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ATD Blog

Learning the Nuts and Bolts of Learning Objectives

Wednesday, September 27, 2017
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No doubt, learning objectives are often an undervalued part of the design process, but they shouldn’t be. Strong objectives set the stage for meaningful learning by providing a road map to the end goal. The most effective learning objectives are precise—allowing you to observe what should happen in a training program, and then measure whether the training program is a success. They tell your learners what you want them to know and do—clearly and concisely—and then help managers, leaders, and organizations measure their progress toward that knowledge and skill.

Do most of your learning objectives start with “know” and “understand?” If so, you are not alone. What’s more, it may be time to check out ATD’s Essentials of Writing Impactful Learning Objectives. In this practical and collaborative class, you will get practical, easy-to-use techniques for writing learning objectives that are behavior-focused and measurable. You will review methods that show you why your objectives matter and how tying them to learning outcomes supports learning goals.

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For more details on this program check out this short video:

About the Author

Nikki O’Keeffe is an internal ATD Facilitator. She is dedicated training specialist who delivers a positive, memorable, and meaningful service that repeatedly meets or exceeds the expectations of the client. She has experience creating strategies and visions to ensure training requirements and deliveries are in line with quality, probability, and client need. 

Nikki has worked in varied industries, including education, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals. In her role as the global senior training and development specialist at PAREXEL International, her focus was on managing and developing courses for new and existing staff on technical systems, process changes, new products, and soft skills.  Her educational background includes a BA in psychology from Butler University and a master’s degree in exercise science, health, and wellness from Northeastern Illinois University. Her specific areas of interest include virtual training, facilitation techniques, and mentoring new trainers. 

Nikki is skilled at providing face-to-face and online learning programs for global participants of varying experience levels. In addition to delivering training, she has performed training needs analyses to identify gaps and recommend training solutions, worked with SMEs as a consultant to develop courses and curriculums, and evaluated programs for effectiveness. 

As a certified ATD Master Trainer and certified ATD Master Instructional Designer she understands the value of solid training plans and strong facilitation. Nikki looks forward to sharing her experiences and expanding her knowledge base by learning from her participants in the upcoming ATD courses that she leads.

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