How to formulate measurable Learning Outcomes

Or how to keep my job!

PIRSA State Workshop - 2015Steve Gambino

West Chester University

How to formulate measurable Learning Outcomes

After attending the PIRSA State Workshop, the participants will be able to:

1. Label the four areas of a learning outcome

2. Identify the four aspects a LO must address

3. Formulate at least one learning outcome specific to

your department

Writing Learning Outcomes

Focus on writing a LO on what you want the student to learn, know, do, or value from your activity/program.

It is a specific statement of what participants will be able to know or achieve as a result of their engagement.

Writing Learning Outcomes

Phrase any LO as a learning objective, which can be measured by using action verbs such as identify, explain, describe, able to …..

Stated “learning objectives” are essential when preparing teaching lesson plans in academia.

Writing Learning Outcomes

Some example learning objectives:

• A successful student from this program will be able to…

• On successful completion of the _______, students will be able to …….

• Students will be able to ………

Writing Learning Outcomes

There are two aspects to keep in mind when writing LOs. The first is to determine the purpose of the LO. Each statement MUST address the following:

• Knowledge acquisition• Skill improvement• Behavior change

• Environment/culture

Writing Learning Outcomes

The second is to LABEL each component of the LO. Labeling the components simplifies the desired outcome. They are as follows:

1. A = audience, which addresses “who”2. B = behavior, which addresses “what”3. C = condition, which addresses “when”4. D = degree, which addresses “how well”, not

always specified

Writing Learning OutcomesLO Example #1: Assessing Career Development Center

After attending the PIRSA State Workshop, the participants will be able to identify the four

aspects a LO must address.

Exercise – label the A, B, C, and D in this LO.

1. A = audience, which addresses “who”2. B = behavior, which addresses “what”3. C = condition, which addresses “when”4. D = degree, which addresses “how well”

Writing Learning Outcomes

Labeling the LO correctly:

After attending the PIRSA State Workshop (C – condition), the participants (A – audience) will be able to describe (B – behavior) the three steps (D – degree, addressing specifics).

Writing Learning OutcomesLO Example #2: Assessing Campus Recreation Staff Training:

At the end of our Campus Recreation Staff training , the student staff/employees will be able to demonstrate their integral role in the operation of the department

and the recreation center.

Exercise – in this LO, label the A, B, C, and D.

1. A = audience, which addresses “who”2. B = behavior, which addresses “what”3. C = condition, which addresses “when”4. D = degree, which addresses “how well”, not always present

Writing Learning Outcomes

Labeling the LO correctly:

At the end of our Campus Recreation Staff training (C – condition), the student staff/employees (A – audience) will be able to demonstrate (B – behavior) their integral role in the department and recreation center.

Writing Learning OutcomesLO Example #3: Assessing Intramural Official’s Training:

At the completion of our Intramural Official’s Training all of our officials will be able to

demonstrate four specific hand mechanics relevant to a particular IM sport.

Exercise – in this LO, label the A, B, C, and D.1. A = audience, which addresses “who”2. B = behavior, which addresses “what”3. C = condition, which addresses “when”4. D = degree, which addresses “how well”, not always

present

Writing Learning Outcomes

LO Example #3: Assessing RHA Officer Training:

Labeling the LO correctly:

At the completion of our Intramural Official’s Training (C – condition), all of our officials (A – audience) will be able to demonstrate (B – behavior) four specific hand mechanics relevant to a particular IM sport. (D – degree).

Writing Learning OutcomesAt James Madison University the IM staff assessed their intramural sports team captains’ sportsmanship (2001). They listed four specific learning outcomes.

When asked by an Intramural Sports Coordinator, students attending the Team Captains’ meetings will be able to:

1. define sportsmanship2. relate sportsmanship to game situations3. appropriately model sportsmanship behavior4. articulate the value of sportsmanship

Writing Learning Outcomes

When asked by an Intramural Sports Coordinator, students attending the Team

Captains’ meetings will be able to:1. define sportsmanship2. relate sportsmanship to game

situations3. appropriately model sportsmanship behavior4. articulate the value of

sportsmanship

Label A, B, C, and D.

