caution when you’re crafting a learning objective is that you’ll need to pay attention to the total amount of time you have for your training session. If you only have a 30-minute time block, it may not be realistic that your participants will be able to “create” or “build” or even “use” something. You need to be sure you’ll have enough time to introduce your content and allow your learners to do something with it.
Examples of Training Objectives
Not all training programs should be created equally. As I mentioned in the paragraph above, if you don’t have a lot of time for your training program, then adjectives that imply mastery over a topic or concept aren’t realistic. When you’re creating a training program, you need to ask yourself whether your training is for general awareness about a concept, or is it intended to build people’s skills. The former can often be done in less time, while the latter naturally requires extended periods of time for practice and feedback.
Training Objectives When Awareness Is Your Goal
If you’re introducing a policy, a new software system, or want to bring something to the attention of a group, then awareness is probably all that you need. Learning objectives around awareness can include things such as:
- Participants will be able to locate where the new timesheets can be found on the Intranet
- Participants will be able to re-state the new Mission Statement in their own words
- Participants will be able to describe 5 benefits of using the coaching checklist before meeting with their direct reports
Other verbs that can be used in your learning objectives for training sessions intended to boost awareness will complete the following sentence: Participants will be able to…
- Identify
- Explain
- Define
- List
- Discuss
- Summarize
- Outline
- Differentiate
- Mention
- Assess
- Point out
- Decide when to
- Put into their own words
Training Objectives When Skill-Building Is Your Goal
If you really need people to do something new, differently, or better, and if you have been allotted the time to actually work on that knowledge or those skills, then skill-building is the more appropriate outcome, which requires a different set of learning objectives.
Several complete examples of these types of skill-building objectives include:
- Participants will be able to design a lesson plan
- Participants will be able to use a checklist in order to provide peer feedback
- Participants will be able to complete the new timesheet form
- Participants will be able to create a staffing schedule that adheres to newly implemented state laws
Each and every one of these learning objectives focuses on a skill that your participants should be able to demonstrate and that you should be able to observe and provide feedback upon.
Other verbs that can be used in your learning objectives when your participants need to do something new, differently, or better will complete the following sentence: Participants will be able to…
- Demonstrate
- Apply
- Construct
- Perform
- Say
- Convince
- Persuade
- Produce
- Solve
- Troubleshoot
- Adapt
- Script
- Operate
- Navigate a new software system
- Practice
- Sell
- Build
- Memorize
- Edit
- Refine
- Implement
- Perform
- Adjust
- Audit
- Conduct a self-assessment
- Illustrate
- Simulate
- Evaluate
- Measure
Keep in mind that when it comes to coming up with the training objectives that will be most appropriate for your purposes, you’ll need to:
- Decide whether your goal is skill-building or general awareness
- Identify how much time you’ll have for your training session
- Craft an instructionally-sound set of learning objectives that are participant-centered, action-oriented and observable
The rest of the training program kind of writes itself!