Sprint at a glance: Learning outcomes: Edujargon or educessity?

In education, the terms “learning goals,” “objectives” and “outcomes” are often used interchangeably, though they represent distinct elements of curriculum design. Understanding these differences is crucial for educators striving to create effective learning experiences.

Learning goals are broad, general statements about what is to be learned. They describe the overarching purpose of the course or program. For example, a learning goal might be, "Students will develop critical thinking skills."

Learning objectives are statements that describe an instructor’s intentions and expectations for student work. They are detailed and focus on short-term achievements. For example, an objective might be, "Students will be able to analyze and interpret data from scientific experiments."

Learning outcomes describe what students will know or can do as a result of a learning activity. They are usually expressed in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes and are often measurable. An example of a learning outcome is, "Students will be able to design and conduct an independent research project."

Bloom's Taxonomy and Backward Design

Bloom's Taxonomy and Backward Design are essential frameworks supporting the development of learning outcomes.

Bloom's Taxonomy: Developed by Benjamin Bloom and colleagues in 1956, this hierarchical model classifies educational goals into levels of complexity and specificity. The taxonomy has six levels, which progress from lower-order to higher-order thinking skills. The following is an example of a learning objective using each level:

1. Remembering: Recalling facts and basic concepts (e.g., define, list, state).
   • Example: Students will be able to list the ingredients needed to bake chocolate chip cookies.
2. Understanding: Explaining ideas or concepts (e.g., describe, explain, summarize).
   • Example: Students will explain the role of each ingredient in the cookie dough.
3. Applying: Using information in new situations (e.g., execute, implement, use).
   • Example: Students will use a recipe to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies.
4. Analyzing: Breaking information into parts to explore understandings and relationships (e.g., differentiate, organize, relate).
   • Example: Students will organize the baking steps to improve efficiency and timing.
5. Evaluating: Justifying a decision or course of action (e.g., argue, defend, judge).
   • Example: Students will judge the effectiveness of substituting ingredients (e.g., butter vs. margarine) in the cookie recipe.
6. Creating: Producing new or original work (e.g., design, construct, formulate).
   • Example: Students will develop a step-by-step tutorial on how to bake a chocolate chip cookie.

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy ensures that learning activities and assessments are aligned with cognitive skill levels, providing a coherent structure for student learning.

Backward Design: Coined by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, this approach to instructional planning starts with the end in mind. The process involves three stages:

1. Identify desired results: Define what students should know, understand and be able to do.
2. Determine acceptable evidence: Decide how to assess students’ learning to ensure they meet the desired outcomes.
3. Plan learning experiences and instruction: Design activities to help students achieve the learning outcomes.

Using Backwards Design ensures that the learning activities and assessments are aligned with the intended outcomes, providing a coherent structure for student learning.

Call to action

Are you ready to transform your teaching by creating clear, measurable and impactful learning outcomes? Enroll in Missouri Online's sprint mini-course, "2.A Learning Objectives: Edujargon or Educessity," and gain practical skills in developing effective learning goals, objectives and outcomes.

Join us to demystify the jargon and enhance your instructional design. Your journey to becoming a more effective educator starts now!

Created on September 6, 2024