LEARNING OUTCOMES

LEARNING ACHIEVED BY THE

END OF A COURSE OR

PROGRAM

KNOWLEDGE

SKILLS

ATTITUDES

Learning Outcomes

What is meant by Learning Outcomes?

Think for a moment about a course or training session with which you are currently involved. Identify one skill that you think would be essential to know or do by the end of this learning period. If you were able to do this, then you are beginning to construct a learning outcome.

Definition of Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes are statements that describe significant and essential learning that learners have achieved, and can reliably demonstrate at the end of a course or program. In other words, learning outcomes identify what the learner will know and be able to do by the end of a course or program.

Spady, (1994) , an educational researcher who spearheaded the development of outcomes based education, suggests that the ability demonstrate learning is the key point. This demonstration of learning involves a performance of some kind in order to show significant learning, or learning that matters. He claims that significant content is essential, but that content alone is insufficient as an outcome. Rather, knowledge of content must be manifested through a demonstration process of some kind.

An outcome statement that incorporates this knowledge within a performance demonstration might include:

• The learner will have demonstrated the ability to make engine repairs on a variety of automobiles.
  
  In the above statement, the ability to make engine repairs implies that the person has the requisite knowledge to do so.

Performance statements include higher level thinking skills as well as psychomotor skills.

Consider the following learning outcome statement:

• The learner will have demonstrated the ability to analyze engines and make decisions regarding required repairs for a variety of automobiles.

Spady, also addresses the context or performance setting in which the performance demonstration occurs. He suggests a range of performance contexts from that of demonstrations of classroom learning to those which involve living successfully in the larger society. Thus, his highest level outcomes refer to generic skills such as the preparation of learners to be problem solvers, planners, creators, learners and thinkers, communicators etc., regardless of subject areas studied.

Learning outcomes refer to observable and measurable

• knowledge
• skills
• attitudes

EXAMPLES OF LEARNING OUTCOMES STATEMENTS

The successful student has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

Administer medications according to legal guidelines

Make pricing decisions using relevant cost and profitability factor

Characteristics of Learning Outcomes Statements

Learning outcomes should:

• reflect broad conceptual knowledge and adaptive vocational and generic skills
• reflect essential knowledge, skills or attitudes;
• focus on results of the learning experiences;
• reflect the desired end of the learning experience, not the means or the process;
• represent the minimum performances that must be achieved to successfully complete a course or program;
• answer the question, "Why should a student take this course anyway?"

Learning outcomes statements may be considered to be exit behaviors.

top of page

Background and Context for Development of Learning Outcomes

You may have seen learning outcomes statements on various college course outlines, including this course. Or, you may have seen learning outcomes statements which reflect your children’s expected level of learning at a certain grade level.

Learning outcomes reflect a movement toward outcomes based learning (OBL) in elementary, secondary, and post secondary educational systems throughout North America, and beyond. This movement is, in turn, influenced by public pressure to ensure a greater accountability and consistency within educational systems. Through the creation of outcomes statements, and the evaluation of learner performance in relation to those statements, it is believed by some that a more accountable educational system will result.

Because learning outcomes focus on the end result of learning, regardless of how or where that learning occurred, their development serves to offer the potential for increased access to learning opportunities through prior learning assessment.

Outcomes-based education is thought to provide greater:

* consistency - in course offerings across the educational system

* accountability - expectations for learning are clearly stated, and frequent assessment processes help both teacher and student identify progress toward meeting the outcomes

* accessibility - clearly defined outcomes enable learners to demonstrate achievement of those outcomes through prior learning assessment processes

Global Influences

In the 1990's, global economies and work place requirements shifted toward broad based, transferable skills. For example, the Conference Board of Canada lists the following skills as essential for the workplace:

• ability to work in teams
• effective communication
• ability to solve problems

Local Influences

A comprehensive review of the mandate of the Ontario college system in the early 1990’s recommended that program standards be developed as a means of ensuring better quality programming. The creation of program standards was also seen as a way of enabling learners to receive recognition for previous learning when transferring from one college program to another. (Vision 2000, 1992)

As a consequence of this decision, a body called the College Standards and Accreditation Committee (CSAC) was established to ensure standards and consistency across colleges throughout the province. This body was given the authority to approve program standards which are the program learning outcomes for all diploma vocational community college programs. (Diploma college programs are three years in length.)

It further developed a set of generic skill standards or outcomes which all community college graduates of diploma programs are expected to demonstrate upon graduation.

Individual colleges were given the responsibility for establishing Learning Outcomes for General Educational courses, and for individual courses within college programs.

