| How to Care for Bearded Dragons Posted: 03 Jul 2016 05:00 PM PDT Bearded dragons, or "beardies", tend to be good-natured companions, whose natural curiosity and apparent enjoyment of human company make them a popular pet. They are native to parts of Australia and are now widely available in pet stores and from breeders. Before getting a bearded dragon, take some time to inform yourself about their particular environmental and nutritional needs, as these require special attention (this is why they are not recommended as children's pets). With the right information, you can prepare for your dragon's arrival and help keep your new friend healthy and happy. EditChoosing a Bearded Dragon - Research bearded dragons before buying one. Bearded dragons have specific needs that must be met, so owning one requires some advance knowledge. At this time, you decide whether a beardie is the right pet for you, and make sure that you have everything you need before bringing your dragon home.[1]
- Be aware that bearded dragons, while they make delightful pets, are not ideal for children. They require close attention to detail, such as correct temperatures and regular replacement of UVB bulbs.
- Choose a bearded dragon that is over 6 in (15 cm) long. Baby dragons can be very fragile and more apt to become ill or overly stressed. It's much easier to care for a more developed bearded dragon.[2]
- Look for an alert beardie.[3] When you walk up to the enclosure, the dragons should be watching you with interest and should have bright, alert eyes. You don't want a dragon that can't lift its head or looks lethargic.
- Observe whether the dragon has any deformities. It should have no sores, burns, pus, external parasites, or deformities.
- Note, however, that many dragons may be missing toes or bits of their tail, but this will not cause them any discomfort as long as the wound looks healed and shows no sign of infection.
- Bring your new beardie to the veterinarian. Shortly after purchasing your dragon, make an appointment to visit the vet, who can check for any parasites and evaluate the dragon's overall health.
- It may help to bring a stool sample on your first visit. Inquire about this when you call to make the appointment.
- There are no vaccines recommended for bearded dragons.[4]
EditProviding the Right Habitat for Your Bearded Dragon - Note that most beardies are housed alone. Larger beardies may be aggressive towards smaller ones, and males tend to be territorial. This is further complicated by the fact that it can be difficult to sex bearded dragons when they're young, so you may not know whether you have a male or female beardie at first.[5]
- Purchase a vivarium instead of a terrarium or aquarium. As opposed to a terrarium or aquarium, which have four glass sides, a vivarium has solid walls on three sides with a glass frontage. A terrarium is difficult to keep adequately hot, so your beardie will either be chilled or your heating bills sky high. Note that the vivarium has to be at least 3'x1'x1.5'.
- If a vivarium is not available, opt for a glass aquarium with a screen top.
- If you're building an enclosure yourself, keep in mind that it must be well ventilated, easy to disinfect, and able to maintain high temperatures (see below).
- Cages with wooden sides must be sealed with polyurethane or a similar waterproofing agent, and the joints must be caulked for proper cleaning and disinfection. Ensure that fresh polyurethane be allowed to dry several days and air the cage out thoroughly before placing your beardie in it, otherwise toxicity may result.[6]
- Make sure the habitat is an adequate size. Beardies can grow up to 2 feet (61 cm), move fast, and like to climb, so they need plenty of space in their home.[7] For young dragons, a 10 gallon (39 L) tank is adequate,[8] but this will last them only for a few months, as they grow quickly. An adult dragon requires much more room: a minimum of 55 to 60 gallons (208 to 227 L) is required,[9] but 75 to 120 gallons (284 to 454 L) is preferable.
- If you're building an enclosure, make sure it is at least 48 in (122 cm) long, 24 in (61 cm) wide, and 18 in (48 cm) high.
- To save money, you can purchase a large adult habitat immediately. Consider using adjustable partitions to increase the living space as your beardie grows.[10]
- Use screen lids for the top of the enclosure. Do not use glass, plexiglass or wood to cover your cages. This will not allow enough air circulation and will also trap humidity in the cage. Screen tops ensure there's adequate air flow, allow your lighting and heat sources to work correctly, and also let humidity escape.
- Ensure that the lid fits tightly.
