student and staff perceptions of the utility of learning outcomes schools of biological sciences,...

Student and Staff Perceptions of the Utility of Learning Outcomes

Schools of Biological Sciences, Medicine & English

Jon Scott, Sara Brooks, Kerry Dobbins, Robert Norman & Mark Rawlinson

‘…. while learning outcomes can be valuable if properly used, they have been misappropriated and adopted widely at all levels within the education system to facilitate the managerial process. This has led to their distortion. The claim that they can be made precise by being written with a prescribed vocabulary of special descriptors so as to serve as objective, measurable devices for monitoring performance, is fundamentally mistaken, and they may be damaging to education when used in this way.’

(Hussey & Smith, 2002)

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How are learning outcomes perceived, and used, by students and staff?

Perceptions of Students & Staffin the School of Biological Sciences

Strongly Agree

Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree

Disagree Strongly Disagree

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StudentsStaff

Respondents: 311 students ( 41% of student cohort) 37 staff (45% of staff total)

I consider that LOs are a useful learning aid

Perceptions of Students & Staff

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Disagree Strongly Disagree

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I consider that LOs specify the range of subject material that may be assessed

Jon Kudelka (2013), The Australian

Perceptions of Students & Staff

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Disagree Strongly Disagree

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I have found that published LOs can restrict the breadth of my/students’ learning

Are Learning Outcomes used effectively to inform the depth of learning?

Perceptions of Students & Staff

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Disagree Strongly Disagree

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StudentsStaff

I consider that LOs specify the level of learning required to pass an assessment

Perceptions of Biology Students

Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree

Disagree Strongly Disagree

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I am usually able to understand easily the depth of learning required based on stated LOs

… but…

Perceptions of Biology Students

Strongly Agree

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Disagree Strongly Disagree

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I have found it is possible to underestimate the level of learning required to pass an assessment from the published Learning Outcomes

How do Students Use Learning Outcomes?

before

the tea

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I first read the LOs in relation to a teaching activity …

How do Students Use Learning Outcomes?

I consider that LOs are most useful to me…

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vising

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How do Staff Use Learning Outcomes?

I consider LOs to be useful for structuring module & programme design

Strongly Agree

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How do Staff Use Learning Outcomes?

Strongly Agree

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I use LOs to frame the design of assessment

How do Staff Use Learning Outcomes?

When undertaking teaching design…

I plan

out LOs a

s the fi

rst st

ep

I fit L

Os to th

e req

uired co

ntext

I do not a

pply LO

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…Just a Management Tool??

Strongly Agree

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StudentsStaff

I consider that LOs are primarily for the use of the university in providing evidence of teaching quality to outside reviewers

How do you use yours?