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Course Goals describe the overall purpose or big-picture targets of instruction, providing a framework under which more specific objectives or learning outcomes can be developed.
Student learning outcomes (SLOs) clearly define what students should be able to do or know by the end of your class. To see if a student meets the desired learning outcome, the student produces something (e.g., essay, oral presentation, lab report, responses to exam questions, art piece, more creative assignments) that can be assessed. Therefore, SLOs must also be measurable. Avoid using phrases like, “Students will understand...” or “Students will appreciate...” because these are vague, aren’t really observable, and can be interpreted in many ways. Instead, students should be able to demonstrate their understanding by summarizing, comparing, etc.
SLO Examples:
Students will be able to explain the flow of energy in environmental systems.
Students will describe and apply the main methods archaeologists use to reconstruct the past.
Students will curate conversations in informal and formal settings (with classmates and strangers) that are informed by events, cultural values, and trends in China."
The basic formula for writing SLOs is... Students will [action verb] + [concise description of the measurable disciplinary learning statement].
Action verbs can be the most difficult part of writing SLOs, so we recommend using Bloom’s Taxonomy to help figuring out what level of learning you want your students to achieve and what verbs are appropriate for SLOs.
Bloom's Taxonomy
Bloom's taxonomy is learning theory of cognitive processes and has been used to articulate educational and learning goals, first developed in 1956 and has been subsequently revised to incorporate a "dynamic" nature to educational development.
If you are trying to figure out what students are "getting out of your class", write learning outcomes, and design rubrics, Bloom's is a helpful tool to identify thinking skills. Bloom’s is presented as a “taxonomy” that scaffold’s these thinking skills into levels or “higher orders”. For instance, before students can understand a concept, they must remember it. Before they can apply a concept, they must first understand it, and so on.
See this page for more details and prompts to write learning outcomes using a Bloom's taxonomy process.
Sources
For a list of example Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs, see this document: Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs
Kennedy, D. (2006) Writing and using learning outcomes: a practical guide, Cork: University College Cork.
https://cora.ucc.ie/server/api/core/bitstreams/88bdd1f3-4e1c-4cf8-baf4-df28d4f094c5/content
Image: Bloom's Taxonomy - Cognitive Domain (2001), University of Florida
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