How to Develop Learning Outcomes for Your Courses

Online Tutorial (Revised) developed byDr. Amanda Rudolph

Dr. Lauren ScharffThe Teaching Excellence Center

at Stephen F. Austin State UniversityJune 2008

Learning Outcomes for the Workshop

• You will be able to identify well-written learning outcomes.

• You will be able to write appropriate learning outcomes.

What are learning outcomes?

Learning outcomes are also called instructional objectives, learning objectives, student objectives, or goals.

A learning outcome defines what the student will be able to do or know at the end of the semester, unit, or lesson.

Well-written learning outcomes should be student-centered, measurable, and clear.

Writing Student-Centered learning outcomes

Student-centered means that the language of the outcome is active and related to the students. The outcome should state what the student will do, not the teacher.

INCORRECTThe teacher will discuss the

different theories of personality development.

CORRECTThe student will be able to

name each theory of personality development and describe the key characteristics that distinguish each theory.

Writing Measurable learning outcomes

Measurable means that the outcome can be effectively evaluated and assessed. Vague and general outcomes are hard to assess. Be specific on what you want the student to be able to do.

INCORRECT

The student will understand symbolism.

CORRECT

The student will be able to identify symbols in short stories.

Writing Clear and Concise learning outcomes

Learning outcomes need to clear and concise. Only include the information that will be measured.

INCORRECT

The student will understand American history and the importance of America in the world.

CORRECT

The student will be able to discuss the role of America in a global society.

How do I decide what students should know?

There are several approaches to determining what your student outcomes should be.

Ideally, they should closely link with your program / department learning outcomes.

At the very least, your course learning outcomes should describe what you hope your students will be able to accomplish by the time they complete your specific course.

One model for developing learning outcomes

Wiggins and McTighe (2005) created a process called Backward Design. Basically, they said an instructor should start by considering what the student should know or be able to do at the completion of a course in order to design outcomes, assessments and instructional activities.

Steps to create learning outcomes

(Wiggins and McTighe; 2005) In order to create outcomes there are 4 steps.

1. Consult standards (national, state, and program / departmental)

2. Establish Program Goals (at SFA, these are referred to as Program Learning Outcomes). Determine which program goals are to be addressed in the course.

3. Determine Essential Questions for your course and decide what broad concepts are necessary.

4. Determine knowledge and skills students will acquire in your course (Course Learning Outcomes).

Consult Standards

Most university programs have national professional organizations that have standards for their content area available. This is a good place to begin looking for content emphasis.

In addition, certification programs (e.g. health science, business, education) will have standards that align with the credential testing content.

Finally your department should have already created curriculum standards for your program for SACS.

All of these areas will help you determine what your course should include and emphasize.

Establish Program Learning Outcomes

Program learning outcomes are the over-arching learning outcomes for a program.

For SACS, each program should have 5 to 8 learning outcomes. These represent what students should be able to do when they have completed the program.

Each course in that program should address 1 to 3 of the program learning outcomes.

Create Essential Questions

Essential Questions are those that students should be able to answer by the end of your course. (Imagine that you were going to give a comprehensive essay final – what are the essential broad concepts you would assess?)

Essential Questions:• have value beyond the classroom.• are core processes of the discipline.• are big ideas encompassing the facts, skills and

activities (Wiggins and McTighe, 2005).

Essential Questions

Another way to think about these questions is to decide what is worth knowing beyond the scope of the class (i.e. enduring understanding).

Worth being familiar with

Important to know and do

Enduringunderstanding

From: The Understanding by Design Handbook, P. 70

Examples of Essential Questions

• When error is unavoidable in measurement, what margins of error are tolerable?

• Is the subjunctive necessary?• To what extent is DNA destiny?• What is the connection between a country’s form

of government and the prosperity of its citizens?• What is the difference between a scientific fact,

a scientific theory and a strong opinion?

(Wiggins and McTighe, 2005, p. 106-108)

Determine specific knowledge and skills (Course Learning Outcomes)

After you have created your essential questions, you can write your outcomes. You have decided what is most important in your course. You know what the students should understand at the end of the course.

