1. Learning outcomes and introduction to assessment Pg Certificate in Higher Education Professional Practice Jannie Roed and Sue Moron-Garcia 6 th May 2009

2. 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

3. This session and your assignment Provide a lesson plan Aims of the session Learning Outcomes of the session How the session is aligned with course assessment

4. Learning outcomes – the background National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (Dearing Report 1997)

5. Learning outcomes – the background Recommendations: 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 Transparency

6. Why learning outcomes? Make it clear to students what is expected of them Help staff focus on what they want students to achieve

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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:”

11. 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/learn ing/bloomtax.htm Accessed: 25 September 2006

12. Writing learning outcomes Active verbObjectQualifier Summarisethe skills and knowledge necessary for competent advice giving Designclear learning outcomes for a Level 1 Chemistry module

13. 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

14. Activity I 10 minutes In the context of your own subject, what would constitute a level 1, level 2 and level 3 outcome?

15. 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

16. Why do we assess students?

17. Purpose of Assessment Promote learning - formative assessment - summative assessment Measure attainment of the intended learning outcomes

18. Constructive alignment Linking learning outcomes and assessments John Biggs (1999) Teaching for Quality Learning at University (SRHE & Open University, Buckingham)

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

20. Activity II 10 minutes How would you describe the constructive alignment on the module you teach? Is there anything you would like to change?

21. 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)

22. 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.