Office of the Provost
Denise Shaver, Ph. D.
Director of Academic Assessment
she/her/hers
dshaver@pratt.edu
Getting Started with Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
A learning outcome is a concise description of what students will learn and what they should be able to do at the end of a course or program. It also informs students on the learning that will be assessed. Having clearly articulated learning outcomes can make designing a course, assessing student learning progress, and facilitating learning progress more effective. Learning outcomes can also help students regulate their learning and develop effective learning strategies.
Pratt Outcomes Criteria
| Identify the purpose and scope of the course, program, or institutional outcome |
| Use action verbs |
| Include one demonstrable verb per outcome |
| Consider Bloom's or another learning taxonomy |
| Ensure each outcome can be demonstrated through artifacts of student work and other forms of student learning, which may also include self-assessment |
| Align outcomes with Institute mission and goals, curriculum, and co-curriculum |
| Keep outcomes concise |
| Use language accessible to all stakeholders |
Pratt Goal Definition
Goals articulate in broad terms the substance and skills that students can expect to gain through the totality of learning opportunities available at Pratt.
Pratt Outcome Definition
Outcomes are holistic, incorporating a range of learning inclusive of disciplinary, higher-order, and transferable skills that specify what students demonstrate through the totality of their learning experiences at Pratt.
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Benefits of Learning Outcomes:
Students
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Communicate the ideas, concepts, skills students need to master by the end of the course or program
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Create equity and accessibility of knowledge through shared language and expectations
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Increase accountability and responsibility for learning Instructors/Directors
Instructors/Directors
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Provide a framework and rationale for making course or curriculum decisions about the sequence of topics or courses and instruction
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Communicate to students what they must do to make progress in learning in the course or program.
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Articulate your intentions for learning to all stakeholders.
Smart Goals
Verb Suggestions for SLOs
- Bloom's Three Domain Action VerbsAction verbs for writing learning objectives in three domains. Compiled by Pratt Institute's School of Information Curriculum Committee. Adapted from Bloom’s taxonomy of educational learning objectives.
- Bloom's Revised Cognitive Taxonomy Action VerbsA set of verbs categorized by how they illustrate Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains. To be used in the formulation of learning obectives.
- Switching from Bloom to the Medicine WheelMarcella LaFever proposes to replace Bloom's with a new taxonomy in a 2016 article in the journal Intercultural Education.
Above: Medicine Wheel taxonomy created by Marcella LaFever.
SLO Generators
- Student Learning Outcomes GeneratorUniversity of Nevada, Reno
- Student Learning Outcomes Generatoreasygenerator.com
Resources from Other Institutions
The New Jersey Institute of Technology:
The University of West Florida:
Georgia Tech: