Preparing Instructional Objectives

by Robert F. Mager

1. What is it that we must teach? 2. How will we know when we have taught it? 3. What materials and procedures will work best to teach what we wish to teach? Not only must these questions be answered to instruct effectively, but the order in which they are answered is important. The first question must be answered before the other two.... Preparing Instructional Objectives makes a start toward describing how to specify objectives. It is not intended to be the last word on the subject. Rather, it is something like the first word. But the quantum jump of progress is large and real. Not only does the book provide a valuable approach to the task of goal-specification. it also supplies an orientation that views goal-specification as an unavoidable, practical problem requiring hard-headed solutions. This is an important step, since the proof of any method pudding is in the criterion eating. (excerpts from Foreword)

Genres: Education, Nonfiction

60 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1900

About the author

Mager is a heavyweight in the field of training and performance improvement, and popularized the concept of Criterion Referenced Instruction.

Mager achieved A.B. and M.A. degrees from Ohio University and finished his Ph.D. in Psychology at the State University of Iowa.

Reviews

[Rhonda D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the beginning of a new emphasis in education. It hasn't always been standard to clearly define your goals and outcomes clearly before you begin to design instruction. Mager was the first proponent of this trend.

I don't normally laugh out loud reading textbooks, but Mager is entertaining as he informs.

A quote I read just the other day in James Clear's newsletter was from this book: If you're not sure where you are going, you're liable to end up someplace else--and not even know it.

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a choose your own adventure advice book on Preparing Instructional Objectives. It's fun, succinct, and incredibly helpful. I found the end of book assessment to be really useful.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using the book Preparing Instructional Objectives, write (type) a review after completing this book that is grammatically correct and includes the benefits of the book.

The audience for this book is the corporate Instructional Designer. I read this book during my master’s program and have just now read it a second time later in my career. This book covers objectives, the importance of being explicit, defines objective origins, qualities of useful objectives, specifies learner performance, conditions, and criteria for success. While lots of sub-par training can be a knee jerk reaction to solving a problem, this book helps to get all participants on the same page as to what to expect from learners and a training by starting with the critical step of objective writing. This book reads like a Choose Your Own Adventure book allowing you to skip around and check the results of your choices. The academic in me would have liked Mager to consider including a taxonomy for objectives like Blooms but I can see why he might have chosen not to. Highly recommend it.

[Aaron Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book ever!

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very succinct and useful guide to writing learning objectives. Also written light heartedly to keep it entertaining.