An Introduction to Learning Outcomes – with links to further resources
Learning Outcomes are part of university life. Higher Education across Europe operates a framework
of quality assurance in which they play a central role1. They are a key element in how programme
designers explain to external bodies, prospective students, and colleagues what is expected of a
successful graduate on a particular course of study. Though some staff may fondly remember a
world where learning outcomes did not prevail, most students have grown up with and pay
attention to them.
Programme
Learning
Outcomes
Module A
Session 1
Module B
Session 2
Session 1
Session 2
Well drafted learning outcomes help to
explain the design of a programme and
ensure its coherence. They should connect
from programme to module level and from
module to session level. They can help
teams understand the student journey
through a programme, see where a module
fits into the big picture and help bring
individual teaching sessions into focus.
Fig 1 Cascade of learning outcomes
When designing a programme disciplinary “content” remains central but the learning outcome
approach demands focus on learners’ skill development – practical, intellectual, transferable
capacities to be gained through studying and working with the content. Learning outcomes
articulate what must be demonstrated and assessment must test that they have been achieved.
Good quality learning outcomes are in this way aligned with assessment in a way which drives
appropriate student activity.2
Lecturer intention is
drafted as a Learning
Outcome (LO)
LO used to shape
assessment
Student responds to
assessment - and LO is
met
Fig 2. In constructive alignment, the intention of the lecturer and the assessment are in line
and drive appropriate student learning
1
Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area,
<http://ecahe.eu/w/index.php/Framework_for_Qualifications_of_the_European_Higher_Education_Area >
accessed 10 August 2014
2
See Biggs, J. (1996) Enhancing Teaching Through Constructive Alignment Higher Education, Vol. 32, No. 3 pp.
347-364
Designing a programme of study involves multiple stakeholders and is a complex and creative
process. Writing programme learning
outcomes is central to programme
design and they must be articulated in
terms of knowledge and
understanding, intellectual, practical
and transferable skills. They form a key
dimension of the Programme
Specification which is effectively the
contract between the university and its
students. The programme outcomes
describe the threshold level of
achievement for a graduate of a
programme of study.
Fig3 Key stakeholders in programme design
Many factors influence these stakeholders, for example, quality assurance requirements, university
strategy, available resources, internal processes and the values and ethos of each discipline and
school. This complex range of factors must be considered in writing programme outcomes.
Links to further information:




QAA
UH Strategy
CAQA
FHEQ
Fig4 What shapes programme learning outcomes?
Outcomes must be appropriate for the level of study. At programme
level this means consulting the Framework for Higher Education
Qualifications. At module level the SEEC credit level descriptors are
designed to be helpful. Various taxonomies of learning can help
articulate progress through a programme; Bloom’s cognitive domain
(fig5) is one of the best known. It’s worth recognising when drafting
learning outcomes at the appropriate level that material studied
varies widely in its complexity – and comprehension of inherently
difficult concepts will demand high order thinking just as much as
evaluation and synthesis of simpler ones.
Fig 5 Bloom’s 1956 taxonomy
Biggs (fig6) Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes may also be useful in articulating appropriate
learning outcomes .
prestructural
Unistructural
multistructural
relational
extended
abstract
Fig 6 Biggs’ SOLO taxonomy – development of learning illustrated with Lego bricks
Many resources link Bloom’s taxonomy to appropriate verbs for the level of activity described.
Consideration of these can be a useful way to inspire aligned methods of assessment. For example:
Teach Thought – 249 verbs for critical thinking
Bloom identified two other learning domains: the affective and psychomotor. The affective domain
concerns attitudes, emotions, feelings and values; the psychomotor domain, the development of
physical skills. These hierarchies may be helpful in drafting learning outcomes for practical and
transferable skills.
When drafting module learning outcomes it is important to make them specific and demonstrable as
they must be assessed. A key feature of successful drafting at this level is to use an action verb.
Verbs for the affective domain. Verbs for the psychomotor domain
Lee University – collection of action verbs for transferable skills
Writing effective learning outcomes is an art which demands negotiation and creativity. Learning in
fact is much more integrated than these distinct domains would suggest and it is important to draft
something which is engaging and comprehensible. There are no hard and fast rules.
Aims and Learning Outcomes
Aims must relate to learning outcomes but are directed more at the teaching and management of
learning – and broadly indicate what it is planned to cover in any given period of study. They can be
broader aspirational statements which are more loosely drafted as they are not assessed – though it
is expected that successful students would typically achieve them.
Where to find more information
 Templates and more advice from UH Centre for Academic Quality Assurance
 South East Education Consortium How to Use Learning Outcomes & Assessment Criteria
 Learning and Teaching Support Network Guide for Busy Academics (Learning Outcomes)
 Learning and Teaching Support Network Guide for Busy Academics (Constructive Alignment)
 ABCDs of Writing Instructional Objectives – with lists of action verbs for each Bloom
domain
 Fry, H. , Ketteridge,S. & Marshall, S. (2008) A handbook for teaching and learning in
higher education Routledge Ltd (available as an ebook through Voyager)
 Moon,J. (2002) The Module and Programme Development handbook Kogan Page
 Examples of programme learning outcomes can be found in UH programme specifications
via a simple web search. But beware simple cut and paste – do the LOs really address what
you wish to address?
 Module learning outcomes are in Definitive Module Documents (these should be available
through a module’s Studynet site under Module Information).