how to write course learning outcomes

by Agnes Carter 3 min read

How to Write a Good Course Learning Outcome

  • When composing learning outcomes, there is flexibility in the sentence structure. Some common stems are: At the end of the course, learners should be able to…. ...
  • Learning outcomes should be observable and measurable so that you are able to evaluate whether learners have achieved the outcomes expected (McCourt, 2007). ...
  • Level of Mastery: Bloom’s Taxonomy can be a useful guide to identify action verbs (Anderson Krathwohl, 2001). ...

Full Answer

How do you evaluate learning outcomes?

o What Are GOOD Course Learning Outcomes? • Good Course Learning Outcomes use action verbs to specify the demonstrable and measurable knowledge, skills or dispositions possessed by students completing this course. (Instead of using verbs or phrases like, know, understand, appreciate, be aware of, learn comprehend,

What are some examples of learning outcomes?

Steps for Writing Outcomes 1. Begin with an Action Verb Begin with an action verb that denotes the level of learning expected. Terms such as know,... 2. Follow with a Statement

What skill is most important in learning how to write?

Developing Course Outcomes – the Fink Model. This guide for course design from faculty developer Dee Fink will walk you through a process for developing learning outcomes that address different levels of cognitive thinking (in alignment with Bloom’s) but additionally some more humanistic learning outcomes. In his model, these latter outcomes are what make …

How to evaluate learning outcomes?

Writing Effective Learning Outcomes. Learning outcomes should be specific and well defined. Learning outcomes should be realistic and achievable. Learning outcomes should be measureable. Learning outcomes should be written in simple language with active verbs.

How do you write a course learning outcome?

Steps for Writing OutcomesBegin with an Action Verb. Begin with an action verb that denotes the level of learning expected. ... Follow with a Statement. Statement – The statement should describe the knowledge and abilities to be demonstrated.

What is a course learning outcome?

Course learning outcomes are the “big ideas,” skills, or competencies. students should be able to articulate, put into action, or utilize. (theoretically or pragmatically) after their course experience.

What are examples of learning outcomes?

5 types of learning outcomesIntellectual skills. With this type of learning outcome, the learner will understand concepts, rules or procedures. ... Cognitive strategy. In this type of learning outcome, the learner uses personal strategies to think, organize, learn and behave.Verbal information. ... Motor skills. ... Attitude.Dec 7, 2021

What are the five learning outcomes?

The five learning outcomes are intellectual skills, cognitive strategy, verbal information, motor skills, and attitude. The intellectual skills, cognitive strategy, and verbal information are in the cognitive domain.

How do you write course objectives and learning outcomes?

How do I write Effective Learning Objectives? 1,3Reflect on the course. ... Brainstorm specific things what you want students to know and do by the end of the course. ... Refer to resources that can help you identify action verbs that will be observable and measurable. ... Draft your learning outcomes and prioritize them.More items...•Jan 26, 2022

How do you write a course objective example?

What do good course objectives look like?Choose an action verb that corresponds to the specific action you wish students to demonstrate.Explain the knowledge students are expected to acquire or construct.[Optional]: explain the criterion or level students are expected to reach to show mastery of knowledge.

What are the 7 learning outcomes?

7 Learning Outcomes7 Learning Outcomes1Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth2Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process3Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience4Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences3 more rows

How do you write outcome statement?

Good outcome statements are specific, measurable, and realistic.” Think carefully about what you can realistically accomplish given the groups you want to reach and the scope of your resources. Develop outcomes as follows: • Outcomes should describe what you want to happen after your activity is completed.

What are key learning outcomes?

Learning outcomes are statements that describe the knowledge or skills students should acquire by the end of a particular assignment, class, course, or program, and help students understand why that knowledge and those skills will be useful to them.

What is example of outcomes?

The outcome is the final result of something, or the way things end up. When a team wins a game 2-1, this is an example of a winning outcome for the team.

What is a learning outcome?

A Learning Outcome (LO) is a measurable, observable, and specific statement that clearly indicates what a student should know and be able to do as a result of learning. Well-written learning outcomes involve the following parts: Action verb. Subject content. Level of achievement.

What is the level of achievement?

A level of achievement identifies how proficient students need to be in a task. For example, in a Composition course, you might say “Write a literature critique with no grammatical errors”. This tells students the level of achievement that’s expected of them.

What is a CLO?

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) are central to your course’s curriculum. They articulate to students, faculty, and other stakeholders what students will achieve in each course and how their learning will be measured. A Learning Outcome (LO) is a measurable, observable, and specific statement that clearly indicates what a student should know ...

What is student learning outcome?