College Context

In the college system, learning outcomes are written at the:

• PROGRAM level
• COURSE level
  

LEARNING OUTCOMES in the college system may express

• Vocational Skills
• Generic Skills
• General Education

top of page

Overview of Learning Outcomes Structure in Community Colleges

¯

¯

¯

¯

top of page

Guidelines for Writing Course Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes written at the course level should:

• state clear expectations - learners know what they have to do to demonstrate that they have achieved the learning outcomes;
  
• represent culminating performances of learning and achievement; ( meaning the highest stage of development, or exit, end performance)
  
  
• describe performances that are significant, essential, and verifiable;
  (meaning that performances can be verified or observed in some way and that they represent more than one small aspect of behaviour; this also means that the performance is considered to be essential for success in the course)
  
• preferably state only ONE performance per outcome;
  
• refer to learning that is transferable;
  (meaning that the learning can readily be transferred from a class to a work place environment, or from one workplace environment to another, etc.)
  
• not dictate curriculum content;
  (meaning that there could be a number of different ways to achieve the outcome.)
  
• reflect the overriding principles of equity and fairness and accommodate the needs of diverse learners.
  
• represent the minimal acceptable level of performance that a student needs to demonstrate in order to be considered successful.

^{(Source: Guidelines to the Development of Standards of Achievement through Learning Outcomes, 1994. Gollege Standards and Accreditation Committee)}

Self Assessment Would you like to test your knowledge related to Learning Outcomes?

top of page

Anatomy of Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcome statements may be broken down into three main components:

• an action word that identifies the performance to be demonstrated;
  
• a learning statement that specifies what learning will be demonstrated in the performance;
  
• a broad statement of the criterion or standard for acceptable performance.

For example:

(Source for categories: Developing Learning Outcomes Self-Study Guide, Humbler College of Applied Arts and Technology, March, 1996)

Performance Elements

Learning outcomes statements can be supported by the inclusion of performance elements. Performance elements or indicators as they are sometimes called, provide a more specific picture of an ability. They define and clarify the level and quality of performance necessary to meet the requirements of the learning outcome. In effect, the elements are indicators of the means by which the learner will proceed to satisfactory performance of the learning outcome.That is, they help to address the question, "What would you accept as evidence that a student has achieved a certain level, or is in the process of achieving the outcome?

(Source: Generic Skills Learning Outcomes for Two and Three Year Programs in Ontario's Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. The College Standards and Accreditation Council, May, 1995)

For example:

Suppose you have the learning outcome:

Applies analytical skills when addressing contemporary social issues.

Some performance elements might include:

• identifies assumptions underlying various points of view
• presents a cogent argument with supporting evidence.

Verbs to avoid when writing learning outcomes include:

What do these verbs have in common, and why do you think it is recommended that you avoid using them when writing learning outcomes?

Some common verbs that I have seen included in learning outcomes include the following:

top of page

Would you like to know more about the difference between learning outcomes and learning objectives?

CHECKLIST FOR INTEGRATION OF LEARNING OUTCOMES

• I know what the learning outcomes are for my course and program.

• I have designed learning activities and resources which reflect the learning outcomes.
  
• I have designed assessment/evaluation strategies with feedback opportunities for students.
  The evaluation strategies reflect the learning outcomes.
  
• I have negotiated with students to provide some choice in the means of reaching the outcomes.
  (Adapted from the York Region Board of Education OBL Planning Model)
  
• Course learning outcomes have been developed in consultation with program advisory committees, and groups of other faculty; not by individuals working in isolation. Since learning outcomes reflect the present and anticipated future needs of society, their development requires discussion and input from a variety of sources
  
• Course learning outcomes dovetail with program learning outcomes for the program in which I am working
  
• Some learning outcome statements may receive more weighting or importance within a course than others. This differential course weighting would be reflected in the percentage of a course grade attached to each outcome.
  

  top of page

  ---

SUMMARY OF DEFINITIONS AND DISTINCTIONS

Program Learning Outcomes

• describe the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes required by graduates of the program

Course Learning Outcomes

• reflect what the faculty and the community collectively identify as the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes required by practitioners in the subject area

Instructional Objectives

• describe in detail the behaviours that students will be able to perform at the conclusion of a unit of instruction such as a class, and the conditions and criteria which determine the acceptable level of performance.
  

Practice

Would you like to put some of these ideas into practice?

Reflect for a moment on the implications of learning outcomes development for teaching and learning. What does such a movement suggest in relation to teachers and learners? Do you find yourself basically in agreement with some of the underlying assumptions? What questions or concerns do you have related to the introduction of learning outcomes?
Compare your thoughts with some of the the literature related to learning outcomes.

top of page