Now answer: What specific knowledge and skills will provide evidence of mastery of the understandings? That knowledge and those skills are the basis of your learning outcomes.

Examples of Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate knowledge of:

The difference between the three subatomic particles.

Causes of the Civil War.

The difference between classical and operational conditioning.

Students will be able to demonstrate skills by:

Preparing a solution of an acid by dilution.

Balancing an accounting sheet.

Correctly identifying the species and ages of trees in natural environment

Helpful Tips for Writing Learning Outcomes

• Useful verbs (lead to observable outcomes): identify, analyze, list, locate, predict, explain, infer, divide, add, and draw.

• Verbs to avoid (refer to more internal, not directly measureable, processes): know, grasp, appreciate, think, believe, value, like, and realize (Cooper, et al. 2002)

• Identify assessments that you will use to measure each course learning outcomes.

Assessment

Learning outcomes should guide the formation of your assessments. The assessment should directly relate to the outcome.

OUTCOME ASSESSMENT

Summarize the List and

developmental stages describe

proposed by Piaget Piagetian stages.

More Examples of Assessments

Student knowledge / skills:

The difference between the three subatomic particles.

To prepare a solution of an acid by dilution.

The difference between classical and operational conditioning.

Related assessment:

List the charge of each type of subatomic particle.

Demonstrate the process of preparing a solution.

Correctly identify examples of each type of conditioning.

An additional note about assessments

• The previous page showed a one-to-one correspondence between the desired learning outcomes (knowledge and skills) and the related assessment.

• However, some assessments (e.g. a project or a research paper) might allow you to assess multiple learning outcomes.

• Or, you might assess a single learning outcome more than once using different assessments (e.g. a concept may be covered on more than one exam, or both on an exam and a paper).

Example • Backward design is one approach, and it

has the benefit of highlighting the necessary ultimate linkage between the program learning outcomes and a course’s learning outcomes.

• See the following example from Nursing that illustrates the use of essential questions, which then lead to learning outcomes, and then assessment.

Nursing Example

What essential questions will guide this unit and focus teaching and learning? What is health? What interventions are within the nurses’ scope of practice that would

benefit the client experiencing illness? What client teaching is needed to promote health?

What learning outcomes are desired? Students will be able to:Identify normal diagnostic lab/test results. Compare test values that indicate a wellness/ illness state of health. Apply knowledge of abnormal test values to write a plan of care. Evaluate client outcomes based on plan of care.

What tasks will students perform in order to illustrate their acquisition of key knowledge and skills for this unit?The student will choose a plan of care based on assessment, implementation of care, and evaluation of client needs.

Alternate Approach #1

• Some departments have not yet clarified which courses should address each of their program learning outcomes.

• What do you do if that is true for you?!

• For now, at least make sure that all of your course-specific learning outcomes are worded so they are student-centered, measureable, meaningful, and clear.

• See an example from Psychology…

Psychology Example

Objectives as stated on syllabus prior to the workshop:

Objectives: The objectives of this course are to provide you with a general background of psychophysical and physiological perception research and how perception applies to many areas outside of academia (e.g. communications, marketing, art, heath services, everyday happenings). Developmental perception topics will also be incorporated throughout the semester. This course will place an emphasis on vision, and secondarily, on audition; however, all five senses will be covered.

Note that these objectives start out with a teacher-centered approach, and that they are not stated in a manner that makes them clearly assessable with respect to student learning.

Reworked Psychology Syllabus Learning Outcomes. At the end of the course, students will be

able to:1. Describe the basic neural processing of each of the five

senses, and how they are similar / different from each other.2. Describe how conscious perceptions of color, depth,

motion, pitch, touch, taste, etc. relate to manipulations of the environment and depend upon the neural organization of each sense.

3. Explain why perceptions don’t always match “reality”4. Summarize examples of the application of sensation and

perception knowledge to help individuals with sensory or perceptual deficiencies / damage, and to guide the design of equipment to improve safety and efficiency.

