What happened
In an October 23 article for eLearning Industry, Christopher Pappas outlines how to write learner-focused training objectives using Bloom’s Taxonomy, SMART criteria and the ABCD model. His guidance emphasizes observable actions, performance conditions and success criteria rather than descriptions of what instructors will teach.
Why it matters
For instructional designers and L&D teams, the practical distinction is between covering content and specifying what participants must demonstrate. Pappas links clear objectives to content selection, business goals and assessment. His examples connect performance to workplace tasks, including identifying warehouse safety risks and handling customer complaints in simulations. The article also distinguishes knowledge, attitude and physical-skill objectives, noting that attitudes are difficult to measure directly and should be expressed through observable behavior.
What to do next
Review existing objectives for vague verbs, unrelated skills bundled together and expectations that exceed available time or resources. Use ABCD to specify the learner, action, conditions and required standard, then check that the assessment lets learners demonstrate that action. Match the thinking level to the task rather than automatically choosing a more complex verb. Treat the article as design guidance, not evidence of measured training gains. One ambiguity warrants care: Pappas lists “appreciate” as an affective example but later advises avoiding it. Prefer a clearly observable behavior.
About this briefing
Reviewed by TutorFlow Editorial. We link the primary source, preserve its publication date, and distinguish reported claims from TutorFlow analysis. Our commentary focuses on practical decisions for educators and training teams.
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