Learning outcomes and introduction to assessment

Pg Certificate in Higher Education Professional Practice

Jannie Roed and Sue Moron-Garcia6th May 2009

Session outline:

This session and your assignments Learning outcomes – background and

basic principles Writing learning outcomes Activity I Linking outcomes to assessment Activity II Summing up

This session and your assignmentProvide a lesson plan

Aims of the session

Learning Outcomes of the session

How the session is aligned with course assessment

Learning outcomes – the background

National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (Dearing Report 1997)

Learning outcomes – the backgroundRecommendations:

Staff training Institute of Learning and Teaching (ILT) Framework for Higher Education Qualifications Benchmarking Assurance of quality and standards Development of programme specifications Learning outcomes

TransparencyTransparency

Why learning outcomes?

Make it clear to students what is expected of them

Help staff focus on what they want students to achieve

What is a learning outcome?

May apply to a single teaching session, a module or whole course.

It is a statement that predicts what learners will have gained as a result of the learning process.

Describes the end of a process, not the process itself.

It specifies the minimum achievement required at the point of assessment in order that a student may pass.

What follows from these principles …

Learning outcomes are statements of essential learning

Learning described in the learning outcome is that which must be attained and demonstrated

Each learning outcome must be assessed

One mode of assessment may assess more than one learning outcome

Each learning outcome must be passed

Writing learning outcomes. Key principles:Learning outcomes:

Should be written in a straightforward language

Should be achievable and restricted in numbers (4/5 per module)

Should have no references to process

Should not include verbs describing behaviour that cannot be directly assessed – “appreciate”, “be familiar with”, “understand”

Must be measurable

Should follow Bloom’s Taxonomy (see handouts for verbs)

Writing learning outcomes

“At the end of the course, the student is expected to be able to …”

Coventry “The intended learning outcomes are

that, on completion of this module, students should be able to:”

Writing learning outcomes

Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)

Image from ATHERTON J S (2005) Learning and Teaching:  Bloom's taxonomy   [On-line] UK: Available: http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/bloomtax.htm  

Accessed: 25 September 2006

Writing learning outcomes

Active verb Object Qualifier

Summarise the skills and knowledge

necessary for competent

advice giving

Design clear learning outcomes

for a Level 1 Chemistry

module

Assessment methods vs assessment criteria

Assessment methods should be used in module descriptors to show how each learning outcome is assessed

Assessment criteria should not be included

Activity I

10 minutes

In the context of your own subject, what would constitute a level 1, level 2 and level 3 outcome?

Coventry context

Programme specification template (based upon QAA recommendations)

Programme outcomes depend upon module outcomes (ideally!)

Documents are available on the Registry website – or from the CSHE website

Why do we assess students?

Purpose of Assessment

Promote learning

- formative assessment

- summative assessment

Measure attainment of the intended learning outcomes

Constructive alignment

Linking learning outcomes and assessments

John Biggs (1999) Teaching for Quality Learning at University (SRHE & Open University, Buckingham)

Source: http://www.engsc.ac.uk/er/theory/constructive_alignment.asp

Activity II

10 minutes

How would you describe the constructive alignment on the module you teach?

Is there anything you would like to change?

Criticisms?

Learning outcomes

are unsophisticated (Hussey & Smith 2002)

serve new managerialism rather than students and staff (Hussey & Smith 2002)

do not take disciplinary differences into account (Hussey & Smith

2002)

work against good educational practice (Entwistle et al. 2000)

References

Entwistle, N., Skinner, D., Entwistle, D. and Orr, S. (2000) Conceptions and Beliefs about “Good Teaching”: An Integration of Contrasting Research Areas”. Higher Education Research and Development 19(1): 5-26.

Hussey, T. and Smith, P. (2002) The trouble with learning outcomes. Active learning in higher education 3(3): 220-233.