Operational objectives and effectiveness of learning

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide data on whether student achievement can be influenced significantly by providing students, before instruction, information on what is expected of them as an outcome of instruction. The Ss were selected from four fifth-grade classes of the elementary course. Of the 140 Ss, 69 from two classes were assigned to experimental group (EG) and 71 from two other classes were assigned to the control group (CG). The Ss of EG received precisely stated behavioral objectives while SS of CG didn't receive any information about objectives whatsoever. EG and CG as a whole, high and low socio-economic EG and CG, high and low grades EG and CG were compared taking into account changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices on the one hand, and changes only in knowledge on the other hand. Although EGs consistently showed grater achievement than CGs, the results were not conclusive. Significant differences in achievement were observed at random when different groups were considered.