What Is A Student Learning Outcome

Writing and Assessing Educatee Learning Outcomes

By the finish of a program of study, what do you want students to be able to do? How can your students demonstrate the knowledge the program intended them to larn? Student learning outcomes are statements adult by faculty that answer these questions. Typically, Pupil learning outcomes (SLOs) describe the cognition, skills, attitudes, behaviors or values students should be able to demonstrate at the terminate of a plan of study. A combination of methods may exist used to assess student attainment of learning outcomes.

Characteristics of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Describe what students should be able to demonstrate, stand for or produce upon completion of a program of study (Maki, 2010)
Rely on active verbs that identify what students should be able to demonstrate, represent, or produce (Maki, 2010)

Student learning outcomes also:

Should align with the institution'southward curriculum and co-curriculum outcomes (Maki, 2010)
Should be collaboratively authored and collectively accepted (Maki, 2010)
Should contain or adjust professional organizations outcome statements when they exist (Maki, 2010)
Can be quantitatively and/or qualitatively assessed during a student'south studies (Maki, 2010)

Examples of Student Learning Outcomes

The following examples of pupil learning outcomes are likewise general and would be very difficult to measure : (T. Banta personal communication, Oct 20, 2010)

will appreciate the benefits of practise science.
will empathize the scientific method.
will become familiar with correct grammar and literary devices.
will develop problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.

The following examples, while better are still general and again would be difficult to measure out. (T. Banta personal communication, October 20, 2010)

volition appreciate exercise as a stress reduction tool.
will use the scientific method in trouble solving.
volition demonstrate the use of correct grammar and diverse literary devices.
volition demonstrate critical thinking skills, such as problem solving as it relates to social issues.

The following examples are specific examples and would be fairly piece of cake to measure when using the correct cess mensurate: (T. Banta personal communication, October xx, 2010)

will explain how the scientific discipline of exercise affects stress.
volition design a grounded inquiry study using the scientific method.
will demonstrate the use of correct grammer and various literary devices in creating an essay.
will analyze and answer to arguments almost racial discrimination.

Importance of Action Verbs and Examples from Blossom's Taxonomy

Action verbs event in overt beliefs that can be observed and measured (see listing below).
Verbs that are unclear, and verbs that chronicle to unobservable or unmeasurable behaviors, should exist avoided (e.1000., appreciate, sympathise, know, larn, become aware of, become familiar with).

Cognition

define
identify
describe
label
list
proper name
state
friction match
recognize
select
examine
locate
memorize
quote

Sympathise

explain
describe
interpret
paraphrase
summarize
classify
compare
differentiate
hash out
distinguish
extend
predict
associate
contrast

Utilise

solve
apply
illustrate
alter
employ
calculate
change
choose
demonstrate
discover
experiment
chronicle
testify
sketch

Analyze

analyze
compare
allocate
contrast
distinguish
infer
separate
explain
select
categorize
connect
differentiate
discriminate
divide

Evaluate

reframe
criticize
evaluate
order
appraise
judge
support
compare
decide
discriminate
recommend
summarize
appraise
cull

Create

pattern
compose
create
programme
combine
formulate
invent
hypothesize
substitute
write
compile
construct
develop
generalize

Assessing SLOs

Instructors may mensurate student learning outcomes straight, assessing student-produced artifacts and performances; instructors may likewise mensurate student learning indirectly, relying on students own perceptions of learning.

Direct Measures of Assessment

Direct measures of student learning crave students to demonstrate their cognition and skills. They provide tangible, visible and self-explanatory testify of what students accept and have not learned as a result of a course, program, or activity (Suskie, 2004; Palomba & Banta, 1999). Examples of straight measures include:

Objective tests
Essays
Presentations
Classroom assignments
Portfolios

This example of a Student Learning Outcome (SLO) from psychology could be assessed by an essay, case study, or presentation: Students volition analyze current research findings in the areas of physiological psychology, perception, learning, abnormal and social psychology.

Indirect Measures of Assessment

Indirect measures of pupil learning capture students' perceptions of their noesis and skills; they supplement direct measures of learning by providing information about how and why learning is occurring. Examples of indirect measures include:

Self assessment
Peer feedback
Terminate of course evaluations
Questionnaires
Focus groups
Exit interviews

Using the SLO example from above, an teacher could add questions to an end-of-course evaluation asking students to self-assess their ability to analyze electric current research findings in the areas of physiological psychology, perception, learning, aberrant and social psychology. Doing so would provide an indirect measure out of the same SLO.

Advantages of Using Multiple Methods

Balances the limitations inherent when using only 1 method (Maki, 2004).
Provides students the opportunity to demonstrate learning in an alternative way (Maki, 2004).
Contributes to an overall interpretation of student learning at both institutional and programmatic levels.
Values the many ways educatee learn (Maki, 2004).

References

Bloom, B. (1956) A taxonomy of educational objectives, The classification of educational goals-handbook I: Cognitive domain . New York: McKay .

Maki, P.L. (2004). Assessing for learning: Building a sustainable commitment across the institution . Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Maki, P.L. (2010 ). Assessing for learning: Building a sustainable commitment across the institution (2nd ed.) . Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999). Assessment essentials: Planning, implementing, and improving cess in higher pedagogy . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Suskie, L. (2004). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing.

Authored past Mona Kheiry (March, 2011)

Revised by Terri Tarr (February, 2014)

Revised by Doug Jerolimov (Apr, 2016)