An example of a goal that is not measurable is to appreciate music.
Goals that are not measurable are often described as states of being. These are internal feelings, perspectives, or understandings that are difficult, if not impossible, to quantify objectively. Without a clear, observable benchmark or outcome, it's challenging to determine if the goal has been met or what progress has been made.
Why Some Goals Are Not Measurable
According to educational resources, many Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) include goals that cannot be effectively measured. This difficulty arises because the goals describe internal states rather than observable behaviors or concrete achievements.
Think about the difference between feeling something and doing something. While you can observe someone doing an action related to a feeling or understanding (like attending a concert because they appreciate music), you cannot directly measure the feeling of appreciation itself.
Examples of Non-Measurable Goals
The reference provides several clear examples of goals that fall into this category:
- To appreciate music: How do you measure "appreciation"? It's an internal feeling.
- To understand weather: Understanding is an internal cognitive state; while you can measure knowledge about weather through tests, measuring the state of "understanding" itself is complex and subjective.
- To have a better attitude: Attitude is a disposition or state of mind, not easily measured objectively.
- To develop a love of reading: Similar to appreciating music, "love" is an internal emotion.
- To show respect for authority: While specific behaviors can demonstrate respect (e.g., following instructions), "showing respect" as a general concept or internal state is hard to define and measure universally.
These examples highlight the challenge: they describe internal conditions or general states of being rather than specific, observable actions or outcomes.
Making Goals Measurable
To transform a non-measurable goal into a measurable one, you need to define specific, observable criteria that would indicate progress towards or achievement of the goal. This often involves identifying specific behaviors or quantifiable outcomes associated with the desired state of being.
For instance, instead of "to appreciate music," a measurable goal might be:
- "Student will independently choose to listen to music during free time at least three times per week."
- "Student will identify and name three different musical instruments when heard, with 80% accuracy."
These revised goals focus on actions that can be counted or observed, providing clear data points for measurement.
Summary Table
| Non-Measurable Goal | Why It's Difficult to Measure |
|---|---|
| To appreciate music | Describes an internal feeling |
| To understand weather | Describes an internal cognitive state |
| To have a better attitude | Describes a general disposition/state of mind |
| To develop a love of reading | Describes an internal emotion |
| To show respect for authority | Describes a general state; lacks specific criteria |
By focusing on observable actions and quantifiable results, goals become actionable and trackable, allowing for clear assessment of progress. However, as demonstrated by the examples from the reference, goals phrased as general states of being are inherently difficult to measure.