- Provide flooring. The bottom of the enclosure should be lined with a substrate that is safe for your dragon and easy to clean. It is very important to choose a material that does not put your dragon at risk: beardies often eat bedding made of small particles, which can result in impaction (blockage of the intestines) and death. Use flat newspaper, paper towels, butcher paper, or reptile carpet.[11] These choices are cheap, easy to clean, and pose no health risks to your animal.
- If using reptile carpet, the type that looks and feels like grass (Astroturf) is the best. The felt kind has little loops of fabric that may catch the nails of your dragon and cause injury.
- Never use sand, shavings, corncob, fiber pellets, kitty litter, potting soil with vermiculite, pesticides, fertilizer, or wetting agents, or any other loose substrate for bearded dragons.[12]
- Include some "furniture" in the housing. Create an environment where your beardie can climb, hide, and bask – all behaviors that it needs for well-being.
 - Add some branches for climbing and basking. They should be securely located under the secondary heat source (see Part 3). Make sure they are as wide as your bearded dragon. Oak is a good choice, as are boards covered in carpets. Avoid wood with sticky sap or pitch.
- Provide some smooth rocks for basking and wearing down nails.
- Give your beardie a place to seclude itself. You can add an empty cardboard box, cardboard tube, or flower pot. The hiding place should give a snug fit and be placed high in the enclosure. If your dragon doesn't use the hiding space, try moving it to a new location or using a different object.
- Put in a few plants to provide shade, humidity, and a sense of security. Make sure the plants you choose are nontoxic to bearded dragons (such as Dracaena, Ficus benjamina, and hibiscus). It is important that the plants and their soil have not been treated with pesticides, vermiculite, fertilizer, or wetting agents. Before putting the plant in the cage, wash the plant with a water spray and pour water enough water on the soil so that it drains out the bottom: this helps remove any toxic chemicals. You may also want to keep newly purchased plants in a separate part of the house for a while before introducing them to the bearded dragon's enclosure.[13]
EditControlling Temperature and Light - Provide a primary heat source. You'll need a source of heat that maintains temperatures within the enclosure at a level comfortable for the bearded dragon. Dragons like temperatures between 78 and 88 F (25 to 31 C) during the day, and evening temperatures between 70 and 79 F (21 and 26 C).
- Use a series of incandescent lights above the top of the cage. Keep in mind that they'll need to be turned off at night, when another heat source will be necessary, depending on the temperature in the room.
- Try a heating pad under the cage or a ceramic infrared heater as an evening source of heat.
- There are reptile-specific incandescent bulbs which emit heat but little visible light; however, these are expensive.
- For larger enclosures, adjust the room temperature with a thermostat or space heater.
- Always include a fire alarm in a room where light or other heat sources are in operation.[14]
- Include a secondary heat source. Beardies like a temperature gradient in their habitat, allowing them to move between warmer and cooler spaces. The secondary heat source provides them with a spot where they can bask. This area should cover about 25-30 percent of the total enclosure surface, with a temperature of about 95-100 F (35-38 C). You can use a special basking light, or opt for a simple 30-75 watt incandescent bulb in a ceramic base. The source should be securely mounted where the animal cannot touch it.
- Never use hot rocks as a heat source!
- Note that baby bearded dragons in a smaller cage space will need a lower wattage, otherwise the enclosure may become too hot.[15]
- Any temperatures above 110 F (43 C) are not recommended, but within a few degrees of these basking temperatures will be sufficient.
- One thermometer on the "hot side" and one on the "cool side" will make sure that your temperatures are in the correct range.
- Provide UVB lighting. Bearded dragons require ultraviolet light in order to produce Vitamin D, which in turn aids calcium absorption; insufficiency can lead to metabolic bone disease. You can use either fluorescent or mercury vapor bulbs; the former need to be replaced approximately every six months, since UVB output diminishes over time.[16] They should have about 12 to 14 hours per day of exposure.
 - Make sure the fluorescent bulb has at least 5 percent UVB (check the packaging for these specifications).
- Look for light strips that cover the length of the enclosure.
- Consider reptile-specific black lights in the 290-320 nanometer range. (Note that these are not the same as plant-grow lights or psychedelic black lights, neither of which produces UVB rays.) You can choose bulbs that emit both white light and UVB, or UVB only.
