1. How to Write S.M.A.R.T Student Learning Outcomes
Presenter: Ms. Aundrea D. Wheeler
Bishop State Community College
Mobile, AL

2. SLO’s Simply Stated
Student Learning Outcomes Should Focus on the Following:
What you want your students to know at the end of a course, program, or major
What you want your students to
understand at the end of a course, program, or major
3) What you want your students to have the ability to do at the end of a course, program, or major

3. Why are Student Learning Outcomes Important?
Communicate expectations to learners
Act as a template for course design
Guide selection/design of appropriate assessments
Allow educators to match teaching strategies to stated outcomes
Allow faculty, staff, and Institutional researchers to assess the impact of instruction
Clearly communicate graduates’ skills to prospective employers
Provide benchmarks for formative, summative and prior learning assessment

4. How Many Student Learning Outcomes Should There Be?
A course, program, or major should have as many outcomes as necessary to clearly reflect what students will learn.
Ideally, each course, program, or major should have 1-5 learning outcomes.

5. Components of a Student Learning Outcome
Student Learning Behavior-Knowledge, skill, or attitude to be gained
The method of assessment- conditions of performance
Criteria for achievement- the levels of acceptable performance

6. Are Your SLO’s S.M.A.R.T.? Specific
-Clear and definite terms describing the abilities, knowledge, values, attitudes, and performance
Measurable
-It is feasible to get data: data are accurate and reliable; it can be assessed in more than one way
Aggressive and Attainable
-The outcome has the potential to move the program or unit forward
Results – oriented
-Describe what standards are expected from students or the functional area being assessed
Time-bound
-Describe a specified time period for accomplishing the outcome
From Peter Drucker, 1954

7. 7 Steps for Creating Student Learning Outcomes
Faculty/Staff Meeting or form a committee and begin
brainstorming about what an ideal student/graduate should
know, understand, or have the ability to do.
Step 2
Draft a list of outcomes contingent upon several possible
revisions depending upon the changes in the course,
program, or major.
Step 3
List student learning outcomes on every course syllabus

8. 7 Steps for Creating Student Learning Outcomes (cont’d)
Gather and report feedback from faculty, staff, and
students on how well the outcomes have been addressed.
Step 5
Assess student learning (assignments, projects, quizzes,
etc.)
Step 6
Meet with faculty and staff at the end of the semester of
academic year to discuss data and revise the list of
outcomes, teaching strategies, and curriculum.
Step 7
Repeat steps as often as needed.

9. The Assessment Process (Huba & Freed, 2000)
Formulate statements of intended learning outcomes
Develop or select assessment measures
Create experiences leading to outcomes
Discuss and use assessment results to improve learning

10. Bloom’s Taxonomy

11. Levels of Learning
Basic to Complex

12. Cognitive Domain Examples Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis
Recite a policy. Quote prices from
memory to a customer. Knows the safety
rules.
Comprehension
Rewrites the principles of test writing. Explain in one’s own words the steps for performing a complex task. Translates an equation into a computer spreadsheet.
Application
Use a manual to calculate an employees vacation time. Apply laws of statistics to evaluate the reliability of a written test.
Analysis
Troubleshoot a piece of equipment by using logical deduction. Recognize logical fallacies in reasoning. Gathers information from a department and selects the required tasks for training.
Synthesis
Write a company operations or process manual. Design a machine to perform a specific task. Integrates training from several sources to solve a problem. Revises and process to improve the outcome.
Evaluation
Select the most effective solution. Hire the most qualified candidate. Explain and justify a new budget.

13. Affective Domain Examples Receiving Phenomena Responding to Phenomena
Listen to others with respect. Listen for and remember the name
of newly introduced people.
Responding to Phenomena
Participates in class discussions.  Gives a presentation. Questions new ideals, concepts, models, etc. in order to fully understand them. Know the safety rules and practices them.
Valuing
Demonstrates belief in the democratic process. Is sensitive towards individual and cultural differences (value diversity). Shows the ability to solve problems. Proposes a plan to social improvement and follows through with commitment.
Organization
Recognizes the need for balance between freedom and responsible behavior. Accepts responsibility for one’s behavior. Explains the role of systematic planning in solving problems. Accepts professional ethical standards. 
Internalizing values
Shows self-reliance when working independently. Cooperates in group activities (displays teamwork). Uses an objective approach in problem solving.  Displays a professional commitment to ethical practices on a daily basis.

14. Psychomotor Domain Perception Set Examples Guided Response Mechanism
Detects non-verbal communication cues. Estimate where a ball will land after it is thrown and then moving to the correct location to catch the ball. Adjusts heat of stove to correct temperature by smell and taste of food.
Set
Knows and acts upon a sequence of steps in a manufacturing process.  Recognize one’s abilities and limitations. Shows desire to learn a new process (motivation).
Guided Response
Performs a mathematical equation as demonstrated. Follows instructions to build a model. Responds hand-signals of instructor while learning to operate a forklift.
Mechanism
Use a personal computer. Repair a leaking faucet. Drive a car.
Complex Overt Response
Maneuvers a car into a tight parallel parking spot. Operates a computer quickly and accurately. Displays competence while playing the piano.
Adaptation
Responds effectively to unexpected experiences.  Modifies instruction to meet the needs of the learners. Perform a task with a machine that it was not originally intended to do.

15. Psychomotor Domain Origination Examples
Constructs a new theory. Develops a new and comprehensive training programming. Creates a new gymnastic routine.

16. Examples of Student Learning Outcome for Program or Major
Student Outcomes for Hotel & Restaurant Administration:
Graduates apply their knowledge regarding the hospitality industry to whatever career track within the industry they pursue.
Graduates demonstrate a synthesis of knowledge and a capacity to think critically, which is reflective of a strong liberal education and a solid grounding in the content of their desired area of specialization.
Graduates are effective users of recent research and theory in hospitality operations management and can assess new advances in their specialties.

17. Example of Student Learning Outcome for a Course
(Nutrition)
Upon completion of the course students will be able to analyze a documented nutritional problem, determine a strategy to correct the problem, and write a draft nutritional policy addressing the broader scope of the problem.

18. Student Learning Exercise:
Use the S.M.A.R. T Method to determine whether or not
the Student Learning Outcomes are properly written.
Students will develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to become Licensed Practical Nurses.
Upon completion of ENG 101, students will demonstrate an increase in their ability to develop and use strategies for writing essays from development of subject through revision of the essay.
Upon completion of the A.S. program in Nursing, students will

19. Questions & Answers

20. References http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html
Huba, M. & Freed, J Learner-centered assessment on college campuses. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.