How to write effective

learning outcomes to
achieve higher levels of
Learning
By: Prof.Ajay Kumar Singh
Head, Department of Commerce
Dean, Faculty of Commerce and Business,
University of Delhi Formerly Vice Chancellor,
Sri Sri University
 Agenda

❖ Introduction
❖ Learning Outcomes
❖ Bloom’s Taxonomy
❖ Mapping Practical Exercises with Learning
Outcomes
INTRODUCTION
Learning outcomes are measurable statements that articulate at the
beginning what students should be able to do, or value as a result of
taking a course or completing a programme (also called Backwards
Course Design).
Learning outcomes often take this form:
● As a result of participating in (programme/course name), you
(students) will be able to (action verb) (learning statement).

Use your learning outcomes as a tool. Let them inform your choice of
teaching strategies, course activities, and assessments.
INTRODUCTION
Course Learning outcomes (CLOs) are the specific
knowledge, skills, abilities or attitudes that students are
expected to attain by the end of a learning experience or
programme of study. With respect to programme-level
assessment, CLOs should be informed where appropriate by
the following:
■ Discipline-related skill set
■ Accreditation and other external accountability
expectations
■ Programme goals and objectives
 Learning Outcomes
Effective learning outcomes are:
● Clear statements, containing an action verb and an object of the verb, of
what students are expected to do
● Action-oriented
● Free of ambiguous words and phrases
● Learner-centered—written from the perspective of what the learner does
● Clearly aligned with the course goals: each learning outcome will support a
course goal
● Aligned with the course content, including assessments
● Realistic and achievable: the audience must be able to achieve the learning
outcome within the logistics of the course (time, environment, etc.)
● Appropriate for the level of the learner (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
● A broad statement reflecting the criterion or standard for acceptable
performance
 ‘Outcomes’ versus
‘objectives’
Objectives statements can vary in form and nature – they can range from
general ‘curriculum’ objectives, to more specific ‘learning’ objectives, to even
more specific ’behavioural’ objectives. They may be expressed as intentions on
the part of the lecturer (e.g. ‘The objectives of this unit are to …’), or as desired
outcomes (‘By the end of this unit you should be able to….’). It is the latter form
– the outcome statement – that has the most power in informing teaching and
learning, whether it be called a ‘learning outcome’, ‘learning objective’, or some
other name. An outcome statement clarifies intention. It is squarely focussed
on the learner and is performance-oriented, beginning with an action verb (e.g.
‘demonstrate’, apply’ etc.) and signalling the desired level of performance. A
learning outcome is thus an unambiguous statement of what the learner is
expected to achieve and how he/she is expected to demonstrate that
achievement.
Outcomes:
Learning outcomes describe what learners should know, be able to
do, and value as a result of integrating knowledge, skills, and
attitudes learned throughout the course. They are stated in
measurable terms.

Objectives:
Learning objectives describe the intended result of a learning
experience. They are stated in measurable terms. Learning
objectives identify discrete aspects of a learning outcome or goal.
Collectively, they roll up to meet learning outcomes or goals.
Bloom’s taxonomy can be used as a guiding
framework in the development of student learning
outcomes.
Bloom’s taxonomy is a series of cognitive skills and
learning objectives arranged in a hierarchical
model.
 This taxonomy of educational
objectives gets its name from its
creator,Benjamin Bloom.
Back in the 1940s, Bloom and his
colleagues devised his taxonomy
by categorizing a range of
educational goals and arranging
them into a hierarchy. Bloom
believed that by classifying goals in
this manner, it would make it
easier for educators to more
accurately assess student
performance.
Mr. Benjamin Bloom
 Students recognize and recall
1. Remember basic facts, concepts, processes,
patterns, structures and settings.
At this level, teachers might ask
students to recite a poem from a
textbook, remember geometric
formulas or list countries on a
continent.
● List ● Group ● Underline
● Memorize ● Read ● Cite
● Relate ● Write ● Sort
● Show ● Outline
● Locate ● Listen
● Distinguish ● Group Remember
● Give example ● Choose Action
● Reproduce ● Recite
● Quote ● Review
Words
● Repeat ● Quote
● Label ● Record
● Recall ● Match
● Know ● Select
 Students decode the meaning and
significance behind concepts, facts
2.
and ideas – and communicate them
Understanding to others. At this level, students can
summarize the main ideas of a story
or classify different items.
● Restate ● Describe
● Identify ● Report
● Discuss ● Recognize
● Retell ● Review
● Research ● Observe Understand
● Annotate ● Outline Action
● Translate ● Account for
● Give examples of ● Interpret
Words
● Paraphrase ● Give main idea
● Reorganize ● Estimate
● Associate ● Define
 Students use the knowledge or skills
they’ve developed in new contexts or
situations. At this level, students may be
expected to create a budget using
3. Apply mathematical concepts,write an advice
column for a character in a story or paint
using a particular artistic style.
● Translate ● Paint
● Manipulate ● Change
● Exhibit ● Compute
● Illustrate ● Sequence
● Calculate ● Show Apply
● Interpret ● Solve
●
Action
● Make Collect
● Practice ● Demonstrate Words
● Apply ● Dramatize
● Operate ● Construct
● Interview ● Use
● Draw ● Adapt
 Students break down concepts into their
component parts and identify the
connections between them. At this level,
students might distinguish between fact and
4. Analyze opinion in a newspaper, deconstruct how a
machine works or identify logical fallacies in
an argument.
● Distinguish ● Compare ● Categorize
● Question ● Contrast ● Discriminate
● Appraise ● Survey ● Dissect
● Experiment ● Detect
● Inspect ● Group
● Examine ● Order
● Probe ● Sequence Analyze
● Separate ● Test Action Words
● Inquire ● Debate
● Arrange ● Analyse
● Investigate ● Diagram
● Sift ● Relate
● Research
 Students use the knowledge and skills
they’ve gained so far to appraise a situation,
state an opinion and justify their stance. At
this level, students can do things like select
5. Evaluate the best source of vitamin C in a diet or
critique the value of new technologies in a
specific context.
● Judge ● Evaluate ● Value
● Rate ● Defend ● Probe
● Validate ● Select ● Argue
● Predict ● Measure ● Decide
● Assess ● Choose ● Criticize
● Score ● Conclude ●
● Revise ● Deduce
Rank
Evaluate
● Infer ● Debate Action Words
● Determine ● Justify
● Prioritize ● Recommend
● Tell why ● Discriminate
● Reject ● Appraise
 Students formulate their own solutions to
problems and create original work. At this
level, teachers might ask students to write a
poem of their own, develop a business plan
6. Create
for a new company or design a machine to
tackle a problem.
● Compose ● Originate
● Assemble ● Imagine
● Organise ● Generate
● Invent ● Formulate
● Compile ● Improve
● ● Act
●
Forecast
Devise ● Predict
Create
● Propose ● Produce Action Words
● Construct ● Blend
● Plan ● Set up
● Prepare ● Devise
● Develop ● Compile