Writing Learning Outcomes

When asked by an Intramural Sports Coordinator, (C - condition), students (A - audience) attending the Team Captains’ meetings will be able to:

1. define (B - behavior) sportsmanship2. relate (B - behavior) sportsmanship

to game situations3. appropriately model (B - behavior) sportsmanship behavior4. articulate (B - behavior) the value of sportsmanship

Assessment differs from Evaluation (Dougherty and Gambino,

2006)

Assessment process documenting knowledge, skills, behaviors

  can be measurable

  equals “effectiveness”

Question asked

Are the students learning what we say they are learning?

   

Evaluation process determining whether an item or activity meets specified criteria

  can be measurable

  equals “efficiency”

Question asked

Is my staff working together or as efficiently as I would like?

Dimension of differences (Neal, 2005)

Dimension of Difference Assessment Evaluation

Content: timing, primary purpose

Formative: on-going, to improve learning

Summative: final, to gauge quality

Orientation: focus of measurement

Process-oriented: how learning is going

Product-oriented: what’s been learned

Findings: uses thereof Diagnostic: identify areas for improvement

Judgmental: arrive as an overall grade/score

Tips in writing objectives (Carr and Bobbitt, 2008)

Skill Commonly Misinterpreted Terms

Behavior Terms

Knowledge To know, learn To write, define, repeat, name, list

Comprehension To understand, appreciate To restate, discuss, describe, explain, review, translate, locate

Application To show, apply a thorough knowledge of

To operate, illustrate, use, employ, sketch

Analysis To analyze To differentiate between, appraise, calculate, test, compare, contrast, solve, criticize

Synthesis To establish creativity To compose, propose, plan, design, manage, collect, construct, organize, prepare

Evaluation To show good judgment To evaluate, rate, select, estimate, measure

Taxonomy of Objectives, Action Verbs (Carr and Bobbitt, 2008)

1. Knowledge (recognition of facts, 2. Analysis (breaks down material into its parts so terms and principles) that its organizational structure may be understood,

drawing comparisons/relationships between events)DefineDescribe Break downIdentify DeduceLabel DiagramList DifferentiateMatch DistinguishName IllustrateOutline InferRecall OutlineRecite Point outSelect RelateState Separate out

Subdivide

Taxonomy of Objectives, Action Verbs (Carr and Bobbitt, 2008)

3. Comprehension (paraphrase knowledge 4. Synthesis (combining elements to form a new accurately, explain/summarize in own words)original entity; arranging parts or elements in a structure not before

evident)Convert

Defend CategorizeDiscriminate CompileDistinguish ComposeExplain CreateExtend DesignEstimate DeviseGeneralize FormulateInfer RewriteParaphrase SummarizePredictSummarize

Taxonomy of Objectives, Action Verbs (Carr and Bobbitt, 2008)

5. Application (ability to relate previously 6. Evaluation (quantitative and qualitativelearned material to new situation) judgments about the extent to which material

and methods satisfy criteria)ChangeCompute AppraiseDemonstrate CompareDevelop ContrastEmploy ConcludeModify CriticizeOperate DefendOrganize JustifyPrepare InterpretProduce SupportRelate ValidateSolveTransferUse

References

Carr, J., & Bobbitt, S. (2008). “The “O” word…..Learning outcomes in the life of a recreational professional”. NIRSA National Conference, Austin, TX. 

Dougherty, T., & Gambino, S. (2006). “Learning outcomes for dummies”, NIRSA Region 1 Conference, Baltimore, MD.

Neal, E. (2005). “Assessment of student learning in STEM disciplines. A Duke University Teaching IDEAS workshop”. Presented at Duke University.

Weber State University (2009). Introduction to student learning outcomes assessment. Available on http:// www.weber.edu/StudentAffairs/com/SLOTF/guidelines.html.