Develop Skills Progressively

What is a learning outcome?

A learning outcome is a statement that clarifies the instructional expectations of what students will feel, know, value, or be able to do after a learning experience. An outcome aims at what students will achieve rather than what the instructor does. When used at the program level, learning outcomes allows a program to be evaluated by the alignment of its goals and map out which courses are responsible for accomplishing these goals. Learning outcomes can be used at the course level to plan the course experience, assessments, and to guide instruction.

Learning objectives, threshold concepts, course goals and other approaches serve a similar role as learning outcomes and may be opted for instead based on pedagogical choices.

Learning objectives: the content a lesson/module/course will cover.
Learning targets: a statement of content that a lesson will cover, and how that content will impact the learner overtime. The target is shared by both the teacher and the student, and provides a tool for evaluation.
Threshold concepts: a pivotal concept that is hard to grasp, but once the mastery of that concept is achieved, it will drastically transform the learner.

How do you write a learning outcome?

Some programs may have outcomes prescribed to them from their accrediting body. Other programs may need to develop their own outcomes at the program or course level.

When authoring outcomes, it is helpful to start with thinking about the educational intent: what kind of transformation (knowledge, skills, and attributes) does the program intend to bring to the students?

The Features of a Good Learning Outcome

The statement can be measurable in a quantitative form, such as:

The learner will list and identify six figures of speech.

Or it can be observed through a specific task scenario, such as:

On completion of the module, the student will be able to apply knowledge of validity, reliability and triangulation to a chosen research issue.

The University of Wolverhampton has some exemplar starting points for common learning outcome that can be helpful in a learning outcome design process:

Make Use of Information

Supplement notes with appropriate reading
Reference correctly
Select and use relevant references and quotation to support the points you are making
Use specialist texts and journals to substantiate your arguments
Draw together material from a variety of sources into a coherent argument

Analyze

Identify ideas, concepts and principles that underpin theories in one subject
Explain the relationship between different elements of a theory
Distinguish between evidence and argument and hypothesis
Evaluate ideas and concepts
Recognise the difference between assertion and argument
Recognise and acknowledge inconsistencies in arguments

Thinking Critically

Examine problems from a number of perspectives
Question and challenge viewpoints, ideas and concepts
Make judgements about the value of evidence, concepts and ideas
Develop and be able to justify your own opinions on significant ideas and concepts in your own subject

Synthesize Ideas and Information

Relate new ideas and concepts to previous ones
Relate theoretical ideas to practical tasks
Integrate learning from different modules one have studied
Organize and structure ideas, concepts and theories into a coherent whole

Who can help me with designing learning outcomes?

- - The UPEI Teaching and Learning Centre will be able to provide help develop your program or course outcomes. Visit the website and book an appointment.
  - A more comprehensive introduction on writing learning targets can be found in the AISP course: Writing Effective Learning Targets.
  - Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning is a useful tool in designing your learning outcomes. See the University of Florida's Bloom Taxonomy resource for more information.

Reference

Allan, J. (1996). Learning outcomes in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 21(1), 93–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079612331381487

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