What is the best way to achieved desired student learning outcomes?
Answers
Answer:
− Keep things simple: implement learning outcomes in the course of regular development and improvement of education; use simple rules of thumb in the definition of learning outcomes (e.g. “start with a verb”); make them student-focused and measurable; use to the language of the teachers and avoid discussions on semantics or methodology.
− Make sure learning outcomes cover the important elements in a programme, but do not try to be too detailed.
− Make sure that the formats of teaching and assessment align with the intended learning outcomes.
− Calibrate the difference between learning outcomes at the level of ‘short cycle’, ‘bachelor’, and ‘master’. Learning outcomes at lower levels should be defined on their own terms and not as ‘light’ versions of those at a higher level.
− Learning outcomes tend to be more detailed for programmes with a strong professional orientation. Allow enough freedom for teachers and for innovation.
− Pay attention to generic, transversal competences, which are overly generic and lack a connection with domain-specific learning outcomes, as this makes them hard to transfer. This also goes for ‘21-st century skills’, which require integration of knowledge and skills from the traditional domains.
2. Use learning outcomes as a tool for developing and improving education, not as a goal in itself
− Learning outcomes should be a ‘living’ element and shape the formats of curricula, courses, teaching, learning and assessment. Define and implement them in a process of team-based co-creation, not as an administrative obligation.
− Maintain a good balance between making learning outcomes conform to external qualification frameworks and expectations in the professional field and autonomy for teachers and institutions.
− Learning outcomes should be updated regularly; some tend to become out-dated faster than others, as knowledge, technology and the demands in the labour market change.
Explanation:
1. Identify Goals Before Assessments are Conducted
Thinking of assessment as a research opportunity is key. The assessment process may not seem like it, but it is a quasi-experimental research project. Much like a scientist making a hypothesis before an experiment, assessment practitioners would benefit from considering the outcomes they expect to find given the students they serve and the curriculum they’ve implemented.
Consider the example of an academic program wanting to know the extent to which the general education curriculum is equipping students with the quantitative literacy skills needed for upper-level courses. A research study can be designed to determine the impact of the general education curriculum on quantitative literacy.
Developing hypotheses like these can be done well before assessments are administered to students. By establishing these goals at the outset, institutions may find their assessment process to be more useful in identifying areas where improvements can be made.
2. Bring Faculty In
Assessing student learning outcomes can be beneficial for not only administrators, but for faculty as well. While professors hold expertise in their chosen field, they may not have the background in assessment or pedagogical methods needed to leverage SLO assessments for improving the teaching and learning process.
The integration of faculty into all aspects of the assessment process allows them to make better connections between the pedagogy, the curriculum and the learning that results. When faculty members have an understanding of what’s being assessed, and how it is being assessed, they are better equipped to interpret the meaning of assessment results. Having a contextualized understanding of assessment results can empower faculty to make decisions on how the results could impact their courses and their students.
Faculty members have important insights into how students engage in individual courses and the curriculum. These insights are requisite for effective use of assessments.
( I hope this was helpful ) >;D