5. Apply course-related material to personal perceptual experiences

Alternate Approach #2

• Often instructors have legitimate, long-term goals for their students that go beyond the end of the course, or are not directly assessable (e.g. “to create life-long learners”, “to share an appreciation for the arts and encourage involvement in the arts”).

• Such goals might be placed in a section of your syllabus titled “Course Purpose” or “Course Philosophy”.

• Thus it is clear that students won’t be directly assessed on such items, but that they are important to the instructor and might influence the approaches used in the course.

• See the example from Astronomy…

Astronomy ExampleObjectives and Purpose as stated on syllabus prior to the workshop:Purpose: This is a survey course that will stress the historical and descriptive aspects of

our knowledge of astronomy. The major aim will be to give each student an appreciation and understanding of the scope and content of our universe. The methods of science will be strongly emphasized.

 

Learning Objectives: The overall objectives of this course are that the learner will: Gain an understanding of the nature of science and astronomy Gain an appreciation for the size, scale, and structure of the cosmos See that the universe is comprehensible through the scientific principles that can be

understood by everyone Gain an increased interest in studying current events in astronomy as a life-long

learning activity Be able to describe the characteristics of objects within the solar system including the

sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. Demonstrate a basic familiarity with stellar life cycles, galaxies, and extragalactic

objects.

Reworked Astronomy

Purpose: This is a survey course that will stress the historical and descriptive aspects of our knowledge of astronomy. The major aim will be to give each student an appreciation and understanding of the size, scale, and structure of the cosmos, to gain an understanding of the nature of science and astronomy, to see that the universe is comprehensible through the scientific principles that can be understood by everyone, and to gain an increased interest in studying current events in astronomy as a life-long learning activity. The methods of science will be strongly emphasized.

 

Learning Objectives: The overall objectives of this course are that the learner will:

Recognize that the universe can be described by a few natural laws. Be able to describe the characteristics of objects within the solar system

including the sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. Demonstrate a basic familiarity with stellar life cycles, galaxies, and

extragalactic objects.

Your AssignmentWork through the following steps to your learning outcomes

and only then begin your course design and syllabus. (This is the foundation of “Backward Design”.)

I. List program learning outcomes to be implemented in your course

II. List your essential questions (in some cases may be skipped)

III. List the specific knowledge and skills required to support understanding of your core concepts (your learning objectives – what should be listed on your syllabus).

IV. Determine the type(s) of assessments you will use. (What is the best way for your students to demonstrate mastery of your learning objectives?) These means of assessments should also be stated on your syllabus.

Feeling lost or overwhelmed?

Learning Objectives Workshops

• The SFA Teaching Excellence Center will offer a workshop on Developing Learning Objectives during the summer of 2008 and throughout the 2008-2009 academic year.

• At this workshop you can get additional information about learning objectives, work on your learning objectives, and get immediate feedback on those objectives.

• Go to the TEC web site for the workshop schedule (http://www2.sfasu.edu/teachingexcellence/Services/TEC_workshops.htm)

SFASU Resource Faculty Members

• The following individuals have some experience writing assessable learning outcomes or with the SACS process, and have agreed to serve as resources to other SFA instructors who are working on their learning outcomes– Amanda Rudolph (Sec. Ed.) -- Norm Markworth (Ast)– Mark Seaman (Sec. Ed.) -- Carol Athey (Nursing)– Larry King (Comm) -- Jill Carrington (Art)– John Moore (Chem)

References

Cooper J.M, Goldman, S., Lubar, D., Pellegrino, J.W., & Shostak, R. (2002). Classroom teaching skills. Houghton Mifflin.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Direct and Indirect Measures

FYI: For SACS, each program learning outcome should have at least 2 measures of assessment, one of which should be a direct measure.

DIRECT INDIRECT

Projects Surveys / Evaluations

Tests Job statistics* Observations Graduation statistics*

*more likely to be program rather than course outcomes