1. Lisa Brun Western Kentucky University
Learning Outcomes
Lisa Brun
Western Kentucky University
Hello, My name is Lisa Brun, I am a graduate student at Western Kentucky University, and I will be your moderator for this presentation on Learning Outcomes.

2. Objectives: What are Learning Outcomes?
Learning Outcomes, Assessment, & Accountability
Learning Outcomes in Student Affairs
Implications of Utilizing Learning Outcomes
The objectives of this presentation are to provide a basic overview of learning outcomes, how they relate to assessment, how they are utilized in the field of student affairs and the implications of using learning outcomes.

3. What are Learning Outcomes?
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” -Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss said “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go”. Learning outcomes serve to ensure that this learning is taking place.

4. What are Learning Outcomes?
What is Learning?
The acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study, or by being taught.
Learning can happen both in and out of the classroom.
To understand learning outcomes we must first understand what it means to learn. Learning is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study, or by being taught.
Learning can happen in and out of the classroom.

5. What are Learning Outcomes?
The particular knowledge, skill or behavior that a student is expected to exhibit after a period of study
A measurable result of student learning
What knowledge, skills, and awareness are students able to demonstrate?
Learning outcomes define what type of learning is taking place during a specific program or activity.
A learning outcome is a particular knowledge, skill, or behavior that a student is expected to exhibit after a period of study.
These should be measureable and answer the question “what knowledge, skllls, and awareness are students able to demonstrate?”

6. What are Learning Outcomes?
Learning Outcomes Should Be:
Learner centered
Specific
Action oriented
Cognitively appropriate
Behavioral
Measurable
Observable
Understandable
Achievable
Realistic
Learning outcomes should also meet these criteria. They should be appropriate for the group that is participating in the activity, able to be measured, clearly observable, and overall realistic.

7. What are Learning Outcomes?
Writing Learning Outcomes:
What should a student be able to do after completing this program, course, or activity?
Formulate a statement that begins…
“Students will be able to…”
Be specific! Learning outcomes should not be vague.
When writing learning outcomes, you should first answer the question: what should a student be able to do after completing this program, course, activity?
These should be written as statements that begin with “Students will be able to…”
Again, be specific. Learning outcomes should not be vague.

8. Learning Outcomes, Assessment, & Accountability
“All assessment is a perpetual work in progress.” - Linda Suskie, Vice President, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
While Learning outcomes can be viewed seperately from assessment, they actually relate directly to the assessment process and can serve as guidelines for creating an assessment plan. This assessment plan, according to Linda Suskie, is a perpetual work in progress.

9. Learning Outcomes, Assessment, & Accountability
How can the learning outcome be measured?
How should it be assessed?
Survey
Focus Group
Performance Evaluation
Interview
How can the data be utilized?
To formulate an assessment plan from learning outcomes, one should ask how the learning outcomes can be measured, how they should be assessed, and, once the data is collected, how it can be used.
Assessment can take many forms depending on what is being measured. These assessments can be both qualitative and quantitative and can take the form of surveys, focus groups, performance evaluations, or interviews.
Data should not only be collected but should be used to improve the program or activity being assessed.

10. Learning Outcomes, Assessment, & Accountability
Identify Learning Outcome
Create Assessment Process
Collect & Analyze Data
Share Results
Make Changes
As Suskie said, assessment is a perpetual work in progress. This process is a never-ending cycle that begins with identifying learning outcomes and ends with making changes to those outcomes based on assessment data. This is a dynamic process that depends on the population that is participating in the activity or program and those who are providing the activity or program. The needs and wants of both groups must be taken in to consideration.

11. Learning Outcomes in Student Affairs
“The work students do for us and the training and feedback they receive is part of their integrative learning process” (Bentrim, 2013)
The work students do for us and the training and feedback they receive is part of their integrative learning process” Although some may see learning outcomes as purely academic in nature, student affairs professionals can use learning outcomes in many ways. Bentrim understands that student employees are as much engaged in a learning process as students in the classroom.

12. Learning Outcomes in Student Affairs
Institutional Mission &
Strategic Initiatives
Programmatic Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes can be used in student affairs to inform decisions about student learning as well as programs and departmental or institutional missions. All of these learning outcomes build upon one another and directly affect the overall mission of a university.

13. Learning Outcomes in Student Affairs
Effectiveness of Programs/Initiatives
Knowledge/Skills Acquired by Student Staff through Training Processes
Departmental Mission/Vision
Learning outcomes can be utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of a program or initiative, gauge student staff learning throughout a training process, and inform the mission and vision of a department, division, or institution.

14. Implications of Utilizing Learning Outcomes
“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” - Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin said, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” The main implication of utilizing learning outcomes is the potential for improvement.

15. Implications of Utilizing Learning Outcomes
Guideline for Assessment
Promotes Continual Growth and Improvement
Added Accountability Measure
As I mentioned earlier, learning outcomes can serve as a guide for assessment, they promote continual growth and improvement, and add a measure of accountability to those who utilize them. As new programs and initiatives are proposed, learning outcomes can be used as a guide to determine if they support the overall mission of a department of division.

16. References
Bentrim, E., Sousa-Peoples, K., Kachellek, G., & Powers, W. (2013) Assessing Learning Outcomes: Student Employees in Student Affairs. About Campus,
Thank you for watching. I hope you have gained a basic understanding of learning outcomes and will be able to apply this information to the programs and initiatives at your institution. Have a great day.