- Ideally, the UVB light source should be about 10-12 in (25.4-30.5 cm) from wherever the bearded dragon spends most of its time (such as the basking site) to ensure adequate exposure. It should be no farther than 18 in (45.7 cm) away.
- Keep in mind that UVB rays do not pass through glass. Your UVB source should be above the mesh top of the enclosure, and the mesh should not be too fine.
- The sun is the best source of UVB rays. On sunny days when the temperatures are in the appropriate range (see Part 3, Step 1, above), place your beardie outside in a secure screen or wire cage with a locking door. Remember to provide some shade and hiding spaces, as well.[17]
EditFeeding Your Bearded Dragon - Feed items of an appropriate size. One of the most important things to keep in mind when feeding your beardie is that any and all food items it eats should be no bigger than the space between its eyes. If the food items are larger than this, it could cause choking, impaction, and hind-leg paralysis.
- Give young bearded dragons a diet primarily consisting of small insects. Beardies are omnivores, meaning that they eat both animal and plant matter. However, hatchlings and juveniles have specific dietary needs. Offer as many tiny insects as your beardie will eat in a five-to-ten minute time frame. When your beardie stops eating, stop offering. Young bearded dragons can eat anywhere from 20-60 pinhead crickets a day.
- Provide hatchlings with a diet of small insects. If you are caring for a very young bearded dragon, you'll need to give it very small prey, such as pinhead crickets and tiny, freshly molted worms. You can very gradually introduce day-old pinkie mice when they are ready.
- Feed juvenile dragons (two to four months old) a mix of 80 percent small insects and 20 percent greens (see below for recommendations).
- Young dragons need to be fed two to three times per day.
- Give your adult dragon plenty of greens. The adult diet is about 60 to 65 percent plant foods and 30 to 45 percent prey items. Calcium-rich leafy greens and other veggies should make up the bulk of the diet.
 - Feed a "salad" based on collards, dandelion greens and flowers, escarole, endive, grape leaves, mustard greens, turnip greens, and/or watercress.
- You can add the following to the salad to balance it out: acorn squash, red and green bell peppers, butternut squash, green beans, lentils, peas, pumpkin and other winter squash, snow peas, sweet potatoes, and turnips. Cook or microwave squashes before feeding to soften them up.
- Give the following veggies sparingly as treats: cabbage, chard, and kale (which are high in calcium oxalates and can cause metabolic bone disease); carrots (high in Vitamin A, which in high levels can be toxic); spinach, broccoli, and parsley (high in goitrogens, which decrease thyroid function); and corn, cucumbers, radishes, sprouts, and zucchini (these are low in nutrition).
- Spraying the greens with water will help them last longer and will also help keep your bearded dragon hydrated.
- Shred the veggies and mix them together in the salad to encourage your beardie to eat a variety of foods, rather than just picking out its favorites.[18]
- Feed fruit and certain plants as an occasional treat. You can also give your bearded dragon bites of the following: apples, apricots, bananas, berries, cantaloupe, figs, grapes, mangos, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, plums, tomatoes, Ficus benjamina, geraniums, hibiscus flowers and leaves, pansies, petunias, pothos, rose petals and leaves, snail vine, and violets.
- Provide prey to sub-adult and adult dragons once a day, along with the fresh greens. You can try feeding crickets, super worms, wax worms, mealworms, pinky mice, and hissing cockroaches.[19]
- "Gutload" the prey by feeding it a nutrient-rich diet one to two days before serving it to your beardie. For example, you can feed it ground legumes, cornmeal, carrots, sweet potatoes, collard greens, mustard greens, broccoli, spinach, apples, oranges, cereals, and rolled oats.[20]
- Any uneaten prey items should be removed from your dragon's enclosure.
- It is advisable to purchase the prey, since wild-caught prey (for example, something you catch in your yard) may have been exposed to toxic chemicals or have parasites that could be passed on to your dragon.
- Lightning bugs are toxic to your dragon.
- Silkworms are a good staple diet only if you have a sick or pregnant dragon.
- Dust a phosphate-free calcium supplement on greens and insects. Buy a calcium supplement in powder form (without phosphate added) and sprinkle it over the salad and prey right before serving. Do this once per day for juveniles (under two years of age) and once or twice a week for adults.[21]
- You may also want to supplement Vitamin D3.
