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Learning Objectives | Questions and AnswersHere is a video showing how to approach an example of a learning objective (2.19 min.)
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The National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory Education publishes competency standards at the end of grades 4, 7 and 10. Schools are required to prioritize competency standards by year (see supporting material that will be published on www.adalnamskra.is ) and set learning objectives for them. In curriculum or teaching plans, teachers provide a more detailed account of which learning objectives are being worked on in each academic term. It is important that there is coherence and flow in the learning objectives for all year groups in the school. MMS publishes examples of learning objectives as supporting material for the competency standards in the National Curriculum Guide, and schools have the choice of using them when planning learning, teaching and assessment. The learning objectives can be used as they appear or changed at will and adapted to the school’s emphases. Learning objectives should be in daily use in formative assessment and they form the basis for the assessment criteria used in final assessment to provide information about the students’ status at a specific point in time.
The organization of learning objectives into tables serves two purposes. First, to break down the subject matter of the competency standards into clear and defined subjects, and second, to show how it is possible to build increased knowledge, mastery, and competence as students develop. Each line in the tables likely shows progress on a specific learning objective in parallel with increased student competence.
The 10 columns can be used to arrange learning objectives by year. However, it is important that the emphasis is not on the 10 columns attaching specific learning objectives to specific year groups, as in some subjects, for example, not all competency standards are covered each year.
Some competency standards may have more or fewer learning objectives than are presented in the supporting material, and some learning objectives can undoubtedly be broken down into many more steps than are shown in the examples, while others are unnecessary or impossible to break down into ten steps.
When learning objectives are set in fewer than ten levels, this is sometimes repeated in several columns to show that schools have flexibility in when to arrange them in year groups. Under some competence standards, there are no learning objectives at the youngest level, while other learning objectives do not reach the middle and/or junior levels. This arrangement is determined by the nature and content of each learning objective.
Examples of learning objectives published by MMS show how the same subject can be taught based on different student levels. Learning objectives in columns 1.1 and 1.2 are written with the understanding that students are learning to read and write, and therefore there is greater emphasis on listening, speaking and practical work. Learning objectives in columns 3.2 and 3.3. are written with the understanding that it is possible to demand diverse processing and critical thinking in students’ struggle with new subjects. Teachers can use this structure to meet the different needs of students. For example, learning objectives from the earlier levels can be used to meet the needs of students who have difficulty with literacy or understanding specific learning elements. Learning objectives from the later levels can also be used to meet the needs of advanced students, regardless of the year in which they are studying.
Competency standards are set at the end of grades 4, 7 and 10 in the National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory Education. The 10th grade competency standards are the final destination for students in compulsory school, while the competency standards at the end of grades 4 and 7 are a guide on their path to the 10th grade competency standards. It is necessary to plan the path that will be taken in the learning and teaching of students to reach the standards that have been set at the end of grades 4 and 7 so that students then graduate from compulsory school with the competencies presented in the 10th grade competency standards. Schools are intended to set learning objectives for all year groups that state what will be taught and when so that students achieve a specific competency by the end of the age level. Schools have the option of using examples of learning objectives, which MMS publishes as support material for the competency standards in the National Curriculum Guide, when planning learning, teaching and assessment. They can be used as they are or modified as desired and adapted to the school’s priorities.
Learning objectives are published for all proficiency standards in all subjects and for all levels of compulsory school, including primary, secondary and junior high school. However, work has not begun on examples of learning objectives for Icelandic as a second language and Icelandic Sign Language.
All of the material published in the supporting materials for each competency standard is written by working primary school teachers. A total of about 60 primary school teachers participated in the writing of the learning objectives, as well as experts who reviewed and provided good advice.
Schools are not required to use the examples of learning objectives published by MMS. Examples of learning objectives are support materials for planning learning, teaching and assessment in competency-based school work (see support materials that will be published on www.adalnamskra.is ). Schools are free to use the learning objectives published by MMS as they appear or to change them at will and adapt them to the school’s priorities.
Work on learning objectives began after the revised subject areas of the National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory Education were published in October 2024. It is estimated that examples of learning objectives for the competence criteria of all subjects will have been published on www.adalnamskra.is by the end of 2025. However, work has not begun on learning objectives for Icelandic as a second language and Icelandic Sign Language.
In this first edition of learning objectives, learning objectives for the competence standards for Icelandic as a second language were not developed. Work on them has begun through the MEMM project and is expected to be ready for the 2026-2027 school year.
In this first edition of learning objectives, no work was done on learning objectives for the Icelandic Sign Language proficiency standards. No plan has been presented for that work.
Key concepts : This box identifies the concepts or topics that students need to understand in order to master the competency being discussed.
Explanations : This box provides explanations to teachers about the content of the competency standard and examples of topics related to it.
Examples of teaching methods : This box contains suggestions for teaching methods that are suitable for working with the competency standard under discussion. Emphasis is placed on pointing out examples of diverse teaching methods that encourage student activity in the learning process.
