A personal learning objective is a specific goal you set for yourself to improve a skill, gain knowledge, or develop a capability over a defined period.
Based on the provided reference, a clear example of a personal learning objective is:
“To improve my essay writing proficiency, I will practice writing one essay per week, utilising feedback from my teacher and peers, to achieve a grade of B+ or higher by the end of the semester.”
Understanding This Learning Objective Example
This objective is effective because it follows key principles, often summarized by the acronym SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Let's look at how the example demonstrates these:
- Specific: It clearly states what skill will be improved (essay writing proficiency) and how (practice writing one essay per week, using feedback).
- Measurable: Success can be measured by the frequency of practice (one essay/week) and the desired outcome (achieve a grade of B+ or higher).
- Achievable: Practicing weekly and aiming for a specific grade within a semester is typically realistic for a student.
- Relevant: Improving essay writing is highly relevant for academic success.
- Time-bound: It has a clear deadline ("by the end of the semester").
Breaking Down the Example Objective
This single objective contains several crucial elements that make it actionable and trackable:
- The Skill/Knowledge: Improving essay writing proficiency.
- The Action Plan: Practice writing one essay per week, utilise feedback.
- The Success Criteria: Achieve a grade of B+ or higher.
- The Timeline: By the end of the semester.
Why Set Personal Learning Objectives?
Setting objectives like this example provides numerous benefits:
- Focus: Directs your energy towards specific learning goals.
- Motivation: Gives you a clear target to work towards.
- Progress Tracking: Allows you to monitor how you are advancing.
- Accountability: Creates a commitment to yourself to follow through on your plan.
By defining what you want to learn, how you will learn it, and how you will know you've succeeded within a timeframe, a personal learning objective becomes a powerful tool for self-improvement. The example provided from the reference perfectly illustrates how to make such a goal concrete and actionable.