- Consult the product directions and/or your veterinarian about the amount of supplements to give, since over-dosing can lead to toxic levels.
- Do not get too alarmed if your bearded dragon does not eat. When it is time to shed, a bearded dragon may not eat. However, if it does not eat after more than three days and there is no sign of shedding, then your beardie may be ill. In that case, call your veterinarian to schedule an appointment.
- Provide fresh water daily. Offer the water in a shallow bowl. Wiggling your finger in the water may also get their attention. Bearded dragons like things that move, so creating ripples in the water may pique their curiosity. However, many dragons do not drink from a water bowl, so you may have to drip the water slowly onto your dragon's snout with a dropper.
- Beardies often defecate in their water bowl, so change the water once a day (or immediately if you notice fecal matter). For the same reason, you'll need to disinfect the bowl once a week with a 1:10 bleach-water solution to avoid any bacterial build-up.[22]
- If your beardie is uninterested in drinking, spritz it lightly with water: it will lick the drops off its skin.[23]
EditMaintaining Hygiene - Provide baths. Bathing your dragon once a week will help keep it hydrated and also aid in shedding.
- Bathwater should be warm on your wrist and not hot, much like Bathwater for a small child.
- Make the water only as deep as your dragon's chest, or half-way up their front arms. Fill the tub until the water reaches the second knuckle on your index finger for adults and the first knuckle for the juveniles.
- Never leave your Bearded Dragon unattended in the bath - accidents only take a second to happen.
- It's a good idea to disinfect your tub when the bath is over because dragons will often defecate in the water. Use a 1:10 solution of bleach and water.[24]
- Keep their environment clean. You'll need to clean their enclosure, as well as the food and water bowls, once a week.
- Mix a 1:10 solution of bleach and water in a spray bottle.
- Remove your beardie from the cage. Have someone hold it, or place it in a safe enclosure.
- Use hot, soapy water and a clean rag to wipe away any dirt or feces.
- Next, spray the bleach solution across the entire surface of what you are cleaning until it is soaked and let it sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, scrub the surface with a rag or paper towel, making sure any old food or feces is removed.
- Rinse all surfaces repeatedly with water until you can no longer smell bleach. If you still smell bleach rinse again.
- Keep yourself clean. Hand washing is very important when owning any reptile. Washing your hands before and after handling your dragon will help keep you and your new pet healthy. If you wash your hands before handling, you reduce the risk of passing anything on to your dragon. Washing your hands after handling greatly reduces the risk to you of contracting Salmonella. The risks of getting this are very slim to begin with, but hand-washing will even further reduce them. Your chances of contracting Salmonella from the food you eat are greater than your chances of getting it from your dragon.
- Because bearded dragons may carry Salmonella, use a separate sponge to clean their food and water bowl, supervise children when handling them, and don't let them crawl around the kitchen. Also, avoid kissing your beardie, no matter how much you love it.[25]
EditHandling Your Bearded Dragon - Handle your beardie at least once a day. Bearded dragons tend to be curious, mellow creatures that appear to enjoy human company. Regular handling helps them get accustomed to people and minimizes stress during events like enclosure cleanings and trips to the vet.
- Pick up your beardie by placing your hand under its belly and gently scooping it up. Let the dragon lay on your palm, and lightly curl your fingers around its abdomen.[26]
- Consider wearing gloves and long sleeves. Bearded dragons have very rough skin, so this may protect you from light scratches.
- Trim your beardie's toenails every few weeks. Your dragon's nails will get needle-sharp, so be sure to maintain them.
- Wrap your beardie in a towel, leaving one leg exposed.
- Have an assistant hold the beardie.
- Use human nail clippers to take off the very tip of the nails. Do just a little, as lizards have a vein, called a quick, running through their fingers.
- If you do cut into the quick, stop the bleeding by dabbing a little cornstarch onto the nail with a cotton swab.
- Alternatively, you can file your dragon's nails, or have a vet cut them for a nominal fee.[27]
- Learn to read your beardie's body language. You'll understand your beardie better by recognizing certain gestures it makes.
