Writing and Measuring Student Learning Outcomes

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Writing and Measuring Student Learning Outcomes

• Dr. Sharon Pate
• sharon.pate_at_ctcd.edu

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Outcomes

• Why
• What
• How

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The Top Ten Reasons Learning Outcomes Are
Important

• They clearly communicate a graduates skills to
  prospective employers.
• They act as a template for part-time instructors.
• They provide benchmarks for assessment.
• They can guide selection of assessment
  techniques.
• They can help articulate the impact of
  instruction.

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• 5. They can help in the selection of teaching
  strategies.
• 4. They communicate expectations to learners.
• 3. Together, they offer a map of the curriculum.
• 2. They facilitate meaningful connections
  between courses.
• 1. Assessment of outcomes increases data and
  dialogue about learning, and provides evidence
  for decision making.

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What are learning outcomes?

• Student learning outcomes (SLO)
• specify what a learner is expected to
• know, understand, or be able to do
• upon completion of a course.

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OBJECTIVES //OUTCOMES

• Learning Objectives are the intended
• results of the educational experience.
• Learning Outcomes are the achieved results, with
  documentation that learning took place.

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What do I do after I write it?

• Communicate it.
• Use it as a benchmark.
• Teach students to self-monitor.

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What are the characteristics of a good student
learning outcome?

• S M A R C
• It is Specific.
• It is Measurable
• It is Actionable.
• It is Relevant.
• It is Communicated.

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Specific

• A specific outcome refers to one learning
  behavior.
• Identify potential sources of patient stress and
  create an intervention plan for each one.
• 1. Identify the five most common potential
  sources of patient stress on a post surgical
  ward.
• 2. Create an intervention plan with at least
  three strategies for one major post surgical
  patient stressor.

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Specific

• The student will demonstrate a working knowledge
  of the theory and application of all the aspects
  of the welding industry.
• 1. Student will achieve an 80 mastery level on
  each module exam before performing welding
• 2. Students will master shop safety practices and
  demonstrate how to handle hazardous materials.
• 3. Explain the basic theory of flux core welding.

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Measurable

• A measurable outcome includes actions depicting
  knowledge, skills, or behaviors that can be
  observed and rated in some form.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the history,
  philosophy and ethical considerations of criminal
  justice.
• 1. Students will report the organization and
  roles of correctional program.
• 2. Students will be able to depict, in a visual
  format with bulleted notes, rehabilitation
  alternatives to institutionalization.
• 3. Analyze a case study of management and
  treatment practices for probation or parole
  practitioners.

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Actionable

• An actionable outcome is one that can be
  demonstrated with evidence, or observed.
• Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of
  the theory, preparation, repair processes, and
  finishing processes of Auto Collision Repair on
  modern vehicles.
• 1. Students will develop a plan to prepare,
  repair and finish an auto collision job.
• 2. Students will master the handling of
  hazardous materials, shop safety, and equipment
  in a realistic setting.
• An actionable outcome is measurable.

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Relevant

• A relevant learning outcome is one that prepares
  the student for future work experiences.
• Students will demonstrate MSDS use and
  applications.

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Communicated

• A communicated outcome is one that is made
  transparent
• to other faculty,
• college administrators, employers
• and to the students.

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What are the steps to writing SLOs?

• Identify the major topics of a course.
• Focus on student behavior.
• Decide how you will measure the achievement of
  the outcome.
• State success criteria.

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Identify the major topics of a course.

• Think about the big picture of what the students
  are expected to learn from the course.
• Consult the All Course Guide Manual (ACGM) at
  www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/Workforc
  eEd/acgm.htm
• or the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM)
  at www.thecb.tx.AAR?UndergraduateEd/workforceEd
• Your institution may have established course
  syllabi that you are required to use.

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3 Ways to Measure SLOs
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Focus on student Behavior

• Align the level of learning in the outcome with
  the levels of instruction and assessment.
• Choose a specific action verb from that level of
  learning.
• This step will (1) insure that the outcome is
  specific and (2) helps identify the method of
  assessment. Refer to a Blooms Taxonomy of
  Learning Chart.

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Decide how you will measure the achievement of
the outcome.

• When assessing the extent to which the learning
  outcomes have been achieved, a variety of methods
  should be used.
• Note Grades alone do not provide adequate
  feedback on students performance
• X Students will be able to communicate
  effectively, as demonstrated by obtaining at
  least a C grade in the course.
• v Students will be able to communicate in writing
  effectively, as exhibited by scoring 8 out of 10
  points for all the components on a rubric for the
  final writing assignment.

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State performance criteria.

• The learning outcome statement should include
  the ultimate level of success criteria, for
  example,
• with 90 accuracy
• using at least 3 of the 5
• critiquing the ten features of
• by supporting a reasonable hypothesis of

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What are the required components of a learning
outcome?

• Student learning behaviors knowledge, skill or
  attitude to be gained
• The method of assessment - conditions of
  performance
• Criteria for achievement the levels of
  acceptable performance

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S M A R C
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The Top Ten Reasons Learning Outcomes Are
Important

• They clearly communicate a ______ ______ to
  prospective employers.
• They act as a template for ________ instructors.
• They provide __________ for assessment.
• They can guide selection of assessment _______.
• They can help articulate the impact of _______.

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• They can help in the selection of _____ _____ .
• They communicate __________ to learners.
• Together, they offer a _____ of the curriculum.
• They facilitate meaningful ______ between _____.
• Assessment of outcomes increases ____ and _____
  about learning, and provides ________ for
  decision making.

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Program Outcomes

• What will students be like (become) or be able to
  do after completing my program?
• Mission statements
• Standards
• Comparables
• Expectations