Student learning outcomes
are the accumulated knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students
develop during a course of study. Learning
outcomes are a particular category
of program outcomes,
which may include broader elements such as graduation rates, faculty
and graduate students' publications, and job placement.
Examples
of program level student learning outcomes
| Humanities |
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Students will apply a body of anthropological theory to the analysis of a linguistic, cultural, or archeological phenomenon. (Anthropology, B.A.) |
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The MA holder in Latin will be able to translate, without the aid of dictionary, six passages of Latin, some `at sight` (that is, without earlier preparation), drawn from various authors. (Classics, MA.) |
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Students will demonstrate the ability to read and understand a significant literary text in their Middle Eastern language. (Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Literatures, B.A.) |
| Fine Arts |
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Art History majors will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the religious, political, moral, and cultural contexts in which works of art and architecture were made. (Art History, B.A.) |
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Upon graduation most majors will have the ability to design and carry out an ethnographic research project with a focus on musical performance or musical experience (defined broadly). (Music, B.A.) |
| Sciences |
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Students demonstrate understanding of fundamental concepts of chemistry by definition, explanation, and use of these ideas in examinations and laboratory exercises. (Chemistry, B.A.) |
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The Physics graduate student will have a specialized knowledge in one of the sub-fields of physics such as, atomic and molecular physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear and particle physics. In addition the physics graduate will be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge in all the subfields mentioned above. (Physics, MA.) |
| Social Sciences |
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Use an appropriate analytic frame to predict the impact of policy proposals on social welfare. (Economics, B.A.) |
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Effectively integrate multiple disciplines into the research and writing of the thesis. (Interdisciplinary - Political and Social Thought - B.A.) |
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By the end of their third year of graduate study at the University of Virginia, students will be able to explain and critique the historical schools of thought that have shaped scholarly understanding of their chosen field(s) of study. (History, Ph.D.) |
An example of three general education
student learning outcomes for critical thinking:
Undergraduate students graduating from the University
of Virginia should be able to:
1) Carefully
interpret, analyze, and evaluate evidence, statements, graphics,
questions, etc.
2) Construct well-supported and sustained
arguments.
3) Justify conclusions based on well-supported
arguments.
More
learning outcomes examples by discipline
(MS Word doc)
Checklist for Evaluating Program Outcomes
Does the outcome/objective:
___ Represent a fundamental result of the course of study or program—does
it assess what is most important?
___ Clearly describe what students are asked to do, using action
verbs (write an essay, complete a laboratory exercise, compose an
original piece of music or art)?
___ Ask students to apply what they have learned by producing something?
___ Include a time frame for students to accomplish this goal (end
of second year, end of program)?
___ Is the outcome specific and measurable?
Checklist
MS Word doc
Covert
versus Overt Outcomes
It is important to define overt outcomes to allow for a direct assessment
of students. Overt outcomes makes it possible to define rubrics
and directly measure learning. Below are a number of examples on
how to differentiate between covert and overt student learning outcomes.
| Covert |
Overt |
| Know the arguments |
Summarize the arguments
|
| Reflect on the issues |
Share reflections on the issues |
| Think critically |
Interpret, analyze, evaluate and
construct arguments |
| Envision solutions |
Illustrate solutions |
| Understand principles |
Apply principles |
| Understand methods |
Explicate methods
|
| Appreciate art |
Choose to attend art events |
| Appreciate philosophy |
Choose to discuss philosophical
issues |
| Know principles of social justice |
Advocate principles
of social justice |
Table
of examples of covert v. overt outcomes (MS
Word doc)
To help define overt outcomes, the following examples of verbs
may be helpful:
| Knowledge |
Comprehension |
Application |
Analysis |
Synthesis |
Evaluation |
| Count |
Associate |
Apply |
Arrange |
Combine |
Appraise |
Define |
Convert |
Classify |
Break down |
Compose |
Assess |
| Describe |
Defend |
Demonstrate |
Combine |
Create |
Criticize |
| Identify |
Estimate |
Examine |
Differentiate |
Devise |
Grade |
| List |
Explain |
Graph |
Illustrate |
Integrate |
Interpret |
| Recognize |
Generalize |
Manipulate |
Infer |
Reconstruct |
Judge |
| Report |
Give examples |
Operate |
Relate |
Relate |
Rank |
| Select |
Infer |
Show |
Select |
Summarize |
Rate |
| States |
Summarize |
Solve |
Utilize |
Transform |
Test |
Verb
list, with more examples, for each of the 6 classifications (knowledge,
comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)
(MS
Word doc)
|
