LEARNING OUTCOMES

LEARNING ACHIEVED BY THE END OF A COURSE OR PROGRAM

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS ATTITUDES By Shirley Les h! Ge"r#e Br"$% C"lle#e http://liad.gbrownc.on.ca/programs/InsAdult/currlo.htm

Learning Outcomes
Definition haracteristics "ac#ground Guidelines for Writing LO Practice omponents of LO LO hec#list riti!ue

What is meant by Learning Outcomes?

$hin# for a moment about a course or training session with which %ou are currentl% in&ol&ed. Identif% one s#ill that %ou thin# would be essential to #now or do b% the end of this learning period. If %ou were able to do this' then %ou are beginning to construct a learning outcome.

Definition of Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes are statements that describe significant and essential learning that learners ha&e achie&ed' and can reliabl% demonstrate at the end of a course or program. In other words' learning outcomes identif% what the learner will #now and be able to do b% the end of a course or program. (pad%' )*++,- ' an educational researcher who spearheaded the de&elopment of outcomes based education' suggests that the abilit% demonstrate learning is the #e% point. $his demonstration of learning in&ol&es a performance of some #ind in order to show significant learning' or learning that matters. .e claims that significant content is essential' but that content alone is insufficient as an outcome. /ather' #nowledge of content must be manifested through a demonstration process of some #ind. An outcome statement that incorporates this #nowledge within a performance demonstration might include:

$he learner will ha&e demonstrated the abilit% to ma#e engine repairs on a &ariet% of automobiles. In the abo&e statement' the abilit% to ma#e engine repairs implies that the person has the re!uisite #nowledge to do so.

Performance statements include higher le&el thin#ing s#ills as well as ps%chomotor s#ills. onsider the following learning outcome statement: $he learner will ha&e demonstrated the abilit% to anal%0e engines and ma#e decisions regarding re!uired repairs for a &ariet% of automobiles. (pad%' also addresses the conte1t or performance setting in which the performance demonstration occurs. .e suggests a range of performance conte1ts from that of demonstrations of classroom learning to those which in&ol&e li&ing successfull% in the larger societ%. $hus' his highest le&el outcomes refer to generic s#ills such as the preparation of learners to be problem sol&ers' planners' creators' learners and thin#ers' communicators etc.' regardless of sub2ect areas studied. Learning outcomes refer to obser&able and measurable knowledge skills attitudes

34A5PL3( O6 L3A/7I7G O8$ O53( ($A$3537$( $he successful student has reliabl% demonstrated the abilit% to: Administer medications according to legal guidelines 5a#e pricing decisions using rele&ant cost and profitabilit% factor

Characteristics of Learning Outcomes Statements

Learning outcomes should:

reflect broad conceptual #nowledge and adapti&e &ocational and generic s#ills reflect essential #nowledge' s#ills or attitudes9 focus on results of the learning e1periences9 reflect the desired end of the learning e1perience' not the means or the process9 represent the minimum performances that must be achie&ed to successfull% complete a course or program9 answer the !uestion' :Wh% should a student ta#e this course an%wa%;:

Learning outcomes statements ma% be considered to be e1it beha&iors.

Background and Context for Develo ment of Learning Outcomes

<ou ma% ha&e seen learning outcomes statements on &arious college course outlines' including this course. Or' %ou ma% ha&e seen learning outcomes statements which reflect %our children=s e1pected le&el of learning at a certain grade le&el. Learning outcomes reflect a mo&ement toward outcomes based learning !OBL" in elementar%' secondar%' and post secondar% educational s%stems throughout 7orth America' and be%ond. $his >

mo&ement is' in turn' influenced b% public pressure to ensure a greater accountabilit% and consistenc% within educational s%stems. $hrough the creation of outcomes statements' and the e&aluation of learner performance in relation to those statements' it is belie&ed b% some that a more accountable educational s%stem will result. "ecause learning outcomes focus on the end result of learning' regardless of how or where that learning occurred' their de&elopment ser&es to offer the potential for increased access to learning opportunities through prior learning assessment. Outcomes?based education is thought to pro&ide greater:

@ consistenc% ? in course offerings across the educational s%stem @ accountabilit% ? e1pectations for learning are clearl% stated' and fre!uent
assessment processes help both teacher and student identif% progress toward meeting the outcomes

