What is the difference between a learning objective and a performance objective?

What is the difference between a learning objective and a performance objective?

• A. A learning objective describes knowledge or skill to learn; a performance objective describes observable student behavior or task outcome.
• B. A learning objective describes observable student behavior.
• C. A performance objective describes knowledge to learn.
• D. Learning objectives and performance objectives are the same.

Answer: (A)

The difference centers on what is being described: what students will learn versus how they will show what they’ve learned. A learning objective specifies the knowledge or skill students are expected to acquire. It targets the learning goal itself—what the student will understand, know, or be able to do after instruction. A performance objective, on the other hand, specifies observable behavior or a concrete task outcome that can be measured. It describes what the student will demonstrate and under what conditions, often including criteria for success. For example, a learning objective might state that students will understand the steps of photosynthesis, focusing on the content to be learned. A corresponding performance objective would require the student to perform, under specified conditions, a measurable demonstration—such as sequencing the steps correctly with a given accuracy. This distinction explains why the option describing a learning objective as knowledge or skill to learn and a performance objective as observable behavior or task outcome is the best choice.

The difference centers on what is being described: what students will learn versus how they will show what they’ve learned. A learning objective specifies the knowledge or skill students are expected to acquire. It targets the learning goal itself—what the student will understand, know, or be able to do after instruction. A performance objective, on the other hand, specifies observable behavior or a concrete task outcome that can be measured. It describes what the student will demonstrate and under what conditions, often including criteria for success.

For example, a learning objective might state that students will understand the steps of photosynthesis, focusing on the content to be learned. A corresponding performance objective would require the student to perform, under specified conditions, a measurable demonstration—such as sequencing the steps correctly with a given accuracy. This distinction explains why the option describing a learning objective as knowledge or skill to learn and a performance objective as observable behavior or task outcome is the best choice.