- Inflated beard: When a lizard wants to show dominance, or feels startled or threatened - this particularly happens during breeding season - it puffs its throat out.
- Mouth gaping: As with the inflated beard, this gesture is meant to make the dragon look menacing, as a show of dominance or to scare off a potential aggressor.
- Bobbing head: Males show dominance with this gesture.
- Arm waving: Sometimes a dragon may hold up one front leg and slowly wave it, which is a sign of submission.
- Raised tail: This is commonly seen during breeding season. It can also be a sign of alertness and activeness. Juveniles tend to raise their tail when they're hunting prey.[28]
- Bring your bearded dragon to the veterinarian once a year. After your initial veterinary visit, it is important to bring your beardie for an annual check-up. This helps detect any potential issues early, and keeps your friend as healthy as possible.[29]
- Despite what the article says, do NOT put a heat pad under the cage. Beardies get burned by them as they cannot tell it's hot; they are cold blooded and get their heat from the lights.
- Never use a heating rock! The Dragon is not able to tell that the rock is hot and will burn its stomach. This can be dangerous for your dragon. Use basking lights instead. This provides the proper heat source without causing damage.
- When misting, use RO water. This has been filtered and will not contain anything that could be bad for your bearded dragon.
- Mist your bearded dragon with water in the winter months. When humidity is low, help keep your beardie hydrated by misting him with a spray bottle filled with water several times a week.[30]
- Do not clean anything for your beardie with a bleach solution! Even if you can no longer smell the bleach it leaves behind residue and your dragon can soak it up through their skin. Instead use pinesol and rinse until you can't smell it anymore, then clean again with distiller vinegar and rinse. Allow time to dry.
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| How to Get Rid of Brown Spots Using Home Remedies Posted: 03 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT Brown spots, commonly known as age or liver spots, are actually called solar lentigines. They are harmless spots that occur most often on people over 50, people with light skin, and people who get a lot of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds. Brown spots are brown because they contain melanin, a pigment that is found in the top layers of your skin, which can "clump" and produce spots.[1] Fortunately, a few home remedies may help reduce the appearance of these spots. EditUsing Lemon Juice - Apply lemon juice directly to spots. Lemon juice contains an acid that may help break down melanin pigment and thus reduce the appearance of spots within a month or two. Vitamin C in lemons may directly bleach the skin as well.[2] Cut a lemon into slices and place the slices directly on the brown spots. Leave it on for about 30 minutes and then rinse off with running water.
- Be careful about combining lemon juice and direct sun exposure; there are reports that placing lemon juice on the skin can cause significant sunburns in direct sunlight. Other reports suggest that the bleaching of the brown spots is more effective in direct sunlight. It may be best limit sun exposure to lemon-juice treated brown spots to 10 minutes at a time.
- Use a lemon juice and sugar combination. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a bowl and add 2-4 tablespoons of sugar, slowly adding the sugar until it combines with the lemon juice to make a sort of paste.
- Apply the mixture to each brown spot with a brush or a cotton swab.
- Leave the paste on for about half an hour and then rinse it off with cool water.
- This paste may dry your skin, so be sure to apply a moisturizer after every treatment.
- Make a paste with honey, sugar, and lemon juice. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a bowl and add up to 2 tablespoons of sugar (depending on how much juice the lemon had) and two tablespoons of honey, making a goopy paste.
- Apply the mixture to each brown spot with a brush or a cotton swab.
- Leave it on for a half hour and then rinse it off with cool water.
- The honey provides moisture to protect your skin from over-drying.
EditUsing Plant Enzymes - Learn about the power of enzymes. Enzymes are the workforce of the biochemical world. Enzymes change various substances without getting used up themselves, like nature's catalytic converters. The enzymes may help break down melanin into colorless smaller parts.[3]
- The different foods described here contain different enzymes, but all classified as enzymes which break up proteins—the proteases or proteolytic enzymes.
- These proteases include papain (in papaya), potato aspartic protease, and bromelain (in pineapple).
- Grate a potato and mix with honey. Take one medium sized potato (any kind of white potato will work) and grate it into a bowl. Add enough honey to make a paste.
- Apply the mixture to the brown spots.
