Aims and Objectives of Teaching

CONTENT

Meaning of Goal and Aims

Meaning of Objectives

Difference between Aims and Objectives

Need for Establishing General Aims and Objectives of Teaching Mathematics

Though in common usage goals, aims and objectives are used in synonymous way, they have in fact, different meanings.

Goals and Aims

The terms ‘Goals’ and ‘Aims’ are broad terms and are achievable over a long period of time.

The difference between them is that goals are specific while aims are more general in nature.

The aim of education is all-round development of an individual, i.e., to develop an individual who can contribute to the society in all walks of life.

Aims are long term goals to be achieved by the students on completion of a course of study. Every subject included in the curriculum has distinct and unique aims intimately related to the broad aims or goals of education. To achieve these aims, certain means are required which may be called objectives. Thus, aims are the goals to be achieved and objectives are the means to achieve those aims.

Objectives

Objective is a statement of actions through which an observable change is sought to be brought in the learner. Objectives also indicate the direction of pupil’s growth and provide basis for selection of evaluation procedures. 

Specific objectives are subject or content based. What changes are expected to occur after the completion of a mathematics lesson(s)?

Behavioural Objectives-
When we write specific objectives in terms of behavioural terms, they are known as behavioural objectives. Behavioural objectives are measurable. They may be achieved in a certain period in the classroom. They are related to the expected change in the behaviour of the child. They are also known as instructional objectives or Teaching objectives and are directly related to the teaching process. They are well defined, definite, clear, specific and measurable. They give direction to the learning process. Instructional objectives are concrete statements of the goals towards which instruction is directed. They play an important role in the process of learning and instruction.

Educational Objectives-

Educational objectives are broad and philosophical in nature. They are related to school and educational system. According to B.S. Bloom (1956), “Educational objectives are not only the goals towards which the curriculum is shaped and towards which instruction is guided, but they are also the goals that provide the detailed specification for the curriculum and use of evaluation techniques.”

Difference between Aims and Objectives

Aims and objectives may be compared or differentiated on the basis of the following points:

1.  Aims are very broad and comprehensive, whereas objectives are narrower and specific.
2. The main source of aims is philosophy or sociology, whereas for objectives psychology is one of the sources.
3.  Aims give direction to the educational system, whereas objectives give directions to the learner.
4. Aims are the expectation of society and the nation whereas objectives are the expectations of the teachers. 
5. Aims are theoretical and indirectly influenced by teaching process while objectives are directly concerned with the teaching learning process.

Need for Establishing General Aims and Objectives of Teaching Mathematics

Aims and objectives are important components of the educational process, which assists in clarifying the relationship between the learner and the teacher. Without framing the objectives, the teacher may be more concerned with completion of the syllabus.

But, by framing the objectives, the focus of the teachers can be shifted towards, ‘How can the student grow and change through acquiring the knowledge, understanding and applying it in various life situations or to what level of learning the student can be taken.’

 The writing of objectives assists teacher in selecting appropriate content, teaching strategies and assessment methods. These also help the students in knowing what is expected from them after completing the course.