Learning Outcomes

Developing strong SLOs involves clearly articulating what students will be able to demonstrate by the end of a course or program. Here are some key elements to consider:

• Action Verbs: Use verbs that describe observable behaviors, such as analyze, create, interpret, synthesize, evaluate.
• Focus on Learning: The focus should be on what students will learn, not what they will be taught (e.g., "Students will be able to..." rather than "The course will cover...").
• Specificity: Clearly define the knowledge, skills, or dispositions students will develop.
• Measurability: Consider how you will assess whether students have achieved the learning outcome.

Examples of Fink's Taxonomy in Action:

• Foundational Knowledge (Remembering): Students will be able to recall the key tenets of [Theory X] and [Theory Y] in organizational psychology.
• Application (Applying): Students will be able to design a research study that utilizes qualitative methods to investigate a social issue within their community.
• Integration (Connecting): Students will be able to compare and contrast the ethical frameworks presented in different religious traditions.

By following these tips and leveraging Fink's Taxonomy, you can craft SLOs that are clear, measurable, and aligned with your course or program objectives. Let's work together to empower students on their academic journey and prepare them for lifelong success.

Below are several quick tips to keep in mind when designing or revising your SLOs:

Do:

1. Focus on students: Learning outcomes should give students a clear picture of what they will be learning.
2. Start with the end in mind: Identify what students will know, understand, and be able to do at the end of the course or program.
3. Use simple langauge: Learning outcomes should be easy to understand for students and other who are not experts in the field. 
4. Employ Fink's "Taxonomy of Significant Learning": When writing learning outcomes, consider Fink's six categories of significant learning (Foundational Knowledge, Application, Integration, Human Dimension, Caring, and Learning How to learn) which promote a holistic, student-centered approach to learning.
5. Be clear and specific: Learning outcomes should be clear, specific, and measurable, using action verbs that describe the expected performance.
6. Limit each learning outcome to one measurable outcome (i.e. action verb): One measurable student behavior per learning outcome is more likely to produce reliable, potentially valid assessment of student learning.
7. Consider diverse learners: Learning outcomes should be inclusive and considerate of the diversity of students' backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and learning styles. 

Don't:

1. Focus on you: Avoid learning outcomes that describe what or how you will teach and instead focus on what the students will be able to know, do, or demonstrate. 
2. Use jargon and vague language: Avoid using jargon and area-specific language so that learning outcomes are comprehensible to everyone. 
3. Include multiple verbs in a single learning outcome: Multiple verbs in a learning outcome create multiple problems: Which is the one that will be assessed? If more than one at the same time, will they be weighted differently in determining whether a student has attained the outcome?
4. Incorporate a product/deliverable into learning outcomes: Learning outcomes should describe the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students are expected to gain from a course or program of study. Including products/deliverables (i.e. oral presentations, capstone projects) can limit the scope of learning to only whether a specific project was completed.
5. Have too many learning outcomes: Best practice indicates having 5-7 learning outcomes. Limiting the number of outcomes improves the quality and effectiveness of the curriculum, enhances student engagement and understanding, and simplifies the assessment process.
6. Write learning outcomes that are too narrow: Avoid writing outcomes that are too narrow or focused on specific tasks, as this can limit the scope of learning. 
7. Write learning outcomes that are too broad: Learning outcomes that are too broad make it difficult to assess whether students have achieved the intended learnin

The Office of Academic Assessment is happy to consult with you to design or revise your course's student learning outcomes. Please contact us if you'd like to chat about SLOs!