Program and course learning outcomes

Well specified program and course learning outcomes are essential when designing curriculum. Learning outcomes enable students to identify the links between what is taught and how their learning is assessed. For the lecturer and curriculum designer, learning outcomes serve to guide the activities, content and assessment and form the basis of curriculum alignment. The process for writing clear and succinct learning outcomes is described in the document Creating and using effective learning outcomes (CQUniversity, nd).  This document is essential reading for those planning new course proposals or a curriculum review. The following describes processes for developing program and course learning outcomes.

While program and course learning outcomes share similar qualities in that they are succinct and clearly articulated, they are written for different purposes and, as such, include differing levels of detail. Course learning outcomes describe the attainment of specific knowledge, skills and attitudes that are developed in graduates in each individual course.  On the other hand,  program learning outcomes are written in ways that describe the knowledge, the cognitive, technical and creative skills and the application of those skills taking a whole of program view. The following examples illustrate the distinction.

Writing program learning outcomes

It is now time to start writing your program learning outcomes. See our Great Guide on Creating and Using Effective Learning Outcomes. Some staff have found it useful to write draft learning outcomes and then map them against the AQF descriptors. This mapping will identify any gaps in the program learning outcomes.  Others may develop the program learning outcomes using the TLOs as a guide. It may be helpful to begin with a key topic word or phrase for each program learning outcome and then use that word or phrase as the basis of  the program learning outcome. As an example the program team, after reviewing the TLOs for the discipline and the AQF descriptors may decide that the program learning outcomes could cover:

• Knowledge skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Communication skills
• Professional judgement skills
• Research skills
• Self-management skills
  

Writing course learning outcomes

The process of writing course learning outcomes has been described in our Great Guide on Creating and Using Effective Learning Outcomes.  As noted earlier, when developing new course proposals it is important to be familiar with this resource.  This document describes the process of writing learning outcomes and includes a number of examples. Additional examples can be accessed on the Academic Board website by reviewing the Education Committee of Academic Board’s Agenda items.

The New Course Proposal process also requires that course learning outcomes:

• are aligned with assessment items
• are mapped against Graduate attributes
• meet the requirements of internationalisation and indigenisation

Course Learning Outcomes

• Critically analyse a range of community consultation strategies appropriate for major project proposals
• Evaluate possible outcomes of a public health threat
• Review a specific knowledge domain and identify gaps worthy of research (COIS20079). (CQUniversity, nd) 

If you need assistance in this area, please consult with your Head of Program and/or the Educational Development team.

What's happening across the sector?

When developing a proposal for a new program or reviewing a current program it is important to conduct an  environmental scan in order to identify program outcomes developed across the sector. In some cases, alternative terms and expressions are used.  While the expression “Program learning outcomes” is used at CQUniversity, the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) has referred to Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLOs).

The ALTC uses Turning’s (2009) definition Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLOs) as “statements of what a learner is expected to know, understand and be able to demonstrate after completion of a learning experience.” ¹

The ALTC, (2011) states that TLOs are expected to be

• “clearly articulated
• assessable
• written for a broad audience including academics, students, parents and employers
• contemporary and forward thinking and situated in a national and international context.”²

Threshold Learning Outcomes have been developed by the ALTC for a number of specific disciplines. Generally, these TLOs have been developed to provide consistency of program outcomes across the higher education sector.

TLOs have been developed for a range of programs and those developed for the Bachelor of Accounting were listed in CQUniversity (nd p2)

1. exercise judgement under supervision to solve routine accounting problems in straightforward contexts using social, ethical, economic, regulatory and global perspectives.
2. integrate theoretical and technical accounting knowledge which includes a selection of auditing and assurance, finance, economics, quantitative methods, information systems, commercial law, corporation law and taxation law.
3. critically apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to solve routine accounting problems.
4. justify and communicate accounting advice and ideas in straightforward collaborative contexts involving both accountants and non-accountants.
5. reflect on performance feedback to identify and action learning opportunities and self-improvements.

Threshold Learning Outcomes for a number of disciplines including Building and Construction, Education and Science are available on the the OLT website. Threshold Learning Outcomes for other disciplines may be available on the Federally funded Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT) website.  To locate these resources search for “ALTC Standards”.

Australian Qualifications Framework

After conducting your scan of the sector, it is now important to review the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) specifications .  The specifications for each of the AQF levels are found in the AQF First Edition (2011), available on the AQF Website.  If you are writing Program Learning Outcomes for a Level 7 (Bachelor Degree) this document can help you to identify the distinctions between the skills for each of the levels. Becoming familiar with this document will also help you to gain a sense of how Level 7 builds on Level 6 (Associate Degree) and how it leads into Level 8 (Bachelor Honours).

References

Australian Learning and Teaching Council, 2011 Learning and Teaching Academic Standards (LTAS) Project Repor, Final Report for the Second-Intake Discipline Groups of: Architecture Building and Construction Education Science Learning and Teaching Academic Standards Project Report http://www.olt.gov.au/resource-learning-and-teaching-academic-standards-project-report-2011

CQUniversity. (nd). Creating and using effective learning outcomes. Retrieved from http://www.cqu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/21812/Creating_and_using_effective_learning_outcomes_2011_6_7.pdf

Reed, R. (2011). Ten top tips: Writing and using effective learning outcomes. Retrieved from http://www.cqu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/22290/TTTBatch1_Master_LearnOutcomes.pdf