Student learning outcomes state what students are expected to know or be able to do upon completion of a course or program. Course learning outcomes may contribute, or map to, program learning outcomes, and are required in group instruction course syllabi.

What are some examples of academic outcomes?

The following examples of academic program student learning outcomes come from a variety of academic programs across campus, and are organized in four broad areas: 1) contextualization of knowledge; 2) praxis and technique; 3) critical thinking; and, 4) research and communication. ...

What is the lowest level of knowledge?

The lowest levels (which are most commonly tested in exams) are based on knowledge of factual information. Understanding at higher levels is indicated by more complex skills in evaluation, synthesis, or the creation of new information. To the right: find a sampling of verbs that represent learning at each level.

What is the action verb?

Begin with an Action Verb. Begin with an action verb that denotes the level of learning expected. Terms such as know, understand, learn, appreciate are generally not specific enough to be measurable. Levels of learning and associated verbs may include the following: Remembering and understanding: recall, identify, label, illustrate, summarize.

What is Dee Fink's learning outcomes?

This guide for course design from faculty developer Dee Fink will walk you through a process for developing learning outcomes that address different levels of cognitive thinking (in alignment with Bloom’s) but additionally some more humanistic learning outcomes. In his model, these latter outcomes are what make learning experiences “significant”, meaning that the learning will have a greater impact and persist longer because it includes an element of personalization and application to one’s own life.

What is Bloom's taxonomy?

Bloom’s taxonomy is a framework that provides a language and method for developing learning outcomes that vary across different levels of cognitive development. Skills like simple recall are called “lower order” cognitive skills and more complex skills like analysis and making predictions are “higher order”. The following resource on Bloom’s Taxonomy can help you craft clear learning outcomes across the spectrum as well as evaluate any current learning outcomes you have already developed. This framework can also be used to help you evaluate the type of questions you create for an exam or other assignment.

How are learning outcomes measured?

Learning outcomes are measured at various points during the educational experience. The degree to which outcomes are achieved will shape curricular planning and resource decision making. A culture of assessment enhances the ability to meet the changing needs of students and the University.

What are program outcomes?

Program Learning Outcomes are measurable expectations or anticipated outcomes. A comprehensive and well developed list can provide information about student learning, curriculum and teaching. Assessing or measuring learning outcomes can inform the institution about the educational environment. Learning outcomes are measured at various points during the educational experience. The degree to which outcomes are achieved will shape curricular planning and resource decision making. A culture of assessment enhances the ability to meet the changing needs of students and the University.

Defining the terms

Educational research uses a number of terms for this concept, including learning goals, student learning objectives, session outcomes, and more.

Learning outcomes are beneficial to students

Clearly, articulated learning outcomes can also help guide and support students in their own learning by:

Choosing learning outcomes

When writing learning goals to represent the aims and practices of a course or even a discipline, consider:

Use learning taxonomies to inform learning outcomes

Learning taxonomies describe how a learner’s understanding develops from simple to complex when learning different subjects or tasks. They are useful here for identifying any foundational skills or knowledge needed for more complex learning, and for matching observable behaviors to different types of learning.

How to write learning outcomes

Writing learning outcomes can be made easier by using the ABCD approach. This strategy identifies four key elements of an effective learning outcome:

Characteristics of effective learning outcomes

The acronym SMART is useful for remembering the characteristics of an effective learning outcome.

What is learning outcome?

Learning outcomes are descriptions of the specific knowledge, skills, or expertise that the learner will get from a learning activity, such as a training session, seminar, course, or program.

Why is learning outcomes important?

Creating clear, actionable learning outcomes is an important part of the creation of training programs in organizations. When developing these programs, both management and instructors need to be clear about what learners should understand after completing their learning path. Learning outcomes also play a key role in assessment and evaluation, ...

What are the outcomes of conflict management?

The following examples are well-written learning outcomes: 1 learners will be able to identify which scenarios to apply each of the five types of conflict management. 2 learners will be able to use the company’s LMS to effectively engage with and complete all training materials. 3 learners will understand how to interpret marketing data and use it to create graphs. 4 learners will understand how to employ company-prescribed SEO practices while writing copy. 5 learners can properly use company guidelines to create case studies. 6 learners will be able to properly operate and clean the autoclaves.

What are the different types of learning outcomes?

5 types of learning outcomes. 1. Intellectual skills. With this type of learning outcome, the learner will understand concepts, rules or procedures. Put simply, this is understanding how to do something. 2. Cognitive strategy.

What is an activity in software?

Activity: An online training session for new product management software. Learning objective: Session will cover the three main areas of the software. Learning outcome: Learners are able to operate software and explain the functions that they are using. This type of learning outcome deals with competence or skill.

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