- Leave the mixture on for about 15 minutes, and then rinse it off with cool water.
- Make a papaya mask. Scoop all of the pulp out of a papaya and mash it in a bowl until it is an even consistency. You may want to use a hand mixer to thoroughly mash the fruit.
- Use a cotton swab or make-up brush to apply a mask to your face and any other area that has brown spots.
- Leave the mask on until it dries and rinse off with cool water.
- Use pineapple juice or a pineapple mask. Pour some pineapple juice into a bowl (ensure that it is 100% pineapple juice with no added sugar or juice your own pineapple). Using a cotton swab, apply the pineapple juice to any brown spot and leave it on until dry. Rinse off with cool water.
- As an alternative, mash up some pineapple slices and apply as a mask to your face and any other area that has brown spots. Leave the mask on until dry, and then rinse off with cool water.
- Try chickpeas. Cook ½ cup of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) by measuring out ¼ cup of peas and boiling them in ½ of water. Boil until the peas are soft (15 minutes for canned beans or about an hour for dried beans), then remove from heat and cool.
- When cooled, mash the cooked chick peas to make a paste.
- Rub the paste onto the spots and let it dry. Rinse it off with cool water.
EditTrying Other Approaches - Apply plain yogurt directly onto your face. As a dairy product, yogurt contains acids that can help lighten dark spots. The "good" bacteria in yogurt may be beneficial as well, as they are known to contain enzymes that can break down proteins like melanin.[4]
- Rub the plain yogurt onto your dark spots that need "fading".
- Leave on until the yogurt dries, and then rinse off with cool water.
- Mix plain yogurt with herbs. Some herbs may help the yogurt remove the spots from your skin. Apply the yogurt and herb mixture directly onto your face and any other area with spots. Leave on until dry, and then rinse off with cool water. The following herbs contain antioxidants and bioflavonoids that can help lighten brown spots when combined with yogurt:
- 1 tablespoon of mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric/curcumin powder
- 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel
- Try castor oil. Castor oil contains antioxidants that can protect and lighten the skin. Soak a cotton ball with a few drops of castor oil and dab on your skin anywhere you want to fade the spots. Let it soak in and leave it on!
- Use Vitamin E. Vitamin E has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and healing properties[5] and can help fade dark spots on your skin. Open or pierce a liquid capsule of Vitamin E and apply directly to your dark spots. Let it soak in and leave it on!
EditChecking for Cancer - Visit a dermatologist. Brown spots are harmless, but they can be mistaken for skin cancer. It's always a good idea to have any spots on your skin checked by a dermatologist. Once your dermatologist has verified that the spots are merely cosmetic, you can take measures to reduce the appearance of the spots.
- Learn your ABCDEs. Dermatologists often talk about the "ABCDEs" of skin cancer-- ways to distinguish between skin cancer and a benign (non-cancerous) growth. Skin cancer tends to be:[6]
- Assymetric
- With uneven Borders (edges)
- With varied Colors (Different shades of brown, black and tan)
- Larger in Diameter (>¼ inch or > 6mm)
- Evolving (changing) in size, shape, color, how much above the skin surface they are raised etc)
- Look over your skin regularly. Most cancerous spots are marked by change, so keeping track of the way your skin looks can help you with early detection. Depending on factors such as time spent exposed to UV rays and family history, you may need to have your skin checked regularly by a professional dermatologist.
- One of the best cures is prevention! Brown spots are an example of the type of damage caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds/lamps, so avoiding too much exposure to UV can limit the number of spots you get later. [7]
- Castor oil can cause stains on clothes that are tough to remove
- Take off any makeup before trying any of these remedies. Clean your skin well to draw out the oil and lotions that may interfere with the treatments.
- Protect yourself from overexposure to the sun to prevent more brown spots
- If these remedies don't work after 2 months, see a dermatologist about other possible treatments including:
- Medications
- Laser therapy
- Cryotherapy (freezing)
- Dermabrasion
- Chemical peels
- Make sure you keep track of any unusual changes on your skin. Have a partner or good friend keep an eye on skin you can't see well (on your back, for example).
- Be aware of the ABCDEs of skin cancer listed above and make sure to see a dermatologist if you are uncertain about any area of your skin.
