Setting Objectives in a Lesson Plan

There are two types of objectives to set in a lesson plan such as general objectives and specific objectives. The general objective is the one that is broadly set in general terms while specific objectives are those which are specifically set in a lesson plan. Specific objectives are driven by general objectives. For example, to develop students' understanding or to increase student's knowledge about a topic is a general objective. 

Here understanding and increasing knowledge are general terms. However, students will be able to write a paragraph or make a list of meanings of any five words in a specific objective. There are two well-known models to specify objectives namely the SMART model and the PCC model. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. PCC stands for performance, criteria, and condition. 

Both models are somehow overlapping as when performance which means what students will do after going through a teacher's delivery of a lesson while criteria show time and accuracy under what condition. If objectives are set through PCC where performance, criteria, and condition are reflected then those objectives will be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. Thus teachers need to have an in-depth understanding of both the models of specifying objectives to improve and make their teaching meaningful and learnable.