Objectives

Clinical Education

Learning Objectives

Objectives keep an activity focused, communicate the purpose of the activity, and for the bases of your evaluations.

A good objective answers the question: "What is something measurable that participants be able to do because of their participation in this activity?"

CME objectives must reach a level of change in competency, or above, as described by Dr. Moore. See Tools and Resources below for additional information.

Tools and Resources

The following tools will help your organization craft CME-compliant objectives that can be evaluated.

How to Write Great Learning Objectives, by Kevin Kruse - An easy to understand article detailing the how to write learning objectives
A Model of Learning Objectives - A wonderful, interactive web site by Iowa State University. Based upon the revised model of Bloom's Taxonomy, mouse-over different sections for examples of level-based verbs.
Performance and Learning Objectives in Instructional Design - An article detailing the key components of measurable objectives.
Achieving Desired Results and Improved Outcomes, By Moore, et al. JCEHP, 29, 2009
Bloom's Taxonomy, Wikipedia entry - Additional information about how the verbs used in constructing Learning Objectives relate to the abilities of the audience.
Moore's Taxonomy, with examples.pdf - Dr. Moore's taxonomy of educational hierarchies.
Bloom's Digital Taxonomy - This web site applies the revision of Bloom's Taxonomy to emerging technology.

Examples of terms to use in Learning Objectives

• Adjust

• Articulate

• Classify

• Convey

• Diagnose

• Distinguish

• Hypothesize

• Infer

• Organize

• Prioritize

• Relate

• Apply

• Assess

• Compare

• Create

• Diagram

• Employ

• Identify

• Integrate

• Plan

• Produce

• Select

• Appraise

• Categorize

• Conduct

• Demonstrate

• Differentiate

• Evaluate

• Illustrate

• Interpret

• Predict

• Recognize

• Solve

• Arrange

• Choose

• Construct

• Develop

• Discriminate

• Fomulate

• Implement

• Manage

• Prepare

• Recommend

• Use

Terms to avoid in Learning Objectives

The following are either too vague or low-level (as judged by Moore's levels of outcomes) to be approved.

• Appreciate

• Comprehend

• Internalize

• Recognize

• Be acquainted with

• Enjoy

• Know

• Remember

• Be aware of

• Grasp the
significance of

• Learn

• Sympathize with

• Be familiar with

• Increase interest

• Perceive

• Understand

Previously approved Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activitiy, participants will be better able to:

Integrate clinical imaging into their practices for diagnosis of neuropathic strabismus
Manage patients with craniostenosis from birth to adulthood, and predict and treat the potential ocular adverse sequelae
Assess which patients are better suited for each type of cataract surgery
Identify ptosis and eyelid abnormalities in adults and perform new blepharoplasty surgical techniques to correct ptosis

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