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| How to Write an Educational Objective Posted: 03 Jul 2016 01:00 AM PDT An educational objective is an important tool for teaching. It allows you to articulate your expectations for your students, which can inform you as you write lesson plans, test, quizzes, and assignment sheets. There is a specific formula that goes into writing educational objectives. Learning to master that formula can help you write excellent educational objectives for you and your students. EditPlanning Your Objective - Differentiate between goals and objectives. Objectives and goals are terms that are sometimes used interchangeably, but there is a distinct difference between educational objectives and educational goals. Make sure you understand this difference before attempting to write your objective.
- Goals are broad and often difficult to measure in an objective sense. They tend to focus on big picture issues. For example, in a college class on child psychology, a goal might be "Students will learn to appreciate the need for clinical training when dealing with small children." While such a goal would obviously inform the more specific educational objectives, it is not specific enough to be an objective itself.[1]
- Educational objectives are much more specific. They include measurable verbs and criteria for acceptable performance or proficiency regarding a particular subject. For example, "By the end of this unit, students will be able to identify three theorists whose work on child psychology influenced teaching practices in the US." This is a more specific educational objective, based on the educational for the same hypothetical course.[2]
- Familiarize yourself with Bloom's Taxonomy. In 1956, educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom created a framework to classify different types of learning, as well as a hierarchy illustrating different levels of learning. Bloom's Taxonomy is usually used when writing educational objectives.[3]
 - Bloom identified three domains of learning. The cognitive domain is the domain given the most focus in the world of higher education. Cognitive is the domain used for guidance when writing educational objectives. The cognitive domain focuses on intellectual, scholarly learning and is divided into a hierarchy consisting of six levels.[4]
- The first level is knowledge, which is the ability to memorize, recite, and recall previously learned materials.[5]
- Example: Memorizing multiplication tables.
- Example: Recalling when the Battle of Hastings occured.
- The second level is comprehension. This means taking the facts you know and demonstrating your understanding through organizing, interpreting, translating, or comparing said facts.[6]
- Example: Translating a Japansese sentence into German.
- Example: Explaining why nuclear technology affected President Reagan's political policies.
- The third level is application. This means solving problems by applying your knowledge to a variety of situations.[7]
- Example: Using pi to solve various mathmatical problems.
- Example: Using "please" to ask for things politely not just with Mom, but other people.
- The fourth level is analysis. This means taking the facts you learned and reexamining them so you are able to understand why they are true. You are also expected to find evidence to support new claims or inferences you make during your education.[8]
- Example: Understanding the concept of "fate" as a predetermined destiny.
- Example: A ball thrown on the ground falls, a rock thrown on the ground falls...but what happens if they are thrown into water?
- The fifth level is synthesis. This means organizing information in a new way and discovering new patterns or alternative ideas, solutions, or theories.[9]
- Example: Creating a painting.
- Example: Putting forth a new idea about subatomic particles.
- The sixth level is evaluation. This means gaining the ability to present and defend information and make informed judgments about the opinions of others on a given subject.[10]
- Example: Creating a short film humanizing immigrants in your community with commentary on why you believe they deserve respect.
- Example: Writing an essay on why you believe Hamlet really did not love Ophelia.
- Learn the characteristics that communicate your intent. When writing an educational objective, there are three characteristics that you need to focus on. These help you effectively communicate the intent of your class and teaching style.
- Performance is the first characteristic. An object should always state what your students are expected to be able to do by the end of a unit or class.[11]
- Condition is the second characteristic. A good educational objective will outline the conditions under which a student is supposed to perform said task.[12]
- Criterion, the third characteristic, outlines how well a student must perform. That is, the specific expectations that need to be met for their performance to be passing.[13]
- For example, say you are teaching a nursing class. A good educational objective would be "By the end of this course, students will be able to draw blood, in typical hospital settings, within a 2 to 3 minute timeframe." This outlines the performance, drawing blood, the conditions, typical hospital settings, and the criterion, the task being performed in 2 to 3 minutes.
EditWriting Your Educational Objective - Write stem statements. A stem statement should outline the performance expected of a student. You should use measurable verbs to form your stem statement.
