Learning outcomes are measurable statements that describe the specific knowledge, skills, or expertise that a learner will gain from a learning activity, such as a course or program. Learning outcomes help faculty to decide what to teach, how to teach, and how to assess learning. They also communicate expectations to students. A well-written learning outcome focuses on how the learner will be able to apply their new knowledge in a real-world context, rather than on a learner being able to recite information.
Learning outcomes have a common format: Subject Verb Object (SVO). The subject of the learning outcome statement is the student or the learner, and the verb represents a cognitive process. Blooms Revised Taxonomy provides the framework for writing course-level learning outcomes.
Learning outcomes are not without their challenges. The definitions of the outcomes decided upon are subject to interpretation by those implementing them, leading to a difference in education, even though the same outcomes were said to be achieved. By outlining specific outcomes, a holistic approach to learning is lost, and learning can find itself reduced to something that is specific, measurable, and observable.
