Learning Targets: Q&A

What is the best way to display the learning targets?

One creative display from Pinterest

There is no "best way" to display the learning targets, although if you are referring back to them throughout the lesson, it is convenient to have them on the board or wall, or readily available for projection (i.e. on a slide you can click back to or on a Moodle page). Having a consistent spot is likely a good idea, so students always know where the information is for their class. One idea is to laminate and label a large piece of butcher paper; then you can use dry erase markers on it just like a white board. Not surprisingly, elementary examples dominate the Pinterest boards, but you might find inspiration from the creativity of our colleagues who teach the younger crowd.

There are many creative ways to share learning targets. Check out this Slideshare presentation: 51 Ways to Introduce Learning Objectives to find ideas for making the process of sharing the targets more interactive.

And keep in mind that it is not always appropriate to have the targets on display. The conversation on Joe Bower's blog post "Stop Writing the Objectives on the Board" offers a variety of perspectives and is worth a read.

What is an easy way to display visual learning targets for different classes?
Here's how Amy Foley has a target board set up in her room. Laminated headings or printed magnet sheets help keep your display looking neat and cut down on the amount of writing. If you like the look of this but are not the crafty type, I would be happy to create some personalized headers for you.

How simple can the learning targets be?
I'm not sure that I really understand what this question is getting at. The best targets are written in student-friendly language; however, that doesn't mean that it's not appropriate to include academic vocabulary. Listing a topic or a theme is not the same thing as a learning target. The bottom line is that writing good targets is an ongoing process that takes time and thought, but the payoff is substantial.

Educational blogger Bill Ferriter (The Tempered Radical) has written eloquently about his initial resistance to mandated goal posting and why he's come around. He includes an example of how he formats and shares his unit learning targets with students. He starts with the learning (I can... ) and also includes a defined learning task (This means that...). He writes, "Defining a specific task has even helped ME with my planning and instructional delivery. Now, when working with an objective, I know exactly what kinds of activities to engage my kids in because I’ve detailed the specific outcome that they are supposed to achieve." I highly recommend reading his two part post on Writing Student Friendly Learning Goals.

Is it possible to develop good learning targets in the absence of good standards?
While it may be more difficult, it is certainly possible. I would be happy to consult and collaborate with individuals or teams on developing targets.

Have there been any studies regarding poorly written learning targets vs. well-written learning targets? If so, what are the findings?
In his book Designing and Teaching Learning Goals & Objectives, Marzano includes a chapter that goes into detail regarding the research. We have a copy of this book in our SAS professional library, but if you want a quick overview, check out this summary from The Main Idea. The specificity and difficulty level of the goals are two factors that have been shown to impact their effectiveness. In addition, the effectiveness of goals also depends on their purpose (i.e. mastery vs. performance).

How do we create learning targets for student-led lessons?
When students are engaged in designing lessons, it is a perfect opportunity for them to take ownership of writing the target for that lesson. At first, you might provide the students with the target, which may help them to focus the activities of their lesson appropriately. Aternatively, you could provide them with several targets to choose from, a sentence frame, or some guidelines that will help them craft a specific target. If you are regularly sharing targets with your students, you are providing them with models, but they still might need some explicit teaching and support as they attempt to write targets themselves.

How do we create learning targets for when we are combining multiple things at the same time? Sometimes in English (or other content areas), things are so interconnected, and to put all those targets on the board would take the entire board.
In his blog post "Mandating the mere posting of objectives and other pointless ideas", Grant Wiggins advocates for posting Essential Questions. He writes, "A reason for highlighting Essential Questions is to help students keep the broader goals and value of the immediate learning in view, to connect specifics to bigger ideas and issues which are easily lost in more specific lessons." In the case described above, it may be more appropriate to have a broader goal or question posted, and have more specific targets or outcomes referenced in a different mode, e.g. as criteria outlined in a rubric.

What do I do for learning targets when they are different for each student?
In Classroom Instruction that Works, Marzano advocates for the practice of engaging students in setting personal learning targets. In Chapter One he writes, "Students who are skilled at self-regulation are able to consciously set goals for their learning and monitor their understanding and progress as they engage in a task. They also can plan appropriately, identify and use necessary resources, respond appropriately to feedback, and evaluate the effectiveness of their actions. Acquiring these skills helps students become independent lifelong learners." In a personalized learning environment, establishing routines for students to identify their goals at the beginning of class and then to continually reflect on their progress and/or revise those goals will help them to take ownership of their learning. Read the chapter on "Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback", for more specific suggestions.

Why is it that just knowing what you're supposed to learn in advance increases learning? What if it were like a great novel or a mystery, where the impact is best seen and/or appreciated at the end?
See the multiple blog posts referenced above for a variety of perspectives on the intersection between learning goals, inquiry, curiosity and the joy of learning. Here's a short excerpt from Bill Ferriter's second post, where he responds to a similar question: "For me, learning is making discoveries. Is it possible that posting clear and specific learning targets takes that opportunity away from our kids? And if so, is there a middle ground that we could craft that would allow teachers to post student-friendly learning goals without taking away discovery?" This is a question that we all need to grapple with. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.