Creating Meaningful Learning Outcomes

CHSS Workshop

26 February 2015

Lesley Reid

Aims for today

Develop understanding of how learning outcomes relate to models of student curriculum

Identify frameworks that might help

Develop skills in writing learning outcomes

Course Requirements for Learning Outcomes for PCIM

by 31st March

Formal approval (BoS, CUGLAT) not required unless ‘spirit’ and content of LOs significantly changing

5 (or fewer) LOs per course in CCAMS

(additional LOs can appear in course booklets)

Student-friendly language (in descriptor as a whole)

Guided by SCQF level descriptors

(categories, language, content, progression, differentiation)

Contextualised in subject area

Learning Outcomes……… …can help….

Students:

understand what is expected of them

develop skills of reflection

develop metacognitive capacity

Staff:

focus on important student learning

design courses that align curriculum, teaching and assessment

enable progression, differentiation, continuity of learning across programmes

Constructive alignment in course design

CURRICULUM

ASSESSMENT TEACHING

health warning for learning outcomes in the humanities and social sciences?

models of curriculum, understandings

about learning

Product- easily measured

Process- harder to measure

Praxis- meaning negotiated in relation to values and action

Product Modelcompetency based, student as

a receptacle for knowledge

skill mastery

easy to assess

reductionist, instrumental

behavioural objectives, rather than learning driven

what is to be learned is predetermined

trivial behaviours v holistic understanding

Process Model

Knowing is a process that involves them in developing their own useful strategies for reducing complexity and clutter (Bruner, 1972)

better for higher education humanities learning?

open ended student activities with developing capacities

working out relationships between ideas

developing conceptual frameworks

competencies are never mastered , only improved

allows for serendipitous learning

allows for differentiated learning

Frameworks that can helpGraduate Attributes framework

Subject Benchmark statements

Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework (SCQF)

Hierarchical Skill taxonomies e.g. Bloom

Knowledge of Curriculum for Excellence

PCIM project briefinglearning outcome advice

5 ‘umbrella’ statements linked to SCQF ‘categories’

(K&U, Applied K&U, Generic Cog Skills, Communication, Autonomy)

guided by SCQF level descriptors

(language, content, progression, differentiation)

tension between ‘wordy’ jargon and student- friendly speak

contextualised within field of study/ subject area

Moving towards process/praxis models of curriculum

progression, differentiation, continuity in learning

learning intentions rather than objectives

identify the understanding and variety of skills, capacities that students might develop

learner has more responsibility for own learning

opportunities for value –based co-co- co- co-construction of meaning?

7 steps to writing course learning outcomes

1. Decide on the important learning you want to enable

2. Do you have a spread across SCQF categories?

3. How many LOs ? ‘Collapse’ into 5 or use booklet option?

4. Use correct SCQF level descriptor (8,10,11) handout to guide language and content

5. Check for progression in learning ‘above and below’ using level descriptors

6. Contextualise within course / subject content

7. Review and Reflect