Student Learning Outcomes

by | Feb 13, 2018 | Blog, Educational Development

GUIDELINES FOR STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Rules of Thumb

  • Avoid use of verbs such as, “demonstrate”, “know”, “recognize”, “value”, “appreciate”, etc.
  • Use only a single action verb per Student Learning Outcome (SLO). Use Bloom’s taxonomy for verb selection.
  • Three to five (3 – 5) outcomes for a normal 3-credit hour course.
  • Freshman and sophomore classes should have some (not likely mostly) higher order level outcomes.
  • Junior and Senior level should have mostly higher order level outcomes.

Components of Student Learning Outcomes

  • C = Conditions – context, setting and/or conditions under which the behavior will occur.
  • B = Behavior – the performance/what the student will be able to do, use an action verb from Bloom’s Taxonomy.
  • C = Criterion/criteria – defines the minimum acceptable level of performance.

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives

Use of action verbs from Bloom’s Taxonomy helps to ensure that a student learning outcome is measurable. Bloom’s Taxonomy is a hierarchical way of thinking (action or performance verbs) that classifies learning or cognition into six levels; categorized from less to more complex.
The hierarchical structure indicates that action verbs found at lower levels of the taxonomy are inferred at the higher levels.

The hierarchical structure indicates that action verbs found at lower levels of the taxonomy are inferred at the higher levels.

EXAMPLES:

For more information on Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), please contact the Coulter Faculty Commons.