Student Learning Outcome

 Are statements that specify what students will know, be able to do or be able to
demonstrate when they have completed or participated in a course or program. SLO’s
specify an action by the student that must be observable, measurable and able to be
demonstrated.
 SLO focus on the context and potential applications of knowledge and skills, help students
connect learning in various contexts, and help guide assessment and evaluation.
 Good learning outcomes emphasize the application and integration of knowledge. Instead
of focusing on coverage of material, learning outcomes articulate how students will be
able to employ the material, both in the context of the class and more broadly.

The Five Learning Outcomes

 Children have a strong sense of identity.
 Children are connected with and contribute to their world.
 Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.
 Children are confident and involved learners.
 Children are effective communicators.

Learning Outcomes vs. Learning Objective

 The distinction between learning outcomes and learning objectives is not universally
recognized, and many instructors may find that the term ‘learning outcomes’ describes
what they have already understood by the term ‘learning objectives. Some scholars make
no distinction between the two terms; those who do usually suggest that learning
outcomes are a subset or type of learning objective.
 Learning objectives, for example, may outline the material the instructor intends to cover
or the disciplinary questions the class will address. By contrast, learning outcomes should
focus on what the student should know and realistically be able to do by the end of an
assignment, activity, class or course. The same goals addressed by learning objectives can
be equally addressed by learning outcomes, but by focusing on the application and
integration of the course content from the perspective of the student, learning outcomes
can more explicitly and directly address expectations for student learning.

Grades are Objectives

SLO’s are measurable and observable outcomes
Objectives – Grades
Objectives are intended results or
consequences of instruction, curricula,
programs or activities.
Objectives are focused on performances that
all students are expected to demonstrate at
the of instruction, for example the normal
distribution of grades.
Objectives define the key elements that must
be taught every time the course is delivered.
Because calculation of a course grade often
involves a combination of sources such as
class participation and other objectives, the
single course grade does not directly
represent the student’s achievement of a
specific learning outcome or skill.
Outcomes – SLO’s
Outcomes are achieved results of what was
learned – the evidence that learning took
place
Outcomes are single student-centered and
describe what it is that the student should
learn. SLO’s are not grades, but observable
skills.
Outcomes are measurable statements that
specify what learners will know or be able to
do as a result of successfully completing a
course.
Instead of how many students received A’s or
D’s in the course, the SLO’s are geared to
describe a specific skill that is acquired which
is central to the course.

 Well-written SLO’s use action verbs, the present tense, and avoid terms such as “will
appreciate” or “become aware” or “understand.” How does one measure appreciation or
understanding? Good SLO’s also exhibit academic rigor, a quality that takes the SLO out of
the realm of something that is generally understood by most people, and becomes a
measurable outcome of rigorous academic study.
Types of Assessment
 Traditional and Authentic Assessment
 Formative Evaluation and Summative Evaluation
 Norm and Criterion-Referenced Assessment
 Contextualized and Decontextualized Assessment
 Analytic and Holistic Assessment

Holistic Rubrics provide a single score to summarize a student’s performance on a given task,
whereas analytic rubrics provide several scores for the task, one for each different category being
evaluated.