2.1 Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes can be developed or revised using a practical four-step approach.

2.1.1 Learning outcome alignment

Draft 6-8 learning outcomes to align with the skills developed, knowledge constructed and qualities acquired in this unit of study. Complete the following statements after considering the unit of study aims and context:

Other Institutions' Resources

Aligning teaching for constructing learning (The Higher Education Academy)

Developing Learning Outcomes (UNSW)

Developing course learning goals and graduate attributes (The University of Queensland)

What are learning objectives and why do we need them? (Murdoch University)

The SOLO taxonomy (Murdoch University)

 

2.1.2 Integrate graduate attributes into these learning outcomes

Number the learning outcomes for your unit to make it easier to then specifically relate the content to corresponding graduate attributes.

• Which of the Faculty’s graduate attributes do I think my unit of study might best contribute to?
• What would these graduate attributes look like in the context of the content of my unit?

There are several pointers that may be helpful:

Refer to the five graduate attributes of the University of Sydney adapted for the Faculty:

Personal and Intellectual Autonomy:
Graduates of the Faculty of Economics and Business will be able to work independently and sustainably, in a way that is informed by openness, curiosity and a desire to meet new challenges.

Research and Inquiry:
Graduates of the Faculty of Economics and Business will be able to create new knowledge and understanding through the process of research and inquiry.

Information Literacy:
Graduates of the Faculty of Economics and Business will be able to use information effectively in a range of contexts.

Communication:
Graduates of the Faculty of Economics and Business will recognise and value communication as a tool for negotiating and creating new understanding, interacting with others, and furthering their own learning.

Ethical, Social and Professional Understanding:
Graduates of the Faculty of Economics and Business will hold personal values and beliefs consistent with their role as responsible members of local, national, international and professional communities

 

Note: The Faculty has four or five examples of learning outcomes for each graduate attribute. Use these merely as a guide as to the kinds of outcomes under each attribute. 

 

For more information about Faculty postgraduate degree goals and attributes, refer to the list on the website.

 

2.1.3 Specify the level of outcome to be achieved

The learning verb you choose indicates the level of outcome you expect students to achieve (e.g. ‘identify’ is a lower level verb than ‘evaluate’).  It is also used to effectively communicate intended learning outcomes to employers and academic colleagues.  To avoid any ambiguity it is useful to specify the level of outcome to be achieved for each learning outcome in your unit of study.  Different taxonomies and frameworks are possible and may suit different disciplines.  There are two well-known ways of conceptualising levels of learning:

Bloom’s taxonomy (1956) with six levels of learning outcomes expressed as learning verbs: known as recall, comprehending, applying, analysing, synthesising and evaluating and

Biggs SOLO taxonomy (1999) with five levels of learning outcome, from ‘missing the point’ to 'integrating components into a whole' with each part contributing to the overall meaning with clear learning verbs for each level.  More detail on the ITL website.

Cognitive Verbs - Approaches to Learning and the Level of Cognitive Learning Activities

 

2.1.4 Seek peer feedback

Ask an academic colleague to review the outcomes, or contact the Office of Learning and Teaching’s Academic Adviser to work with you.