Writing Effective Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) for Graduate Programs

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO’s) are directed goals that encompass the knowledge, skills, and abilities students should have achieved by the end of the program or course. SLO’s emphasize what students can do with what they have learned, resulting in a product that can be evaluated (CET&L, 2016). SLOs for graduate programs should reflect advanced learning.

Student Learning Outcomes should:

1. Focus on student behavior.

2. Be written as a student-centered statement.

3. Work to demonstrate mastery of a content area.

4. Be introduced with a statement that is relevant for all SLOs such as ‘At the end of the graduate program/certificate, the student will be able to:’

5. Consider that each SLO should be associated with an assessment method and an outcome criterion, if not then it is likely not an SLO.

a. Student Learning Outcome: what do you want the student to achieve?

b. Assessment Method: what activity will be graded or assessed to ensure that students metthe SLO?

c. Outcome Criteria: what is the intended outcome or the grade/assessment requirement?

6. Use action verbs from the Bloom’s taxonomy listings (see diagram on next page). Use ONE verb per SLO, selecting the highest level Bloom’s verb to support the goal. For example, if you want the student to implement and evaluate something, evaluate is a higher level verb. Evaluation then implies that the student already understands how to implement.

7. Use higher level Bloom’s verbs for graduate programs, to recognize advanced training. The verbs on the graphic flow from simple to complex going from left to right columns. Only select verbs from the 3 categories on the right. Some Blooms’ verbs (e.g. understand, integrate, discover) are difficult to measure and should be avoided.

8. Use only ONE verb per SLO (yes, this is repeated to make a point…).

Reference

http://www.uc.edu/cetl/ourwork/design.html • Resources including help writing student learning outcomes

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VERBS FOR GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Worksheet for Writing SLOs

This worksheet is to assist in writing SLOs that are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, results-focused, and tailored) and contain the appropriate Bloom's taxonomy verbs. Examples are included to get you started: including how to link SLOs to observable outcomes.

Use advanced verbs for graduate programs. Three (3) SLOs are recommended for graduate certificate programs, five (5) SLOs for graduate degrees.

At end of the graduate program/certificate, students will be able to:

Bloom’s Taxonomy (One verb per SLO)

SMART- Explicit and Observable Terms (specific, measurable, attainable, results-focused & tailored)

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

devise..... a research project in the field. assess by exam questions requiring experimental design outcome: research proposal for grant or qualifying exam

reframe.... a historical perspective. assess by grade in discussion course in American History outcome: public history speech to Department or others