@ accessibilit% ? clearl% defined outcomes enable learners to demonstrate

achie&ement of those outcomes through prior learning assessment processes

#lobal $nfluences
In the *++ABs' global economies and wor# place re!uirements shifted toward broad based' transferable s#ills. 6or e1ample' the onference "oard of anada lists the following s#ills as essential for the wor#place:

abilit% to wor# in teams effecti&e communication abilit% to sol&e problems

Local $nfluences
A comprehensi&e re&iew of the mandate of the Ontario college s%stem in the earl% *++A=s recommended that program standards be de&eloped as a means of ensuring better !ualit% programming. $he creation of program standards was also seen as a wa% of enabling learners to recei&e recognition for pre&ious learning when transferring from one college program to another. )Cision >AAA' *++>As a conse!uence of this decision' a bod% called the ollege (tandards and Accreditation ommittee ) (A - was established to ensure standards and consistenc% across colleges throughout the pro&ince. $his bod% was gi&en the authorit% to appro&e program standards which are the program learning outcomes for all diploma &ocational communit% college programs. )Diploma college programs are three %ears in length.It further de&eloped a set of generic s#ill standards or outcomes which all communit% college graduates of diploma programs are e1pected to demonstrate upon graduation. D

Indi&idual colleges were gi&en the responsibilit% for establishing Learning Outcomes for General 3ducational courses' and for indi&idual courses within college programs.

ollege onte1t
In the college s%stem' learning outcomes are written at the:

P/OG/A5 le&el O8/(3 le&el

L3A/7I7G O8$ O53( in the college s%stem ma% e1press

Cocational (#ills Generic (#ills General 3ducation

#uidelines for Writing Course Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes written at the course le&el should:

state clear e1pectations ? learners #now what the% ha&e to do to demonstrate that the% ha&e achie&ed the learning outcomes9 represent culminating performances of learning and achie&ement9 ) meaning the highest stage of de&elopment' or e1it' end performancedescribe performances that are significant' essential' and verifiable% )meaning that performances can be &erified or obser&ed in some wa% and that the% represent more than one small aspect of beha&ior9 this also means that the performance is considered to be essential for success in the coursepreferabl% state onl% O73 performance per outcome9 refer to learning that is transferable% )meaning that the learning can readil% be transferred from a class to a wor# place en&ironment' or from one wor#place en&ironment to another' etc.not dictate curriculum content9 )meaning that there could be a number of different wa%s to achie&e the outcome.reflect the o&erriding principles of e!uit% and fairness and accommodate the needs of di&erse learners. represent the minimal acceptable le&el of performance that a student needs to demonstrate in order to be considered successful.

!Source& #uidelines to the Develo ment of Standards of 'chievement through Learning Outcomes( )**+, College Standards and 'ccreditation Committee"

O&er&iew of Learning Outcomes (tructure in ommunit% olleges

GLO"AL I76L837 3( WO/EPLA 3 /3F8I/3537$(

D3C3LOP537$ O6 P/OG/A5 L3A/7I7G O8$ O53(

3ssential #nowledge' s#ills and attitudes re!uired b% program graduates

OC3/ALL 8//I 8L85 D3(IG7

5apping of content and course se!uence to pro&ide re!uired &ocational' general education and generic s#ill outcomes

O8/(3 L3A/7I7G O8$ O53(

6acult% de&eloped learning outcomes for indi&idual courses within a program

I7($/8 $IO7AL O"G3 $IC3(

3ssential #nowledge' s#ills and attitudes re!uired for each unit of instruction within a course

'natomy of Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcome statements ma% be bro#en down into three main components:

an action word that identifies the performance to be demonstrated9 a learning statement that specifies what learning will be demonstrated in the performance9 a broad statement of the criterion or standard for acceptable performance.

6or e1ample:

A $IO7 WO/D
)performanceApplies Produces Anal%0es

L3A/7I7G ($A$3537$ )the learningprinciples of asepsis documents global and en&ironmental factors

/I$3/IO7 )the conditions of the

performance demonstrationwhen e1ecuting ps%chomotor s#ills using word processing e!uipment in terms of their effects on people

)(ource for categories: De&eloping Learning Outcomes (elf?(tud% Guide' .umbler ollege of Applied Arts and $echnolog%' 5arch' *++I-

-erformance .lements
Learning outcomes statements can be supported b% the inclusion of erformance elements, Performance elements or indicators as the% are sometimes called' pro&ide a more specific picture of an abilit%. $he% define and clarif% the le&el and !ualit% of performance necessar% to meet the re!uirements of the learning outcome. In effect' the elements are indicators of the means b% which the learner will proceed to satisfactor% performance of the learning outcome. $hat is' the% help to address the !uestion' :What would %ou accept as e&idence that a student has achie&ed a certain le&el' or is in the process of achie&ing the outcome;
)(ource: Generic (#ills Learning Outcomes for $wo and $hree <ear Programs in OntarioBs olleges of Applied Arts and $echnolog%. $he ollege (tandards and Accreditation ouncil' 5a%' *++H-

6or e1ample: (uppose %ou ha&e the learning outcome:

Applies anal%tical s#ills when addressing contemporar% social issues .

