A LEARNING MODULE IN

ASSESSMENT IN STUDENT LEARNING II

Prepared by: Ms. Eden V. Calimag

Chapter 1

A CLOSE LOOK AT STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLO)

Students who are well informed about what behaviors are expected of them in a
course/subject or learning activity have a definite guide during the learning activity and are
therefore perceived to attain success. Correlatively, teachers who know very well what they wish
their students to demonstrate or perform will be in the best position to align their instructional
activities to the desired learning outcomes. In this light, all assessment and evaluation activities
should start with the identification and clarification of the student learning outcomes (SLO). The
identified and clarified student learning outcome serve as the load stars that will guide both teacher
and students in activities leading to the attainment of the deserved learning outcomes.
What is Student Learning Outcome (SLO)?
Every college program should have a set of college-wide expectations from student
learning which have been previously agreed upon by the faculty of the program and which the
students who pass the different courses under the college program are expected to demonstrate.
The individual teacher may add to his/her course more student learning expectations and reflect
them on each course syllabus. It is important that these common program-wide expectations are
identified and clarified because they are the basis of the outcome’s assessment process.
The student learning outcomes in the teacher education program are the skills,
competencies and values that the students are expected to demonstrate at the end of every course/
subject which are in turn, integrated into the year-end formation of students as they progress
towards becoming professional teachers. Attainment of these learning outcomes should be
periodically assessed cooperatively by both teacher and students. Periodic assessment helps the
students determine their strengths and deficiencies and become active participants in outcomes
attainment.
Learning outcomes are statement of the knowledge, skills and abilities of individual
students should possess and can demonstrate upon completion of a learning experience or sequence
of learning experiences.
What are the Sources of Expected Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)?
Expected student learning outcomes may be sourced from any or all of the following:
1. The institution’s mission statement is a relevant source of student learning expectations.
Public school system mission or state school charter as source of learning outcomes.
Private schools are either sectarian or non-sectarian and their mission may be sourced from
their respective religious goals, in the case of on-sectarian schools.
2. Policies on competencies and standards issued by government education agencies such as
the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) are the prescribed
sources of student learning outcomes.
 3. Expected competencies identified by the different professions, business and industry
should be adopted to ensure that graduates are able to perform as expected in their
respective work places and/or professions.
4. The thrusts and development goals of the national government are useful integration in the
identified competencies and expectations from all sectors of education.
5. International trends and development should also be considered in identifying and
determining student learning outcomes to ensure the graduates’ competitiveness in the
employment and professional practice abroad.
6. It will be enriching if the identified competencies and expectations of students integrate the
basic general education competencies such as the following competencies listed by the
Montgomery College”
a.) Oral and written communication which includes the ability to use oral and written
language of communication supported by appropriate technology and enhanced with
effective style of presentation.
b.) Scientific and quantitative reasoning ability which includes competency in the use of
quantitative data, mathematical procedure and scientific methods of inquiry in
decision-making.
c.) Ability to analyze, synthesize and develop creative solutions which are the components
of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) or competencies.
d.) Technological competency which involves the ability to use computer technology in
documentation and presentations appropriate in different academic and professional
settings.
e.) Information literacy involves the ability to efficiently locate and effectively use
information from both print and electronic sources.
Characteristics of Good Learning Outcomes
1. Good student learning outcomes (SLO) are centered on the students, on what the learners
are capable of doing, instead of the teaching technique. The teaching strategy will only be
guided by the desired competencies of the students.
For instance, if the SLO is: “the students can explain and illustrate the life cycle of an
insect,” to guide the students towards the desired competency, the teacher may use any or
all of the following instructional techniques and activities:
a.) video presentation of the life cycle of a butterfly
b.) poster presentation of the different stages in the development of a butterfly
c.) field trip to a botanical garden or nature park to observe the different stages in the life
cycle of a butterfly
d.) submission of an essay on the dangers observed that will interrupt or abort the life cycle
of the butterfly
e.) submission of a proposed project to protect the life cycle of insects or other useful
animals
2. Good learning outcomes are based on the program mission statement agreed upon by the
program faculty in consultation with other stakeholders like alumni and other
professionals. It is important that the student learning outcomes are based on issuances
from government regulatory agencies such as DepEd’s K to 12 Law Enhanced Basic
 Education in the Philippines, the CHED’s Policies, Standards and Guidelines on Teacher
Education, thrusts of appropriate professional organizations and advocacies of employer
and industry groups.
3. Good student learning outcomes are very well understood by both students and faculty.
They should be in agreement on the importance of these competencies which they will
cooperatively develop. Here are suggested steps that teacher and students can together take
in their cooperative monitoring of the progress towards the desired learning outcomes or
skills and competencies.
H ooking the students to the desired learning outcome
E xploring and experiencing the supporting student activities
A pplying the ideas/ knowledge required in contrived, simulated or real-life situations
R efining, rehearsing, reviewing the target/skills/ competencies
E valuating the degree of learning outcome performance
D eciding on the action, solution or creative project to apply the learning outcome
4. Good learning outcomes include a spectrum of thinking skills from simple to the higher
order of application of knowledge and skills. Here is an example of a range of learning
outcomes from the simple to the complex under the competency: “ability to understand.”
a.) can identify
b.) can explain
c.) can apply
d.) can analyze
e.) can synthesize
f.) can evaluate
g.) can judge
h.) can create
5. Good learning outcomes are measurable. Student competencies should be expressed as
transitive verbs and/or action words which are demonstrable and observable at various
levels.
Example of observable/measurable competency levels:
a.) For K to 12 Grades 3-10 Reading, Mathematics, Language, Science
Numerical Rating Proficiency Level
1 Below basic level
2 Basic Level
3 Proficient Level
4 Advanced Level
b.) For the Nursing Program, the example used is Patricia Benner’s Levels of Competency
Numerical Rating Level of Competency Level
1 Novice
2 Advance Beginner
3 Competent
4 Proficient
5 Expert
c.) From Guba and Lincoln
 Students Name: ________________________________________________________
Directions: Enter the date when each of the behaviors has been observed.
Course/Subject Student Introduced Practised Developed
Learning
Outcome
Foundation of SLO #1
Education SLO #2
Principles of SLO #1
Teaching SLO #2
SLO #3
Methods of SLO #1
Teaching SLO #2
SLO #3

Exercises
A. Identify the characteristics of a good student learning outcome that each of the following
depicts:
The students:
1. can perform the dance “Pandanggo Sa Ilaw”
2. can submit a proposed project to hold a poster contest on environmental sanitation
3. can decide on the best solution to a mathematics problem
4. can participate in a community project as a contribution to the society
5. can discuss with the teacher one’s difficulty in attaining the desired learning outcome
6. can research on the life and works of Apolinario Mabini and submit a report on one’s
findings
7. can do a power point presentation of the solar system
8. can demonstrate a simple experiment in class on the law of buoyancy
9. can volunteer to perform the desired competency
10. can illustrate through posters the characteristics of a good member of the community
B. Write two examples of student learning outcomes derived from each of the following
sources:
1. Your school’s mission
2. The act enhancing the Philippine basic education system (K to 12 law)
3. National Competency-Based Teacher Standards (NCBTS)
4. General Education basic competencies
5. Education for All (EFA)