What are Learning Outcomes?
Learning Outcomes describe what a student will know and be able to do as a result of learning experiences within a course or program. Learning Outcomes are integrative, i.e. they require that students demonstrate integration of knowledge, skills and abilities in complex performances. They describe abilities the student can be expected to exhibit at the end of the learning experience.
Course Learning Outcomes describe the complex performances a student should be capable of as a result of learning experiences within a course. These are determined by the course instructor, or, in the case of a course with several sections, by a team of instructors who teach the same course.
Program Learning Outcomes describe what graduates of a program should be able to do as a result of learning experiences within that program. Program outcomes are often derived from a vision of the graduate and are determined by faculty in the program area in consultation with employers, experts in the field, and, if appropriate, accrediting and professional bodies.
What are the Benefits of Learning Outcomes?
Learning outcomes:
- Invite us to think first about learning as a complex, integrated process. Outcomes-based education challenges us to focus on the broad synthesis of abilities that combine knowledge, skills and values into a whole that reflects how people use learning in their real lives.
- Encourage us to be accountable for what we do, for what learners gain from their involvement with us. Learning outcomes are statements which describe the results that must be achieved by learners before they are successful in a unit of study (unit/course/program). They keep us focused on meeting our obligations to our learners and to society.
- Facilitate transfer of learning from one situation to another, one job to another, one college to another.
- Facilitate Prior Learning Assessment because, in order to carry out PLA, we must define the knowledge, abilities and values that are equivalent to course/program outcomes.
- Describe what the learner has to demonstrate to be successful, NOT how to get there, consequently, many avenues to achieving the learning may be pursued. This allows great flexibility for teachers.
- Help learners become better self-assessors which, in turn, contributes to their ability to be life-long learners.
- Clearly link required outcomes with assessment strategies.
Learning outcomes are the destination statements of the educational journey. They direct the whole show, including curriculum/course design, content selection, forms of delivery and how we assess.
What are the Characteristics of Learning Outcomes?
When developing learning outcomes, teachers should strive to develop statements that:
- integrate knowledge/understanding/skills/abilities/values
- are measurable
- represent learning that can be transferred to a variety of contexts
- are clear and understandable to learners, educators, employers and general public
- are realistic and achievable within reasonable time frames
How Might you Determine Course Learning Outcomes?
When you are determining Learning Outcomes for a course, you might want to try answering some of the following questions:
- What do you particularly value about your course? What does it offer your students?
- If a prospective student were to ask you what they’d gain from taking your course, what would you say?
- If someone unfamiliar with your field where to ask you about what you are trying to accomplish with your students in this course, what would you say?
- What do you include in your course outline to orient the students to your subject? Are there any key ideas, concepts or abilities that jump out from the outline?
- Do you use a particular teaching strategy or approach with students that is key to the development of certain skills or abilities in your students?
- What are the most important questions addressed in your course? What complex learning occurs in the student as a result?
- How do you assess students in your course? What do you expect of students in order to be successful?
- If someone other than yourself was designing the course, writing the Calendar description, choosing the textbook, etc., what would that person need to know about what the students will be learning?
Examples of Course Learning Outcomes
Listed below are a few examples of learning outcomes developed by teachers at Camosun College. Each one is prefaced by a statement that indicates that these abilities will be achieved by the end of the course.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Express analytical and critical thinking through clear, grammatically correct academic writing using English at a level appropriate for entrance into a Canadian post-secondary academic course or program (English College Prep)
- Critically evaluate methodologies employed in learning and cognition studies and explore ethical implications of results (Psychology)
- Use scientific equipment, techniques and measurement in a careful, precise manner in order to carry out effective basic scientific enquiry. (Biology)
- Work both independently and collaboratively to understand and formulate problems, and solve these problems using the tools and techniques of calculus (Math)
How Might Generic Skills fit with Learning Outcomes?
Most college level courses develop a variety of generic skills/abilities such as communication, thinking skills, and group effectiveness. You may wish to consider whether or not any of these are reflected in your course. Listed below are examples of course learning outcomes that might reflect some of these skills:
Communication
- Understand and use vocabulary, concepts, numbers, symbols, charts and numerical expressions (appropriate to discipline)
- Prepare and present an organized oral presentation, appropriate to purpose and audience.
- Assess personal effectiveness with regard to written, oral and/or non-verbal communication.
Thinking skills
- Use discipline or professionally based problem-solving frameworks and strategies.
- Analyze the arguments of others, distinguishing fact from opinion and identifying assumptions and inferences
- Understand and apply the scientific method (to situations appropriate to discipline)
Group Effectiveness
- Assess own interaction behaviors within group situations (according to guidelines/models appropriate to discipline)
- Evaluate personal and group characteristics, skills, and strategies that facilitate accomplishment of mutual goals.