- Your stem statement should begin by referencing the class or lesson. For example, "After this course, students will..." "After completing this lesson, students are expected to..."[14]
- Example: After completing this lesson, students are expected to be able to write a paragraph using a topic sentence.
- Example: After completing this lesson, students are expected to be able to identify three farm animals.
- Your stem statement outlines the duration of time your students need to have mastered a certain skill. If you're writing an educational objective for a particular lesson, specify that lesson in the objective rather than writing something like "By the end of this course..." Instead, opt for, "By the end of today's lecture..."[15]
- Example: By midterm, all students should be able to count to 20.
- Example: At the end of the workshop, students should produce a haiku.
- Select the proper verb. The verbs you use are contingent on which level of learning in Bloom's taxonomy you're conveying. You should write a variety of educational objectives that all speak to differing levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
- For knowledge, go for words like list, recite, define, and name.[16]
- For comprehension, words like describe, explain, paraphrase, and restate are ideal.[17]
- Application objectives should include verbs like calculate, predict, illustrate, and apply.[18]
- For analysis, go for terms like categorize, analyze, diagram, and illustrate.[19]
- For synthesis, use words like design, formulate, build, invent, and create.[20]
- For evaluation, try terms like choose, relate, contrast, argue, and support.[21]
- Determine the outcome. The outcome is where you really get to the performance, condition, and criterion. You are expressing what the students are expected to do at the end of a course or lesson.
- What performance do you expect? Do students simply need to list or name something? Should they understand how to perform a task?[22]
- Where and when will they carry out this performance? Is this for a classroom setting alone or do they need to perform in a clinical, real world environment?[23]
- What are the criteria you're using to evaluate your student? What would be considered a passing grade or an appropriate performance?[24]
- Put it all together. Once you've laid out the stem statement, chosen your verb, and identified the outcome, put it all together to form an educational objective.
- Say you're teaching a high school English class and, for one lesson, you're teaching symbolism. A good educational objective would be, "By the end of this lesson, students should be able to analyze the symbolism in a given passage of literature and interpret the work's meaning in their own words."
- The stem statement identifies that the objective should be met by the end of the lesson.
- The verbs used are comprehension verbs, indicating this task falls under the second level of Bloom's hierarchy of learning.
- The expected performance is literary analysis. The condition is, presumably, that the reading be done alone. The expected outcome is that the student will be able to read a work, analyze it, and explain it in her own words.
EditReviewing Your Objectives - Make sure your objectives are SMART. You can make sure your objectives work by measuring them against the criteria outlined in the acrostic SMART.
- S stands for specific. Do your learning objectives outline skills that you are able to measure? If they're too broad, you might want to revamp them.[25]
- M stands for measurable. Your objectives should be able to be measured in classroom setting, through testing or observed performances.[26]
- A stands for action-oriented. All educational objectives should include action verbs that call for the performance of a specific task.[27]
- R stands for reasonable. Make sure your learning objectives reflect realistic expectations of your students given the timeframe of your course. For example, you can't expect students to learn something like CPR by the end of a week-long unit.[28]
- T stands for time-bound. All educational objectives should outline a specific timeframe they need to be met by.[29]
- Evaluate whether objectives are being met. Solid educational objectives can help you stay on task as a teacher. Periodically review your course to make sure your students are meeting your objectives.
- Obviously, tests, papers, exams, and quizzes throughout the semester effectively measure if educational objectives are being met. If one students seem to be struggling with an objective, it might be an issue of that individual's performance. If every student seems to struggle, however, you may not be effectively relaying the information.
- Give your students questionnaires and surveys in class, asking them how they feel about their own knowledge of a given subject. Tell them to be honest about what you're doing right and wrong as a teacher.[30]
- Revise your objectives if necessary. Educational objectives are important. Many educators return to them during a semester if students seem to be slipping. If you're having any issues with teaching, return to your objects and review them carefully. See how they might be revised in a way that would allow you to be a better teacher.
- Fellow educators can help you with your objectives. Everyone in the world of education has to write educational objectives. If you are struggling, have a peer review your objectives and give you feedback.
- Look at lots of examples of educational objectives. They are usually listed in course syllabi. This will give you a sense of what a solid, well written objective sounds like.
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