A goal may be defined as a general statement of desired accomplishment. It does not specify exactly all of the components or steps or how each step will be achieved on the road to accomplishing the goal. Example Goals: (1) Students will master the procedure of a generic history and physical. (2) Students will understand the biochemistry of diabetes.

Identify what learning steps will be involved in reaching the goal. This is done through a task analysis, which identifies each step and the skills needed in order to complete that step, and an information processing analysis, which identifies the mental operations the learner needs to employ in performing that skill. The task analysis is performed by asking "What are all of the things the student must know and/or be able to do to achieve the goal?"

Having determined via the instructional analysis which steps and skills the learner must accomplish, it is now necessary to identify the knowledge and skill level that the learner possesses at the outset. Although there may be pronounced differences from learner to learner in in their knowledge and skill levels, the instruction must be targeted as much as possible to the level of the learners' needs.

At this stage, it is necessary to translate the needs and goals into objectives that are sufficiently specific to guide the instructor in teaching and the learner in studying. In addition, these objectives form the blueprint for testing as a means of evaluating both the instruction and the learning that has occurred. Example: The student will be able to explain the role of the Krebs cycle to thermogenesis.

The purpose of selecting an instructional method is to identify and employ teaching strategies and techniques that most effectively achieve the performance objectives. Current educational theory and research support the use of instructional methods that make students active learners (e.g., lecture, lab, small group discussion, case-based study, simulations, independent study, etc.).

Once the instructional methodologies have been identified for each objective or unit of content, it is important to assemble the necessary instructional materials. The materials may be in various forms: print, computer, audio, audio-video, etc. Although the necessary instructional materials may already exist, they may need improvement or revision. For example, slides that have been used in the past but that have been problematic, need to be modified. The danger of settling on preexisting instructional materials is that some instructors may allow the materials to determine the direction of the instruction rather than vice versa. Currently, more instructors are using the Web as a way of making didactic information available to students, rather than using lectures or transcripts.

Formative evaluation, evaluation that occurs from feedback while the instruction is in progress, provides data for revising and improving the instructional materials that were used and those that are yet to be used. It is important to remember that sometimes the plans that look so good on paper actually fail in practice. When possible, test instructional materials with one or a small group of students to determine how students use the materials, how much assistance they need, etc. Considering the teaching methods implemented and the course materials provided, are students learning what they should be?

Summative evaluation, evaluation that occurs at the end of the instructional effort (unit, course, etc.), provides data on the effectiveness of the instructional effort as a whole. This is the evaluation that provides information on how the whole instructional unit enabled the learner to achieve the objectives that were established at the outset.