Module 1: Writing Learning Outcomes © 2013 Christie Cruise-Harper, PhD All Rights Reserved

 The purpose of this module is to assist you with defining and writing learning outcomes that are tailored to the specific program you have chosen, for your particular area, to assess for the 2013 – 2014 academic year.

DepartmentProgram Office of Multicultural ProgramsMulticultural Scholars Program/Dean’s Award Program Career Education OfficeCommunity Service Work Study Program Personal CounselingMandated Substance Abuse Assessment Program Health and WellnessHEROs Program Campus Ministry and Community ServiceKLILV Sophomore Colloquium Student InvolvementCAB/MSG/CSI AthleticsSAAC or Champs Residence LifeResident Assistant Program Student Life/Associate Dean of StudentsHabitat for Humanity

 The first step in writing effective learning outcomes is reviewing the mission, vision and goals of your area.

 The mission and goals of my area/unit/department are…  The mission and goals of the program I plan to assess are…

 Begin the learning outcome process by first clearly defining the program or service that you would like to assess. ◦ How would you describe the program or service? ◦ How will the program/service be delivered? When will it be delivered? Where will it be delivered? ◦ What need is the program/service designed to meet?

 Also, consider the intended learners your are trying to reach with your program/service. ◦ According to the goals or present intentions of your program/service, who do you plan to serve? ◦ Who most often requests/uses this type of program/service? ◦ Who may benefit from this type of program/service?

 You try it! For the program/service you designated, answer the following questions… ◦ Who is your program/service designed for? ◦ What activities are included in your program/service? ◦ When does your program/service occur? ◦ Where does your program/service occur? ◦ How is your program/service implemented? What resources (time, financial and staff) are needed?

 When writing learning outcomes it may be helpful to begin the process with the end in mind. ◦ What should (intended learners) know, be able to do, be able to demonstrate, value, or feel when they have completed (program/service)? ◦ What difference should (program/service) have made for (intended learners) who participate?

 You try it! Use these different stems to brainstorm learning outcome options. ◦ What should your intended learners KNOW as a result of your program/service? ◦ What should your intended learners BE ABLE TO DO OR DEMONSTRATE as a result of your program/service? ◦ What should your intended learners VALUE/FEEL as a result of your program/service? ◦ What DIFFERENCE should your program/service have made for your intended learners?

 Let us now transform your brainstormed outcomes into meaningful learning outcomes statements. The following formula should help you get started: (Intended Learners) who (Action Verb 1) (Program/Service) will be able to (Action Verb 2) (Intended Outcomes). Keeling & Associates (2007)

Intended Learners whoAction Verb 1 Program /Service will be able to Action Verb 2 Intended Outcome Complete Engage In Participate In Demonstrate Describe Discuss Explain Identify List Summarize

SSpecific MMeasurable AAchievable RRelevant TTime-based Learning outcomes statements have the same characteristics of “smart objectives”. More information about “smart objectives” can be found at Outreach/~/media/Files/About%20the%20IOM/SmartBites/Planning/P1% 20SMART%20Objectives.ashx Outreach/~/media/Files/About%20the%20IOM/SmartBites/Planning/P1% 20SMART%20Objectives.ashx

 You try it! Use the chart to fill-in-the-blanks to help you write high-quality outcomes statements. Intended Learners Action Verb 1 Program/S ervice Action Verb 2 Intended Outcome 1whowill be able to 2whowill be able to 3whowill be able to 4whowill be able to

Bloom’s Taxonomy provides a classification of levels of intellectual behavior. Higher Cognitive Levels Lower Cognitive Levels

 Each of the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy requires a different degree of engagement, processing and synthesis.  In this step, you will set learning outcomes that are progressively more challenging and engaging for your students. Keep in mind that not all outcomes come about immediately.

KnowledgeComprehensionApplicationAnalysisSynthesisEvaluation ArrangeClassifyApplyAnalyzeArrangeAppraise DefineDescribeChooseAppraiseAssembleArgue DuplicateDiscussDemonstrateCalculateCollectAssess LabelExplainDramatizeCategorizeComposeAttach ListExpressEmployCompareConstructChoose MemorizeIdentifyIllustrateContrastCreateCompare NameIndicateInterpretCriticizeDesignEstimate OrderLocateOperateDifferentiateFormulateEvaluate Sample Action Verbs using Bloom’s Taxonomy For a more inclusive list of action verbs visit: ments/Blooms%20Taxonomy%20Action%20Verbs.pdf ments/Blooms%20Taxonomy%20Action%20Verbs.pdf

Bloom ‘s Taxonomy Intended Learners Action Verb 1 Program/ Service Action Verb 2 Intended Outcomes Knowledgewhowill be able to Comprehensionwhowill be able to Applicationwhowill be able to Analysiswhowill be able to Synthesiswhowill be able to Evaluationwhowill be able to You try it! Write outcomes statements that reflect a growing level of complexity. Use the sample action verbs for Bloom’s Taxonomy to help.

 Our individual programs and services are a part of a larger picture. As student affairs professionals, it is important that we create bridges between the co-curricular and the curricular.  In this step, you will connect your unique programs/services and intended learners to the Characteristics of a Maryville Graduate.

 Use the following questions to guide your connections: ◦ What are the characteristics that you gravitate to when thinking about (program/service) for (intended learners)? ◦ What are the key components of these characteristics?

*For a full description of each characteristic please review the attached MS Word document.

 You try it! Use the prompts below to identify the characteristics that your program/service is grounded in. ◦ Name the characteristic (s) that you gravitate to when thinking about (program/service) for (intended learners). ◦ What are the key components of the characteristic (s) you chose?

 This presentation is adapted from: "Step-by-step Process for Writing Learning Outcomes” by Gail S. Rooney at the Career Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in  Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Education Objectives: Handbook I: The cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.  Keeling, R. P. & Associates. (2007, June). Putting learning reconsidered into practice: Developing and assessing student learning outcomes. Workshop presented at the NASPA Learning Reconsidered Institute in St. Louis, MO.