What are domains and objectives

In Ans, it is possible to define domains and objectives. Domains and objectives are used to categorize and group knowledge levels. Objectives are descriptions of goals or skills which can be linked to questions. A domain contains one or more objectives. Domains are used to group learning objectives and categorize them in a hierarchical way. Often, domains are used as learning taxonomy for a certain course or educational program.

The purpose of using domains and objectives is dual:

• Create blueprints to generate (randomized) assignments from a question bank
• Analyse the performance of your students on the learning objectives of your course or program

By making use of domains and objectives, you can increase the reliability, validity, transparency and effectiveness of your assignments. The statistics of Ans provide you with information which you can use to improve your assignments or your learning activities. Instead of giving just a mark, you can provide insights to your students on their performance of the objectives of an assignment. Your students can use this to determine their strengths and areas of improvement. As domains and objectives can be used for a longer period, you can repeatedly use them for multiple assignments, over the years.