Examples of criteria in key competences : This box contains references to the names of the competence criteria in the key competence section that are related to the criterion discussed on the page. These links are intended to make it easier for teachers to integrate the key competence into all daily work. In the supporting material for the key competence section, this box points to related criteria in the other subject areas.
The examples are useful for teachers who are taking their first steps in teaching or working with specific competency standards. They refer to a variety of teaching methods and topics that are appropriate to present to students and can thus support teachers who are taking their first steps in the profession.
The key concepts section is useful for all teachers to delimit the scope of the curriculum and ensure consistency with other schools. Highlighting key concepts in this way also emphasizes the importance of all teachers participating in strengthening students’ vocabulary in a variety of ways, both general academic vocabulary (level 2 vocabulary) and specific subject vocabulary (level 3 vocabulary).
The box about related criteria in the key competence section is to emphasize the importance of integrating key competences into all daily work, cf. supporting material about key competences on adalnamskra.is .
Examples of learning objectives are primarily for schools and teachers to plan learning, teaching and assessment of students and to lay the foundation for continuous learning and teaching in the school.
The learning objectives are presented as indicative information about what needs to be taught to students with a specific progression in mind. They show important examples of what needs to be taught in order for students to have achieved the expected competence by the end of the 10th grade.
Schools can and may use examples of learning objectives published by MMS and adapt them to the school’s priorities.
Some fields are marked „blank“ simply because nothing of substance is supposed to be written there. This leaves no doubt that the field is intended to be blank.
Examples of learning objectives are placed next to each competency standard in ten-column tables marked with numbers. The first number indicates that the learning objective belongs to a certain age level, i.e. 1 for the youngest level, 2 for the middle level and 3 for the junior level. The second number indicates the step in the learning objective at each level.
Example: Learning objective marked 1.1 denotes a learning objective that is taught at the youngest level and is the first thing students learn. 1.2 denotes a learning objective that is taught at the youngest level and comes after learning objectives marked 1.1 in a specific sequence.
The content of learning objectives is very diverse and does not always require the material to be broken down into ten steps that show a progression in the learning. Some competence standards are of such a nature that they are worked on continuously, throughout the compulsory school years. These are, for example, standards that deal with independence and cooperation, diverse communication, literacy or number sense. Other competence standards are addressed in specific learning periods or themes. Often, a fairly long time passes between the competence being discussed with students and the total time spent on the work during the compulsory school years is much less. These are, for example, standards in the field of chemistry, Icelandic history or swimming methods. In those cases, it is normal for the learning objectives to be smaller in scope and then the same objective is repeated in several blocks in the examples. Schools have a choice about when to work on the learning elements with students, and therefore learning objectives are repeated rather than fixing them at certain levels or having blank blocks in between. The repetition is intended to show that it is appropriate to utilize the learning objective over a broad period of time during students’ schooling.
During the review of the subject areas of the National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory Schools, teachers called for a better definition of what constitutes its competence standards and how best to teach them. MMS proposes examples of learning objectives for schools to support organization, good progression and continuity in students’ learning in all compulsory schools. By using examples of learning objectives, schools contribute to continuity between grades and levels within the school, better coordination between schools and ensuring that all students receive rich learning opportunities during their compulsory schooling. The design around the new website www.adalnamskra.is was conceived with the intention of accommodating learning objectives with all competence standards. Learning objectives are also linked to support materials on the organization of learning, teaching and assessment that will be published on www.adalnamskra.is .
For suggestions or to receive information, please send inquiries to postur@midstodmenntunar.is
It is important that everyone familiarizes themselves with the content of the learning objectives and considers whether what the MMS presents is what the school wants to work with in its organization of learning and teaching or whether there is reason to change, improve and move the learning objectives and adapt them to the school’s priorities. It is necessary to ensure that there is flow within the year group, between year groups and age levels when learning objectives are organized. An agreement must be reached on how learning objectives will be arranged during the school’s academic period.
Once staff have become familiar with the support material, it is important to allow time for its implementation. It is appropriate for a steering committee within the school to define a timeline for the implementation and to organize the dialogue and teamwork necessary for teachers to adapt the learning objectives to their own work and use them to create a clear overall picture of the organization of learning and teaching in the school.
Learning and teaching in primary schools is a large-scale task that is clearly visible when the learning objectives are broken down as is done in the examples of learning objectives published by MMS. Some learning objectives receive a lot of teaching time, are repeatedly discussed on the agenda and form the basis for important assessment, while others are addressed in individual tasks and are not used as the basis for assessment. The time spent working on learning objectives and the emphasis in assessment should take into account the prioritization of competence criteria in each school’s curriculum.
In fact, most schools are teaching the content referred to in the learning objectives published by MMS. Example learning objectives help to create clearer continuity within grades, between grades and between levels in the school. This makes school work very efficient and creates good continuity in the learning and teaching of all subjects.
Learning objectives are primarily a working tool for teachers in the school, to organize learning, teaching and assessment and to communicate learning objectives to students. A good organization of learning objectives is in fact a contract about what will be taught in each grade and in each subject so that continuity is created in learning and teaching. The learning objectives that have been chosen need to be visible in school work by displaying them on walls, in lesson plans, in a variety of student projects and in daily conversations with them.
