Learning Outcomes and

Assignments

Multimodal Communication

Mode – form or type of something

Multi – many

Multimodal – many forms of communication Oral Written Visual

What forms of communication do you use in the classroom?• Write one idea per sticky

note

Examples: class discussion, lecture, cartoons, journal articles, etc.

• Place on the Venn diagram in the appropriate column

What forms of communication will students use in their careers?• Write one idea per sticky

note

Examples: scientific reports for company, press releases, gallery statements, team meetings

• Place on the Venn diagram in the appropriate column

Visual Communication

Movies

Photographs

Charts and Tables

Layout on page

Clothes and appearance

Info

gra

ph

ic b

y C

heyenn

e D

avis

, Pre

s U

Tu

tor

Shifting Needs

“It is no longer possible to think about literacy in isolation from a vast array of social, technological and economic factors. Two distinct yet related factors deserve to be particularly highlighted. These are, on the one hand, the broad move from the now centuries long dominance of writing to the new dominance of the image and, on the other hand, the move from the dominance of the medium of the book to the dominance of the medium of the screen. These two together are producing a revolution in the uses and effects of literacy and of associated means for representing and communicating at every level and in every domain.”

(Kress, 2003, p. 1)

What Employers Want

• 89% of employers say that 4-year colleges should place MORE emphasis on helping students develop effective oral & written communication skills, capabilities, and knowledge (Hart Research, 2010).

• Employers consistently rate communication skills

as one of the most highly desired skills among college graduates seeking a job (Forbes, 2014).

Faculty Fellows Program

Incorporate multimodal communication in teaching

Develop students’ ability to communicate what they know using 21st century tools and processes

Common Misconceptions

1. Creating a class is about deciding what content to cover

2. I only write learning outcomes because they are required by administrators

3. Most of the time I devote to a class is spent actually in the classroom or grading assignments

4. There’s an ideal teaching strategy

The Reality

1. Teaching is about helping students to become competent in an area• Both what they know and what

they can do2. Learning outcomes should be the driving force of the course3. Designing a great class requires a lot of time up front, but this can reduce the time I spend lecturing and re-teaching later.4. How I teach depends on what I am trying to accomplish

Learning Outcomes

Measurable, stated in terms of what students will do

Future-oriented beyond the class

Good, Better, Best

Move from a focus on what you want students to “know” or “understand” to what you want students to be able to do as evidence

Example: Faculty will understand how a learning outcome is structured

Better: Faculty will:define learning outcomes

identify action verbs that they can use in creating learning outcomes

Avoid Phrases You Can’t Measure

• learn how to

• develop skills in

• discover

• examine

• demonstrate knowledge of

• be aware

• gain the ability

• acquire

• grow/increase – unless you are really measuring this

Bloom’s Taxonomy1. Knowledge 2. Comprehension 3. Application

Recall information Interpret information in one’s own words

Use knowledge or generalization in a new situation

arrange namedefine orderduplicate recalllabel relatelist repeatmatch reproducememorize

classify reportdescribe restatediscuss reviewexplain selectexpress sortidentify tellindicate translatelocate

apply operatechoose practicedemonstrate preparedramatize scheduleemploy sketchillustrate solveinterpret use

4. Analysis 5. Synthesis 6. Evaluation

Break knowledge into parts and show relationships

Bring together parts to form whole and build relationships for new situations

Make judgments based on criteria

analyze differentiateappraise discriminatecalculate distinguishcategorize examinecompare experimentcontrast inventorycriticize questiondiagram test

arrange manageassemble organizecollect plancompose prepareconstruct proposecreate set updesign synthesizeformulate write

appraise evaluateargue judgeassess predictattack ratechoose scorecompare selectdefend supportestimate value

Morr

ison,

Ross

, K

alm

an

, &

Kem

p

(201

1)

Good, Better, Best

Make sure you really capture what you want students to do as a result of your class.

Best: Faculty will create measurable learning outcomes appropriate for their courses

Learning Outcome Checklist

Observable Action

Related to communicating ideas

In an appropriate way for students’ future needs

Developing Assignments• Focus on learning

outcomes• What is proper

evidence?• Feasible for you?• Feasible for your

students?

Assessment

Activities

Learning Outcomes

• Listening• Reading• Researching• Writing• Presenting• Discussing• Designing• Building• Drawing• Graphing• Evaluating• Defending

Etc

Instruction

Expanded Performance-Content Matrix

ContentPerformance

Recall Application

Facts

Concepts

Principles and Rules

Procedures

Interpersonal

Attitude(Morrison et al., 2011)

Learning Strategies

Content StrategiesFacts

Concepts

Principles and Rules

Procedures

Interpersonal

Attitude

Learning Strategies

Content StrategiesFacts Drills, lecture, mnemonic devices

Concepts Hear/view examples, sort into categories, compare and contrast, lecture, drills

Principles and Rules

Hear/view examples, complete worked examples, solve a problem, computer simulation, drills, paraphrase

Procedures View a demonstration, complete worked examples, solve a problem, computer simulation, list steps, paraphrase, practice

Interpersonal View a demonstration, mental rehearsal, role-playing, computer simulation, practice

Attitude Defend a position, mental rehearsal

In General

• Don’t just do one thing

• Carefully sequence activities

• This requires:• Clearly defining

learning outcomes• Listening to students• Providing feedback

References

Adams, S. (2014, November 12). The 10 skills employers most want in 2015 graduates. Forbes.com.

Hart Research Associates. (2010, January 10). Raising the bar: Employers’ views on college learning in the wake of the economic downturn. Washington, D.C.: Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Kress, G. (2003). Literacy in the new media age. London: Routledge.

Morrison, G.R., Ross, S.M., Kalman, H.K., & Kemp, J.E. (2011). Designing effective instruction. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Shulman, L. S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 5, 1–22.

Questions?