Use of learning objectives in nuclear engineering instruction

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:5864111

Foulke, L R ^[1]

---

1. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (United States) Westinghouse Electric Corp., West Mifflin, PA (United States)

The use of learning objectives in teaching is a standard practice in many training and educational activities. It is generally accepted in the nuclear industry that learning objectives provide the basis for performance-based education and training of power plant personnel. Mager has stated, [open quotes]Before you prepare instruction, it is important to be able to state clearly just what you intend the results of that instruction to be[close quotes]. Learning objectives are statements of expectations on student outcome. While they are widely used in training activities, they do not appear to be widely used in education at the graduate level. An exception to this observation is the textbook by Knief, which utilizes behavioral learning objectives as a preface to each chapter. When the author, who once ran a nuclear training organization for Westinghouse Electric Company, had an opportunity to teach a graduate course in nuclear engineering, it seemed fitting to try to apply some of the adult learning techniques being practiced in the nuclear industry. Therefore, learning objectives were developed to provide focus and organization for the initial offering of the course.

• OSTI ID: 5864111
• Report Number(s): CONF-930601--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 68
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420000* -- Engineering
EDUCATION
ENGINEERING
INDUSTRY
LEARNING
NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
PERFORMANCE
TRAINING