LEARNING OUTCOMES LEARNING ACHIEVED BY THE END OF A

learning outcomes learning achieved by the end of a course or program knowledge – skills – attitudes by shirley lesch, george brown col

LEARNING OUTCOMES
LEARNING ACHIEVED BY THE END OF A COURSE OR PROGRAM
KNOWLEDGE – SKILLS – ATTITUDES
By Shirley Lesch, George Brown College
http://liad.gbrownc.on.ca/programs/InsAdult/currlo.htm
Learning Outcomes
Definition
Guidelines for Writing LO
Practice
Characteristics
Components of LO
Critique
Background
LO Checklist
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.

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
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 behavior;
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. College Standards and Accreditation
Committee)

Overview of Learning Outcomes Structure in Community Colleges
GLOBAL INFLUENCES
WORKPLACE REQUIREMENTS

DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes required by program
graduates

OVERALL CURRICULUM DESIGN
Mapping of content and course sequence to provide required vocational,
general education and generic skill outcomes

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Faculty developed learning outcomes for individual courses within a
program

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes required for each unit of
instruction within a course


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:
ACTION WORD
(performance)
LEARNING STATEMENT
(the learning)
CRITERION
(the conditions of the performance demonstration)
Applies
principles of asepsis
when executing psychomotor skills
Produces
documents
using word processing equipment
Analyzes
global and environmental factors
in terms of their effects on people
(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:
Appreciate
Enjoy
Know
Realize
Be aware of
Perceive
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:
Use
Develop
Analyze
Express
Evaluate
Organize
Create
Write
Plan
Apply
Produce
Implement
Compile
Incorporate
Construct

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.

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 behaviors 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.

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?

Prior Learning Assessment - What's that got to do with me?
Have you ever participated in a course or program in which you
realized that you already had knowledge and skill related to most or
all of the course? In other words, the course was really a repetition
of learning you had done elsewhere. Perhaps this course was required
for you to continue on in a program, but in reality, participation was
not a good use of your time and energy. If so, then you would have
been a candidate for a PLA process.
Prior learning assessment (PLA) is a process which uses a variety of
tools to help learners reflect on, identify, describe and demonstrate
past learning which has been acquired through study, work and other
life experiences. PLA allows the evaluation of past learning against
established academic standards so that credit can be awarded. If you
work in a postsecondary educational system, you may participate in
this process by:
*
identifying a learner who would benefit from a PLA process
*
assess a learner who has requested a PLA process
Background and Context
In 1993, the Ontario Government announced implementation of prior
learning assessment for adult learners in the Colleges of Applied Arts
and Technology. The underlying assumption related to PLA is that
learning is a lifelong process and can occur in meaningful ways
outside of formal educational institutions. This learning is
transferable to an academic environment and should be formally
recognized. Some common terms associated with PLA:
*
Challenge Process:
A method of assessment administered by faculty to measure an
individual's learning achievement in reference to the essential
requirements of a course. It measures demonstrated learning for
the purpose of awarding credit without requiring enrolment in that
course. Types of challenges could include tests, oral interview,
demonstration of skills, production of art, reports etc.
*
Experiential Learning:
Learning which has been acquired through self-directed study, paid
and voluntary work, non college courses and other life
experiences, and which is not recognized through transfer of
credit mechanisms.
*
College Level Learning:
Learning accomplishments which are equivalent to the knowledge,
skills and values expected from a college course.
*
Portfolio:
A formally presented document which describes learning achieved
from prior experience, articulates the learning towards specific
college course requirements, and shows validation or proof through
third party documentation and other forms of evidence.

(Source: Algonquin College in publication: "Prior Learning Assessment:
Guidelines for Effective Practices" Prepared by Prior Learning
Assessment Office, March, 1995.)
URL for this article:
http://dental.gbrownc.on.ca/programs/insadult/currlo.htm
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