Fostering learning outcomes that meet your institution’s specific objectives isn’t a hat trick, but it does require the ability to master student data and transform it into actionable insights. In this post, we’ll show you how and give you student learning objective examples.
Master Records Management and Analytics to Create Data-Driven Learning Objectives
While student records may be the bane of many an administrator’s existence, the way student data is collected and maintained has a direct correlation to how easily your institution is able to map and achieve educational goals.
Proper data hygiene, warehousing, and analysis are critical to the development of learning objectives that meet your pupils’ unique educational needs and overall organizational performance goals. Here are 3 ways to ensure that you are getting the most out of your data:
- Manage all critical student data digitally through a single platform (rather than a collection of third-party solutions). If you are still relying on paper files as a backup for data like attendance and incident reports, then you are limiting your efficiency and adding hours of administrative tasks to your day.
- Look for “hidden” sources of insight at every student-teacher and student-administrator touchpoint. Each documented student-teacher or student-administrator reaction is a potential source of meaningful data. Be certain that your administrative platform allows you to compile relevant data quickly and analyze patterns in learner behaviors and educational outcomes and easily share your findings.
- Create data-driven learner profiles to focus intervention and academic enrichment efforts on students who will benefit the most. Don’t hesitate to use your data to create detailed learner profiles that inform your curriculum’s development arc. A learner group profile doesn’t have to act as a limiting ceiling for academic expectations. As targeted groups’ educational outcomes improve and overall competency levels rise, so will the depth of your insights as you monitor results and adjust curricular strategy to promote further excellence.
Pro Tip: Use real-time and historical data to create learning objectives that are easily customized to the needs of specific groups within your student body.
5 Student Learning Objective Examples That Work for Organizations with a Diverse Body of Learners
1. Focus on a Universal Skill Set: Teaching Observational Skills in Reading Comprehension Through Attention-Awareness
Objective: Improved Reading Comprehension
Leading educational theorists agree that the “soft skills” required to become an effective learner should be taught in conjunction with regular academics. One of the easiest ways to promote reading comprehension skills is to promote attention awareness. Researchers from the University of Texas evaluated the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI) approach to literacy and suggested that encouraging students to ask themselves questions about their own practice of paying attention to their reading experience may spur deeper comprehension of the text. Regardless of the skill-level of your pupils, encourage them to self-question key components of their literacy activities in relation to mindful learning. While the wording may change based on your learner’s educational level, encouraging students to ask themselves questions such as the following can amplify the positive impact of reading awareness strategies.
- Is there more than one way for me to meet my goal in reading this text?
- What are some ways that I can use to help myself understand what I am reading when it gets difficult?
- Have I achieved my learning goal after reading this text? If not, where did I first feel confused and what did I do about it?
Questions like these create opportunities for meaningful teacher-pupil conversations about self-help strategies that can be personalized by students as needed.
2. Open Up New Learning Pathways: Introducing Choice into Learning Experiences Through Self-Directed Learning Modules in Mathematical Thinking
Objective: Enhanced Mathematical Analysis and Problem Solving Ability
While pupils may not be familiar with algorithms, they will most certainly understand the importance of the internet to the modern world. Take advantage of students’ attention to all things digital to illustrate how an understanding of algorithms promotes mathematical thinking. Use the idea of following steps to achieve the desired outcome to encourage self-directed multi-strategy problem-solving skill reinforcement.
Present algorithmic thinking as an alternative to “analog” classwork. Support the development of original strategies for problem sets using processing rules that require group collaboration and trial and error.
View examples of ways to encourage process-focused self-directed learning through student-led algorithm creation.
3. Create Concept Reinforcement “Loops”: Promote Knowledge Retention Through Gamification in STEM Topics
Objective: Reinforce Logical Thinking Skills
While the term “gamification” may conjure images of video game spouting times tables, the idea of choosing from alternative learning methods to achieve a desired outcome doesn’t have to be an exclusively digital experience.
Offer students learning pathways that involve critical reasoning and self-teaching moments to demystify STEM-thinking. Examples may include allowing students to choose between several methods of learning a single concept (such as conducting an experiment, reverse engineering a solution, or following a series of clues to solve a problem) or encouraging students to solve a problem by trial-and-error, with points awarded for the use of sequential deductive reasoning. Interested in digital tools? Download free STEM lesson plans and student learning objective examples from Minecraft.
4. Update Basic Skills Without Repetitive Tasks: Use Learner-Centric Models of Skill Reinforcement to Promote ELA Competence
Objective: Review Grade-Appropriate ELA Skills and Promote New Skill Acquisition
While managing skills reinforcement without boring students with repetition is a challenge, it isn’t an impossible task. Allow pupils to test basic competency levels and acquire new skills at the same time through the development of their own Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) stories.
Use the created text to explore new skill sets while reviewing building block concepts. View a great example of CYOA for ELA skill-building and student learning objective examples here and a simple tutorial on how to use Google Slides to make CYOA projects shareable.
5. Support the Development of Advanced Study Skills: Use Project-Based Learning to Promote Learner Engagement and Critical Reading
Objective: Promote Self-Directed Learning and Critical Thinking
Project-based learning is likely already a part of your curriculum, but student-designed projects are less common. Explore the idea of transforming part of your curriculum into an object lesson on self-teaching. Guide students in the design of a project that will illustrate core concepts while providing a rigorous introduction to a new skill.
Require:
- A well-researched justification for the project’s goal.
- Detailed outlines for each step along the project’s development timeline.
- A clear quality control process for you and your students to assess when benchmarks have been met.
Review how teachers developed a series of successful project-based learning lesson plans and student learning objective examples here.
Starting Strong: Find the Right Technology Partner to Help You Meet Your Educational Goals
ScholarChip makes it easy for educators to focus on their real jobs—creating outstanding learning experiences.
We streamline data management and performance-tracking for schools, enabling educators to create data-driven learning objectives that are a perfect match for the needs of their students.
ScholarChip offers a solution called Alternative Behavior Educator (ABE). This innovative program enables counselors to identify, monitors, and improve student behavior throughout a student’s career, while giving administrators and teachers powerful data-driven reports that quickly flag at-risk students, help monitor and chronicle progress, and support decision-making tasks. The ScholarChip system incorporates the complete spectrum of behavior and integrates student rewards, interventions, and tracking with PowerSchool®, Infinite Campus, and other popular SIS platforms.
To learn how ScholarChip can help keep your schools safer and more secure learn more about the many solutions ScholarChip provides, or to get free recommendations, feel free to schedule a 1-on1 with one of our specialists today!
