STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

What are Student Learning Outcomes?
Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) are definitions of what students will take away from a class or program after completing all course work and learning experiences.  SLO should evolve from defined course objectives or goals as an outline for student expectations resulting in a clear delineation of measurable outcomes.  The process of incorporating SLO into your course syllabi should arise from a “results-oriented” focus; most syllabi already state course objectives or goals, and SLO are a way of identifying exactly what will come out of meeting those objectives or goals.  Most importantly, SLO are observable, measurable, and achievable in one semester.

SLO for a degree program will encompass several levels of learning, from the acquisition of facts to the ability to think critically and solve problems.

When creating SLO, ask the questions:

1. What do students know that they didn’t know before?
2. What can they do that they couldn’t do before?
3. How has the college experience impacted students’ values, goals, attitudes, self-concepts, worldviews, and behaviors?
4. How has it developed their potential?
5. How has it enhanced their value to themselves, their families, and their communities?

Student Learning Outcomes have been discussed in published literature (NASPA/Upcraft, 1999, Kuh et. al. 1994) as a way to define student achievement of the following desired behaviors or outcomes:

1. Complex cognitive Skills (e.g. critical thinking)
2. Knowledge acquisition (e.g. subject matter mastery)
3. Intrapersonal development (e.g. values, self-esteem)
4. Interpersonal development (e.g. appreciating human differences)
5. Practical competence (e.g. career preparation)
6. Civic responsibility (e.g. commitment to democratic ideas)
7. Academic Achievement (e.g. satisfactory grades)
8. Persistence (e.g. ability to pursue a degree to graduation)

One of the most popular methodologies for developing SLO is Bloom's Classification of Cognitive Skills or Bloom's Taxonomy.

As an extension of Bloom's Taxomy, Dr. L. Dee Fink facilitated a workshop in May 2007 in NKU's Professional Organizational Development center focused on course design to incorporate Active Learning and Rich Learning Experiences, enabling students to learn more from explicit learning goals and assessment. Click here for more information about developing significant learning experiences.

For examples of how others are using SLO, click here.

For Powerpoint Presention on developing SLO, click here.