Learning Outcomes

Student learning outcomes (SLOs) in our academic and co-curricular programs reflect the specific types of learning (knowledge, skills, dispositions) we expect as a result of students’ educational experiences in our departments. Program SLOs are measurable, specific, and provide the evidence we need to determine how well we are meeting the goals we have established for our programs as reflected in specific Program Goals and our Mission.

At the program level, student learning outcomes help programs measure and understand student learning. SLOs are specific statements of what a student will know or do, written to specify how the student will demonstrate that knowledge or ability. 

Program student learning outcomes should spell out what students graduating from or completing a program should know or be able to do. The assessment plan should also specify the conditions under which their knowledge or skills should be demonstrated (the associated measure), and a target for acceptable program performance (e.g., 80% of students will score a 3 or higher on a 4-point rubric).

Learning outcomes can be identified for individual courses, workshops, or other specific educational activities. Within academic programs, course level outcomes help students know what they are expected to do and how they will be assessed for that specific course. A co-curricular program or event (e.g., a workshop) will also have specific outcomes associated with it. 

When we look at the learning expected from a program, we are interested in what students will know or be able to do as a result of their completion of the program.  In academic programs, we’re thinking about the learning that should have been achieved by the time students complete the major.  In co-curricular programs, the outcomes for their programs may be achieved as a result of sustained involvement (e.g., Study Abroad) or regular participation (e.g., a student club). 

Review your mission and any goals you’ve articulated about what you aspire to accomplish in your program. Then think about the most important types and level of learning you expect to see in your graduates or program completers.  It is common to see 5-8 student learning outcomes for a program.

The verbs for outcomes should be observable, demonstrable, or measurable, and should reflect the desired complexity of the activity. Bloom’s Taxonomy is often a good starting point when thinking about cognitive outcomes. For outcomes that encompass soft skills, habits of mind, physical abilities, or affective qualities, other resources are also helpful. Use these resources listed below to help clarify the nature and complexity of the learning you seek. It’s important to think about scaffolding learning as well. Introductory classes or initial learning experiences often provide the foundations for students in their disciplinary knowledge, and students will be expected to define, describe, identify, explain. In subsequent learning experiences, students may apply, analyze, evaluate, and create to indicate the greater complexity of their learning. 

Andrews (2019) reminds us that, “There are some verbs that generally should not be used in outcomes statements, even if they are permissible in goal statements. For example, ‘to understand’ is vague and, by itself, unmeasurable. Similarly, the concept of ‘critical thinking’ should not be used in outcome statements, because each discipline conceptualizes critical thinking differently--instead outcomes statements should be framed around the discrete activities that are considered to be critical thinking or that demonstrate understanding or ability. The more amenable an outcome statement is to being directly and transparently measured, observed, or demonstrated, the better. Achieving that is a combination of avoiding vaguely or broadly defined nouns (like ‘critical thinking’) and using the right verbs. (p.18).”

• Do they align with institutional goals (and other division/college level goals)?
• Are they brief, succinct statements of expected learning?
• Do they use a verb that is observable, demonstrable, or measurable?
• Do they reflect actual knowledge or skills faculty want students to achieve?
• Do they use the appropriate cognitive level (Bloom’s Taxonomy)?
•  Are they discipline-specific, even when incorporating skills that are part of the Core Curriculum (for example, outcomes dealing with critical thinking should reflect the nature of critical thinking in the discipline)?
• Are they publicly available as part of the description of the program or department (e.g., on the website)?

Action words from Bloom’s taxonomy (CTE, University of Miami)

Fink’s significant learning outcomes (Curriculum, Assessment, and Teaching Transformation), University of Buffalo 

Adelman excerpt (NILOA Occasional Paper, 2015).

We gratefully acknowledge the work of  Adam Andrews, A Program Assessment Guide: Best Practices for Designing Effective Assessment Plans (2019) that has informed this page.