Why Are Goals Important in Curriculum Planning?

By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015

Goals are important in curriculum planning because they determine what the student will accomplish. The goals assist the educators in staying focused on the objective of the instruction and in determining what the student will do to reach the goal.

The desired result of instruction is an important part of curriculum planning and must be determined to successfully plan instruction. Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, co-authors and educators, identified a method of writing curriculum that they refer to as Backward Design. Their program suggests that curriculum writers ask themselves three questions that answer what the students will do, what the students need to know to be successful and what is most important for the student to understand. In answering these questions, the instructor will be better prepared to determine the best methods and materials to use for instruction.

Setting goals for instruction allows teachers to determine what is acceptable evidence of mastery. Assessments throughout the lesson activities show if the student is making progress toward the end goal. If progress is not being made toward the goal, instruction can be altered and interventions can take place to assist the student in her learning.

Goal-setting assists with proper planning by helping the instructor determine the methodology that will be used for teaching. Clear goals keep the focus on the learning objective and maximize instructional time.