Learning Objectives

When designing a course, it is key to start with the learning objectives. Based upon these learning objectives content, teaching material, exercises and assessment forms can subsequently be chosen, and not in the reversed order. Teachers should not start from their own knowledge or current research, but from what students need to fulfil their future societal roles, thereby ensuring curriculum alignment (Anderson, 2002; Biggs, 2003; Squires, 2012). Learning objectives require teachers to think critically about what the ultimate goals are of the course and be concrete and transparent about it to students and other faculty members. The traditional approach to