There are distinct differences between goals and objectives. While goals are more general than objectives and long term, objectives are more specific and short term. Objectives are the causes for the effects, the goals, so without going through objectives, goals can’t be achieved.
As for the ideal goals and objectives, they should reflect teachers’ positive changes of students through the course, teachers’ beliefs, and students’ need. In addition, the goals and objectives should be flexible to fit the reality depending on different contexts.
This chapter has sharpened my knowledge about goals and objectives. Above all, I found how important the goals and objectives are in the course. They give teachers directions and responsibilities for their class. They are like a compass to direct teachers to their destination. Graves (2000) states, “Having goals and objectives written down (not in stone, of course) is one way for me to hold myself accountable and keep me focused on my responsibilities during the course (p. 84). As a teacher, I have experienced getting lost while teaching at school several times because I didn’t check that day’s class objectives. This chapter reminded me of the mistakes. I wouldn’t take the goals and objectives lightly again.
Your reflection reminds me how giving clear goals and objectives is important. As we are attending a professional development course as a student, we sometimes feel frustrated when we not sure about what is expected of us in a certain subject. Likewise, students in our class will have a hard time if we can't present clear goals and objectives. We should be flexible while we are applying them to students, though.
답글삭제I agree with you. It is very important to know goals and objectives for sure.
답글삭제People don’t expect that a teacher will improve his or her student’s score to 90 out of a possible 100 if the student got 60 at the last exam. They will be satisfied with the score 75. They will praise the teacher for his or her hard work. Teachers should set goals and objectives that can be achieved by his or her students by the time appointed.
Like you mentioned,"they should reflect teachers’ positive changes of students through the course, teachers’ beliefs, and students’ need."teachers are supposed to understand not only teachers’ goals for class but also students’ needs and goals.If teachers have a vague idea about what they are going to teach, students cannot learn effectively. Teachers must have a clear idea about goals and objectives when designing a course. As it says in the book, Goals should be gereral, but not vague and Objectives should focus on what students will learn.
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