Presentation at Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops

1. Learning Outcomes: designed to
support learning?
Alan Tait
Professor of Distance Education and Development
Thompson Rivers University

2. What is a learning outcome?
The specific intentions of a programme or module, written in
specific terms. They describe what a student should know,
understand or be able to do at the end of a programme or
module.
University of Central England, Staff Development Unit
Thompson Rivers University

3. Learning outcome levels
Micro
Meso
Macro
Programme specification: ‘a precise description of the
intended learning outcomes of a higher education
programme, and the means by which the outcomes are
achieved and demonstrated.’
QAA 2007 Outcomes from institutional audit, the adoption and use of learning outcomes
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4. Module level
Identify aims of module
Write learning outcomes
Design assessment task
Define assessment criteria
Develop learning and teaching strategy
Review and improve
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5. Module outcome format
‘on successful completion of this module students will be able
to…’
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6. At Programme level
Knowledge and understanding
Intellectual skills (being able to able to make use of knowledge
and understanding
Practical skills
Key/transferable skills (communication; problem solving; self-
evaluation)
Thompson Rivers University

7. Programme outcome format
‘A successful student from this Programme will be able to..’
Thompson Rivers University

8. The role of the Quality
Assurance Agency
Assuring Quality and standards in UK Higher Education
Through audit
Peer review
Thompson Rivers University

9. QAA Quality Code for HE
Indicators of sound practice (since about 10 years)
Indicator 2
Learning and teaching activities and associated resources
provide every student with an equal and effective
opportunity to achieve the intended learning outcomes.
QAA UK Quality code for HE
Thompson Rivers University

10. QAA link of LO’s to assessment
Once determined, the learning outcomes for the programme of
study map directly to the summative assessment, with the
assessment methods being appropriate to offer every
student an equal opportunity to demonstrate their
achievement of the intended learning outcomes irrespective
of how and where the student has studied (see Chapter B6:
Assessment of students of the Quality Code).17
Thompson Rivers University

11. Frank Furedi’s critique
Yet learning outcomes are not just another banal
instrument deployed to monitor and quantify the
achievements of students. The very purpose of this
organisational instrument is to accomplish a shift in
emphasis from learning to outcomes. This is a technique
through which a utilitarian ethos to academic life serves
to diminish what would otherwise be an open-ended
experience for student and teacher alike.
Times Higher 29 November 2012 Thompson Rivers University

12. Furedi’s four arguments
1 LO’s Disrupts relationship between teacher and student
2 Diminish or exclude unexpected in learning
3 Diminish judgement and professionalism of teaching
4 Create cynicism
Thompson Rivers University

13. What about the student?
Assists understanding of what will be learned
And capacity to explain that to employers
Thompson Rivers University

14. And the teacher?
Assists in making clear what is to be taught
And how learning is to be organised
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15. And the employer?
Who should have a clearer idea of what the organisation can
assume the student knows or can do
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16. And Quality?
Assists both internal and external quality assurance of
organisation of teaching, by making organisation of learning
and teaching explicit, and therefore open to review
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17. Evidence?
Very little on any score!
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18. Discussion
1 Clarification
2 Present situation at TRU
3 Pro’s and Con’s
Thompson Rivers University