I

(ome performance elements might include:

identifies assumptions underl%ing &arious points of &iew presents a cogent argument with supporting e&idence.

Cerbs to a&oid when writing learning outcomes include: Appreciate 3n2o% Enow /eali0e "e aware of Percei&e What do these &erbs ha&e in common' and wh% do %ou thin# it is recommended that %ou a&oid using them when writing learning outcomes; (ome common &erbs that I ha&e seen included in learning outcomes include the following: 8se De&elop Anal%0e 31press 3&aluate Organi0e reate Write Plan Appl% Produce Implement ompile Incorporate onstruct

C/.C0L$S1 2O3 $41.#3'1$O4 O2 L.'34$4# O51CO6.S

I #now what the learning outcomes are for m% course and program. I ha&e designed learning acti&ities and resources which reflect the learning outcomes. I ha&e designed assessment/e&aluation strategies with feedbac# opportunities for students. $he e&aluation strategies reflect the learning outcomes. I ha&e negotiated with students to pro&ide some choice in the means of reaching the outcomes.
)Adapted from the <or# /egion "oard of 3ducation O"L Planning 5odel-

ourse learning outcomes ha&e been de&eloped in consultation with program ad&isor% committees' and groups of other facult%9 not b% indi&iduals wor#ing in isolation. (ince learning outcomes reflect the present and anticipated future needs of societ%' their de&elopment re!uires discussion and input from a &ariet% of sources ourse learning outcomes do&etail with program learning outcomes for the program in which I am wor#ing (ome learning outcome statements ma% recei&e more weighting or importance within a course than others. $his differential course weighting would be reflected in the percentage of a course grade attached to each outcome.

(855A/< O6 D36I7I$IO7( A7D DI($I7 $IO7( Program Learning Outcomes

describe the essential #nowledge' s#ills and attitudes re!uired b% graduates of the program J

ourse Learning Outcomes

reflect what the facult% and the communit% collecti&el% identif% as the essential #nowledge' s#ills and attitudes re!uired b% practitioners in the sub2ect area

Instructional Ob2ecti&es

describe in detail the beha&iors 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 le&el of performance.

/eflect for a moment on the implications of learning outcomes de&elopment for teaching and learning. What does such a mo&ement suggest in relation to teachers and learners; Do %ou find %ourself basicall% in agreement with some of the underl%ing assumptions; What !uestions or concerns do %ou ha&e related to the introduction of learning outcomes;

-rior Learning 'ssessment 7 What8s that got to do with me?

.a&e %ou e&er participated in a course or program in which %ou reali0ed that %ou alread% had #nowledge and s#ill related to most or all of the course; In other words' the course was reall% a repetition of learning %ou had done elsewhere. Perhaps this course was re!uired for %ou to continue on in a program' but in realit%' participation was not a good use of %our time and energ%. If so' then %ou would ha&e been a candidate for a PLA process. Prior learning assessment )PLA- is a process which uses a &ariet% of tools to help learners reflect on' identif%' describe and demonstrate past learning which has been ac!uired through stud%' wor# and other life e1periences. PLA allows the e&aluation of past learning against established academic standards so that credit can be awarded. If %ou wor# in a postsecondar% educational s%stem' %ou ma% participate in this process b%: identif%ing a learner who would benefit from a PLA process assess a learner who has re!uested a PLA process Background and Context In *++D' the Ontario Go&ernment announced implementation of prior learning assessment for adult learners in the olleges of Applied Arts and $echnolog%. $he underl%ing assumption related to PLA is that learning is a lifelong process and can occur in meaningful wa%s outside of formal educational institutions. $his learning is transferable to an academic en&ironment and should be formall% recogni0ed. (ome common terms associated with PLA:

Challenge -rocess& A method of assessment administered b% facult% to measure an indi&idualBs learning achie&ement in reference to the essential re!uirements of a course. It measures demonstrated learning for the purpose of awarding credit without re!uiring enrolment in that course. $%pes of challenges could include tests' oral inter&iew' demonstration of s#ills' production of art' reports etc. K

.x eriential Learning& Learning which has been ac!uired through self?directed stud%' paid and &oluntar% wor#' non college courses and other life e1periences' and which is not recogni0ed through transfer of credit mechanisms. College Level Learning& Learning accomplishments which are e!ui&alent to the #nowledge' s#ills and &alues e1pected from a college course. -ortfolio& A formall% presented document which describes learning achie&ed from prior e1perience' articulates the learning towards specific college course re!uirements' and shows &alidation or proof through third part% documentation and other forms of e&idence.

)(ource: Algon!uin ollege in publication: :Prior Learning Assessment: Guidelines for 3ffecti&e Practices: Prepared b% Prior Learning Assessment Office' 5arch' *++H.-

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