Setting students up for success in a fast-paced, high-stress, accelerated hybrid model is a daunting task. Developing SMART goals is one basic area that is often overlooked by educators during orientation, yet it's critical to achieving student success.

An orientation activity that focuses on students setting SMART—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely—goals is an easy way to help them enter a new curriculum with a new mindset.

Combining goal setting with learning how to use their online LMS can better prepare students to start their program.

Here are the basics of how to facilitate this with your incoming students:

Step 1: Identifying Your Goal

Answer the following questions to help identify your goal. Save these answers, as you will need them for your SMART reflection during future faculty advisement meetings.

Making Goals for the Future

  1. What do you want your life to be like 2 years from now?
  2. What do you need to do to make this happen?
  3. What do you want your life to look like 3 years from now?
  4. What do you need to make this happen?
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Step 2: Setting the Goal

Now it is time to use the SMART method to help you plot your path toward achieving your 2-year and 3-year goals.

Complete the following questions to see how the SMART method works. You will want to save this worksheet to discuss at your faculty advisor meetings.

Setting a SMART Goal

Think of where you want to be in 2 or 3 years. Use the SMART method to focus on what it will take for you to accomplish this goal.

  1. What is your Specific goal?
    Make sure that this goal is very concise and relates to your academic goals.
  2. How will you Measure whether you have achieved your goal?
    "I will finish and pass every class in my schedule" is a measurable goal, but the more realistic and specific, the better.
  3. How will you Attain your goal?
    ‍Example: To finish and pass every class, I will need to set aside time each day for school. In reflecting on my schedule, I see that during the week, I can set aside one hour in the morning and one hour at night. I will have to take a weekend morning, afternoon, or evening to complete the remainder of my work.
  4. How Relevant is your goal?
    How does it tie in with the rest of your life?
    ‍Example: I am a full-time single parent with two wonderful children. While my time is limited, it is important to finish my degree so I can get a better job. By studying when my children study, I can help them see the importance of school. I can continue to be a role model while advancing my career and improving our lives.
  5. How Time-sensitive is your goal?
    Why is it important for you to achieve this goal at this time in your life?

Step 3: Sharing the Goal

If you are comfortable, sharing your SMART goals with your peers at orientation is a great opportunity to engage in a discussion about reaching your goals and providing feedback to help others reach theirs.

Peer discussions play an important role in student success, especially in the hybrid learning environment. These conversations may spark new ideas or explanations of course material, and the insights you gain from others can strengthen your own understanding of the material and the LMS.

Drawing upon your personal and professional experiences—as well as the feedback you provide to others—may help everyone refine their goals.