Writing Student Learning Outcomes

Student learning outcomes (SLOs) are statements of what students are expected to know or be able to do at the end of a learning experience. All courses and programs at Chemeketa have faculty-developed SLOs.

Learning outcomes are the foundation of a well-designed course. They outline the aims of a course and how students will be evaluated. A strong SLO is clear, observable, and measurable, easily understood by both faculty and students. See below for tips for developing effective SLOs.

1. Start with an Action Verb

Start with a clear, measurable action verb in the present tense that describes the intended level of learning. Ask yourself: What observable behavior would demonstrate that a student has mastered the learning I am trying to teach?

Avoid "mental state" verbs that you cannot observe or measure. You cannot observe if a student can understand a concept, but you can see if they can classify or describe it, for example.

See the Bloom's Taxonomy chart below for more examples of action verbs you might use to write an outcome for different levels of learning. Alternatives to Bloom's taxonomy words are also linked below.

2. End with a statement

End with a statement that describes the knowledge or abilities the students will demonstrate.

Words to Help You Describe Learning

Learning taxonomies are lists of words in categories to describe specific, measurable aspects of learning. Bloom's Taxonomy is a great place to start when developing SLOs, and there are other taxonomies you can use as well. For example:

Revised Bloom's Taxonomy: Cognitive Process Dimensions UC Davis

SOLO taxonomy (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes) Saint Louis University

SLO Examples

Well written SLOs should be measurable outcomes that are a result of rigorous study or training and are distinguishable from general knowledge.

Poor: The student will learn about American literature.

Reason: Learn is not inherently measurable. American literature is very broad.

Better: The student will be able to compare and contrast American literary movements of the 20th century.

Reason: Comparing and contrasting is measurable through essays, tests, research papers, and oral presentations. Students must have knowledge of characteristics of the different literary movements in American in the 20th century.

Best: The student will be able to distinguish between the Modernism, Beat Generation, and Postmodernism movements in American literature.

Reason: Distinguishing is an example of a higher level thinking skill. This could be measured by a research paper, essay, or questions on a test. This objective is also specific and requires specialized academic knowledge.

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