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Shifting Learning Objectives Into Personalized Student Goals

By February 13, 2024May 1st, 2024No Comments

Research on effective teaching and learning shows that when students set and monitor their own learning goals, it significantly narrows achievement gaps. While teacher-written learning objectives are important for clarity, when these objectives are re-written as personal statements, they evolve from what a teacher needs to teach to what students want to learn.

This free, 5-page brief gives insights and strategies for teachers on how to shift beyond teacher-written learning objectives and toward student-defined learning goals and success criteria:

  • Unlocking the “So That” factor: Sparking students’ internal motivation to learn by helping them connect lessons to their own aspirations. “I am learning this so that I can…”

  • Using five guiding principles in your classrooms that help foster a collaborative learning environment for students that encourages their growth, honors their voice, resonates with their lives, and deepens their learning.

This brief is part of McREL’s Expert Teaching series, which outlines shifts in practices and perspectives that teachers can make to advance student learning success.

To view and download a free copy of this paper, please complete the information below and click “Submit.”

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McREL.org

McREL is a non-profit, non-partisan education research and development organization that since 1966 has turned knowledge about what works in education into practical, effective guidance and training for teachers and education leaders across the U.S. and around the world.