9 Beyond Behavioral Objectives: Problem Solving and Constructivism
9 Beyond Behavioral Objectives: Problem Solving and Constructivism
“There are many ways to learn and many ways of encouraging different forms of learning with different ends in view. At the heart of the decision process, there must be a value judgment about how the mind should be cultivated to what end.” –Jerome Bruner
Introduction
Most experts agree that behavioral objectives have a place in the curriculum, but most experts agree that it is important to include other kinds of objectives that encourage critical and creative thinking (White, 2018). When engaging in problem-solving, constructivist, and experiential learning, it is important to go beyond behavioral objectives.
According to the Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo, “True problem-solving is the process of applying a method – not known in advance – to a problem that is subject to a specific set of conditions and that the problem-solver has not seen before, to obtain a satisfactory solution.”
Wilson (2020) states that:
There are two alternate forms of writing objectives beyond behavioral ones – they are problems-solving objectives and expressive activities that lead to expressive outcomes [such as in the fine or visual arts, drama, etc.]. Teachers should know how to use these because they extend the artistry of the profession. More importantly, they can be crafted to provide students with powerful types of learning activities that encourage higher-level thinking skills and that are closely aligned to learning experiences in the real world.
In simpler terms, behavioral objectives refer to objectives that are measurable and observable as determined and stated prior to the lesson, and problem-solving objectives refer to objectives that are revealed as a result of student inquiry and self-directed learning. For more details about problem-solving and expressive objectives, access Wilson’s slide show at Beyond Behavioral Objectives.
Essential Questions
- Behavioral objectives have a place in curriculum, but it is also important to have non-behavioral objectives. Why?
- What are two alternative ways of writing objectives?
- What skills do students need to have to do problem-solving?
- What challenge is posed when working with both expert and novice problem-solvers?
Insight 9.1
Problem-solving can be an exciting and engaging way to teach because the students become more invested in learning that is creative, “hands-on” with a teacher as a “guide-on-the-side” and not just the “sage-on-the-stage.” As a classroom teacher, I discovered that students who were bored with the traditional read-and-answer-the-questions format became motivated and excited about learning when they were able to identify a problem, apply strategies to solve the problem, and work together for a solution. Students do not necessarily have the strategies initially, so sometimes there is a trial-and-error period that involves important learning about what does not work and why. One of the benefits of prob