Effects of instructional objectives on learning and retention

A synthesis is presented of the various rationales which predict the facilitative influence of instructional objectives on learning and retention. Facets which are particularly relevant to the analysis of instructional objectives in learning situations include the dimensional character of attending behavior, the optimal degree of specificity to be incorporated in specifying instructional outcomes, effects of the placement or position of objectives during instruction, and a discussion of investigations concerned with an incidental or unspecified learning criterion. The conclusion is that, on each of these issues, various instructional conditions determine the efficacy of utilizing objectives to promote learning and retention.