Transcript Program Outcomes

PROGRAM OUTCOMES
DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTIONS
Name, School, Program/Discipline
Level of Experience with:
Writing Course Learning Outcomes
Writing Program Learning Outcomes
Using Bloom’s Taxonomy
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The participant will:
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Learn and apply the definition of learning outcomes to
examples and then to one’s own program
Write program learning outcomes for one program
Improve own and others’ program outcomes by sharing and
discussing drafts
WHAT IS THIS A DIAGRAM OF?
A Bloated Curriculum
A bloated curriculum
feeds the exploitation of
adjuncts, increases
professors' workloads,
and hurts students in
crowded majors. The
solution, writes Michael
Bugeja, is to balance the
quality of course offerings
with the demand.
(Illustration by William L. Brown)
Chronicle.com; Jan 28, 2008
BRAINSTORMING
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What are the most important topics to be
addressed in your program?
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“Ultimately, what do I want students to learn throughout
the program?”
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“What is most important for students to learn in this topic
area?”
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“What should students ‘know’ by the end of the program?”
BRAINSTORMING
What essential elements of knowledge should
students possess?
 What basic skills should students be able to
perform?
 What fundamental judgments should
students be able to exercise at the end of the
course?
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“What are the essential skills / knowledge / values that
students should know at the conclusion of the
program?”
 “What is it that we want our students to know and be
able to demonstrate at the end of the program?”
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WHAT LEARNING OUTCOMES REALLY ARE
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Learning outcomes tend to be the expression of the best
judgments about the content area in which a particular
group or person has expertise
Learning outcomes represent what instructors want
students to learn, not what is to be taught
An outcomes-based curriculum is simply a way for faculty
to identify for themselves, and for their students, the
specific aims of each course
WHAT LEARNING OUTCOMES REALLY ARE
When developing learning outcomes, educators define:
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who is to demonstrate the desired performance
what observable performance the student is expected to
demonstrate
whether any special conditions (materials, environment,
restrictions) are provided for the student at the time of
assessment, and
what is the minimal, acceptable response deemed
appropriate (Cook, 1978)
LEARNING OUTCOMES - DEFINITION
Learning Outcomes specify the observable and/or
measurable knowledge, skills and judgment
which a person is expected to have developed or
acquired as the result of a course of study or a set
of identifiable experiences.
Innerd, Green & Towson, 1998
LEARNING OUTCOMES - CLARIFICATION
Learning outcomes describe what a person
should know or be able to do or demonstrate at
a given point in their development.
LEARNING OUTCOMES - CHARACTERISTICS
Learning Outcomes:
are unambiguous
 use plain language
 use verbs that require verifiable performances
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ONE MORE TOOL…BLOOM’S TAXONOMY
Remembering
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Understanding
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Applying
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Analyzing
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Evaluating
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Creating
LEARNING OUTCOMES - RECAP
Learning Outcomes specify the observable and/or
measurable knowledge, skills and judgment which a
person is expected to have developed or acquired as the
result of a course of study or a set of identifiable
experiences.
They describe what a person should know or be able to do
or demonstrate at a given point in their development.
Learning Outcomes:
 are unambiguous
 use plain language
 use verbs which require verifiable performances
PROGRAM OUTCOMES - CRITIQUE
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As student, would this set adequately describe what
you are to learn?
As a faculty member, will your role in teaching
courses in the program be clear?
As an employer, is this set of program outcomes
reflective of what you’d expect a graduate of the
program to know and be able to do?
PROGRAM OUTCOMES – NEXT STEPS
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Review and finalize the outcomes you drafted today
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Write a complete set of outcomes for your program
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Identify how each of the courses fit into the program (mapping)
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Identify where/when/how you will measure students’
achievement of each program learning outcome
Original content developed by Donna H. Green, Ph.D. adapted and shared with author’s permission