Learning Outcomes: some guidelines
Learning outcomes are brief, clear, specific statements of the knowledge, understanding
and skills, values and attitudes which it is expected students will be able to demonstrate as a
result of their learning.
Learning outcomes should

Convey a picture
Learning outcomes are written as short concise statements. Learning
outcomes should focus on the student.
As you read through the learning
outcomes you should see a picture developing of a classroom and what
students are doing. The learning outcomes describe the kinds of activities that
students are involved in, e.g. discussing, describing, designing, presenting,
creating.

Provide the basis for a learning contract
The learning outcome is expressed in a manner in which it can be used to form
the basis of a ‘learning contract’ between the teacher and the students

Have a power beyond them-selves – they influence not only what gets taught
but how it is taught and how it is assessed. Ask yourself the question the ‘So
What’ question Why does this learning outcome matter for students in this
short course?

Represent the ‘right mix’.
The aim is to write learning outcomes that will incorporate

different domains of learning (See Appendix 1)

lower and higher order thinking skills - a mix of learning outcomes
is vital to allow all students to achieve their potential (See Appendix 1)
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
Help identify what should be assessed in the short course
What might be the kinds of evidence that students will be asked to gather and
present as evidence of their learning?

Reflect the appropriate Level indicators on National Framework for
Qualification (Appendix 2)
Remember LESS is MORE

Keep learning outcomes short ( Giving examples or using ‘such as’ is not a good
idea!)

Don’t have too many learning outcomes – a maximum of four learning outcomes
per topic in the strand

Ask yourself if the learning outcome is really needed? It may not need to be
explicitly stated.

Everything the students will do and learn does not have to be stated as a learning
outcome.
For example, consider this learning outcome in a CSPE Short Course:
‘The student should be able to assemble a basic needs basket representing the needs of an
average family unit’
In order to do this, the student will need to understand the difference between needs and
rights. They will need to appreciate that needs do not mean the same thing to everybody.
Three separate learning outcomes are not needed however. One well composed outcomes
serves the same purpose.
Avoid vague, general statements.

Avoid verbs that are difficult to quantify such as know, study, learn, showan
understanding of..,

Avoid lower order learning outcomes such as recall, recite, list.
Learning outcomes can be

Content based – (analyse an historical event)

Product based – (design a media campaign for …)
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
Process based – (conduct an experiment, conduct a role play)
The Junior Cycle Key Skills
The key skills must be embedded in the short course learning outcomes.
 Be familiar with the Key Skills Overview.
Check out the Junior Cycle Key Skills Overview at www.juniorcycle.ie
Read through the Overview and highlight the learning outcomes that are
immediately relevant to your short course. You may not incorporate all of
them but they will be a useful reference point when you are devising your
learning outcomes.

Make the Key Skills learning outcomes your own and adapt them to the
particular learning context of the short course that you are developing. The
following table includes some examples of how this can be done.
Key Skill - Managing Myself
SPHE Short Course
Element – Making considered decisions
Sample learning outcome - Students will be able to
Learning outcome – I can understand the importance of
work collaboratively to design a tip sheet for
thinking through my decisions
teenagers about good decision making
Key Skills - Working with Others
Element – Cooperating
Learning outcome – I can be flexible and willing to make
compromises to achieve a common goal
Key Skill – Staying Well
Digital Media Short Course
Element – Being confident
Learning outcome – I can communicate my opinions and
Sample learning outcome - Students will be able to
beliefs with confidence in a variety of ways
debate the motion that ‘the threats posed by the
internet far outweigh the benefits for young people.’
Key Skill – Communicating
Generic learning outcome for any short course:
Element – Performing and presenting
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Learning outcome – I can make choices about how I can
Students should be able to decide how best to present
best present my ideas to others, taking account of my
their projects in a way that is both informative and
audience
appealing to their audience.
Key Skill – Working with Others
CSPE Short Course
Element – Developing good relationships and resolving
conflict
Sample learning outcome - students should be able to
Learning outcome – I can share my ideas honestly and
agree the criteria for listening respectively to a
with sensitivity
diversity of viewpoints when discussing a
controversial human rights case studies
Why not carry out an audit of the learning outcomes you have included in the
short course?
1. Circle the verb in each learning outcome.
2. Check to see if you have tended towards using the same verb or types of verbs.
3. Check that you have a balance between different domains of learning and
higher and lower order thinking. (Appendix 1)
4. Check that the learning outcomes are in line with the Level 3 indicators on the
Nation Framework for Qualifications (Appendix 2)
Example from PE – Strand title ‘Appreciation of Artistic Performance’
Students should be able to

describe the aesthetic qualities of various movements within dance performances or
gymnastic sequences

apply feedback to refine their own performance and that of their group

assist another group in refining their performance.
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Appendix 2
Learning indicators at Levels 2 and 3 of the National Framework of Qualifications
All short courses developed by schools and others will be aligned with the relevant level
indicators.
Learning
Level 2
Level 3
Knowledge
Knowledge that is narrow in
Knowledge moderately broad in
Breadth
range.
range.
Knowledge
Concrete in reference and basic in
Mainly concrete in reference and
Kind
comprehension.
with some comprehension of
relationship between knowledge
elements.
Know-How and
Demonstrate limited range of
Demonstrate a limited range of
Skill
basic practical skills, including
practical and cognitive skills and
Range
the use of relevant tools.
tools.
Know-How and
Perform a sequence of routine
Select from a limited range of varied
Skill
tasks given clear direction.
procedures and apply known
Selectivity
solutions to a limited range of
predictable problems.
Competence
Act in a limited range of
Act within a limited range of
Context
predictable and structured
contexts.
contexts.
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Learning
Level 2
Level 3
Competence
Act in a range of roles under
Act under direction with limited
Role
direction.
autonomy. Function within familiar,
homogenous groups.
Competence
Learn to learn in a disciplined
Learn to learn within a managed
Learning to
manner in a well-structured and
environment.
Learn
supervised environment.
Competence
Demonstrate awareness of
Assume limited responsibility for
Insight
independent role of self.
consistency of self-understanding and
behaviour.
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