By properly documenting the structure of learning objectives within a school, teachers who take over a new class can better understand the foundation students have when they take over the class. Teachers also have information about the learning objectives that underpin the class they are going to teach and can plan all learning and teaching based on them.
Learning objectives are also a good basis for informing parents about what is being worked on at any given time, for example in weekly emails sent home.
Learning objectives are primarily a working tool for teachers in the school, to organize learning, teaching and assessment and to communicate learning objectives to students. It is important that the organization of learning objectives is clearly linked to the prioritization of competence standards in the school and that all teachers have access to the learning objectives that teachers have agreed to work according to.
The learning objectives that have been chosen need to be visible in school work through posting on the wall, in learning plans, diverse student projects, and daily conversations with students.
According to Chapter 17 of the National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory Schools, schools must set learning objectives for prioritized competence standards and publish them in the school curriculum. Publication in the school curriculum does not necessarily mean that all learning objectives are written in there, but rather that there is a reference to where it is possible to view the prioritization of competence standards and study plans or task descriptions where teachers publish the learning objectives to students. Learning objectives do not have to be published in learning management systems. However, since teachers work on study and teaching plans within such systems, it is desirable that they have easy access to the learning objectives within them. Each school must make a decision about the importance of publishing the learning objectives publicly. Consideration must be given to the purpose of such information dissemination and whether teachers’ working time is well spent in that dissemination.
Competency standards describe the content of learning and are intended to guide the organization of school work. They are broad and extensive, and it is therefore important to set learning objectives for them that better describe where students are heading in project work during each academic term. Learning objectives are clear descriptions of the knowledge, skills or abilities that students should aim for in a specific project or during an academic term. Learning objectives should concern the path taken in learning so that students are clear about what expectations are placed on them and on what basis assessment will be carried out.
Learning objectives are an important link between the competence standards of the National Curriculum and the assessment of students. Well-defined and clear learning objectives clearly state for teachers what they need to teach and for students what they are supposed to learn. Such a vision makes it easier for teachers to plan their teaching, see what are the appropriate methods of assessment and lay the foundation for the assessment criteria used in final assessments to inform about the status of students at a given point in time.
The structure of the MMS examples of learning objectives is set up to show possible progression of learning. The examples are a buffet that teachers can consult when planning teaching according to the emphases of each school. It is not expected that all schools will use all the examples of learning objectives or that they will be taught in all year groups. It is most important that schools and teachers plan continuity in learning and teaching according to their emphases, define which learning objectives are set for each competency standard of the National Curriculum Guide and arrange them by year group and study period. The learning objectives that have been chosen need to be visible in school work by being published in study and teaching plans, project descriptions and daily conversations with students.
The examples in the support material can support teachers in individualizing learning. There is nothing to prevent children at the youngest level from being given tasks that are organized based on the competence standards and learning objectives of the older age levels, or for children at the older levels to work on learning objectives listed under the first level. The choice of learning objectives should meet the needs of the students at each time, because in primary school, all students should be worked with as best they can.
Competency standards and the learning objectives set for them are the basis for the organization of learning and teaching. Learning objectives are clear descriptions of the knowledge, skills or abilities that students should aim for in a specific task or period of study. Learning objectives should concern the path taken in learning so that teachers know what they need to teach and assess, students are clear about what expectations are made of them and on what grounds assessment will be carried out.
Learning objectives are an important link between the competence criteria of the National Curriculum Guide and the assessment of students. Well-defined and clear learning objectives clearly state for teachers what they need to teach and for students what they should learn. Such a vision makes it easier for teachers to plan teaching and discuss learning goals with students. Learning objectives are used daily in formative assessment and they form the basis for the assessment criteria used in final assessment to inform about the status of students at a specific point in time.
Learning objectives are often used as assessment criteria. Sometimes they are written into a multi-level assessment scale that shows the level of achievement that students are likely to achieve. Sometimes they are used without a more detailed scale and then to assess whether a student has achieved the objective or not.
In this first edition, connections between learning objectives and learning content are not disclosed.
This related work will be announced if and when it is published.
If a decision is made to use the examples of learning objectives, it is important, so that good continuity is created in learning and teaching, that everyone works with and according to the learning objectives.
The results of educational research show that there is reason to encourage all teachers to base their teaching on clear goals and to apply formative assessment methods in all their daily work.
Examples of learning objectives are not based on books or learning materials published by MMS. However, there is much consistency between them, as both the learning objectives and learning materials are presented as tools for teaching the competencies stipulated by the National Curriculum Framework.
The learning objectives published by MMS are examples of what learning objectives can look like. Schools are free to download the excel file for each subject and adapt the learning objectives according to their school’s priorities.
The reason is technical, but the system reads the first page of the Excel document and loads it onto the web.
The learning objectives at each level were divided into levels A and B, so there are 6 levels of learning objectives in foreign languages. This is in line with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which has 6 levels, meaning that the learning objectives are at level 1 A, level 1 B, level 2 A, level 2 B, level 3 A and level 3 B.