What are learning outcomes?
Learning outcomes are specific statements of what students will be able to do when they successfully complete a learning experience (whether it's a project, course or program). They are written in a student-centered, measurable fashion that is concise, meaningful, and achievable.
Learning Outcomes at the University or Program Level
Learning outcomes exist at various levels, from individual lessons to entire university programs. At the broadest level, universities establish institutional learning outcomes for all graduates. Franklin Pierce has learning outcomes at both the university-wide and individual program levels.
Learning Outcomes at the MOdule, unit or week level
Learning outcomes are used at the module, unit, or weekly level within a course, in addition to program and university levels. Instructors create these smaller-scale outcomes to support overall course goals. Outcomes become more specific and quantifiable as the level of analysis narrows.
How are Learning Outcomes Different from Learning Goals or Learning Objectives?
These terms are often used interchangeably and are all related to the teaching and learning that is expected to take place in the classroom. Learning objectives serve as the crucial, actionable steps that translate broad learning goals into specific, measurable learning outcomes. They are the "how" that bridges the "why" (goals) and the "what" (outcomes). In essence, learning goals set the stage, learning objectives provide the steps, and learning outcomes reveal the achieved results.
Learning Goals (Broad Aims)
These are broader statements that describe what an instructor or program intends to teach.
They often reflect the instructor's perspective and the overall purpose of the course or program.
They tend to be less specific and may not always be easily measurable.
Think of them as the "aims" of the educational experience.
Written to identify the aims of the instructor, program, or institution.
Goals are difficult to measure.
Example: To foster an appreciation for literary analysis
Learning Objectives (Specific Intentions)
These are specific, detailed statemets of instructional intent.
Describe what students should be able to do during the course or by the end of a unit or course.
Bridge the gap between goals and outcomes.
More specific than goals.
Action oriented.
Written to identify the instructors instructional intent.
Can be measured, but may be difficult to measure.
Example: Students will be able to identify and explain the use of metaphor in a poem.
Learning Outcomes (Measurable Results)
Measurable statements of what students will be able to demonstrate
Student Centered
Describe the results of leanring
Very specific
Observable and assessable.
Written to identify the students demonstrated abilities.
Very measurable.
Example: Students will be able to write an essay that analyzes the use of figurative language in a selected poem, providing specific examples from the text.
Why write learning outcomes?
Identifying the desired results of a learning experience is the first step of course design. Learning outcomes are used for this purpose.
Learning outcomes are also valuable in these ways:
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Learning outcomes help instructors...
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Learning outcomes help students…
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What do effective learning outcomes look like?
Clearly written outcomes are the foundation of good course design. Outcomes frame the way students will be assessed as well as what will be taught during the course and even the organization fo the course.
Effective learning outcomes are:
Concrete Action Verbs
The following list includes concrete action verbs that correspond with each level of Bloom's taxonomy for the cognitive domain. To ensure outcomes are measurable, you might find it helpful to start each one with a verb from this list.
What about Hard-to-Measure Outcomes?
Some faculty find it difficult to only include measurable outcomes in their course-planning/design process. You might have learning goals in mind that are valuable but more difficult to measure during a course, such as
- appreciate the intangible benefits of art in society.
- question one's own beliefs and recognize personal bias.
- understand the value of ethics in business leadership.
These are all excellent examples of worthwhile goals that you might integrate into your learning materials and activities. It's fine to include hard-to-measure goals like these alongside your course outcomes, but it's best to keep them under a separate heading—such as "Learning Goals"—than to include them with your measurable outcomes. This separation clarifies that these goals are an important part of your course, but are not necessarily be tied to student grading and evaluation in the same way that the student learning outcomes are.
Additional Resources
- For more information on what makes for clear, measurable learning objectives, you can also use Arizona State University's Objectives Builder tool.
- Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, E. J., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. New York, NY: Longmans, Green and Co.
The Center for Teaching and Learning is available to consult with departments and individual faculty members on developing learning outcomes.
