Biggs, J.; et al. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university: what the student does. Chapter 7: ‘Designing intended learning outcomes ’ pages 86-96 (ebook)
Designing Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
What knowledge will be learnt ‘declarative or functioning’. (Biggs,J; Tang,C. 2011)
Learning outcomes have different levels: Institutional level, degree programme level, course level.
Graduate Outcomes (Institutional level):
It has long been believed that students level of knowledge goes above that they know or what skills they learn, but how they act or think. Education can be seen as what is remaining within a student once everything that was taught at university has been forgotten.
Albert Einstein quote!
They are taught in two different ways – generic skills or abilities to be displayed embedded into the content level of the institution.
(Barrie 2004) Arrives at a hierarchy of conceptions for outcomes where lowest graduates produce generic foundation skills. The other extreme is when there are abilities which are deeply embedded in learning outcomes. (Problem solving and showing evidence)
“Embedded outcomes, such as creativity and lifelong learning, on the other hand require significant substantive knowledge in a given area and so should be built into the intended learning outcomes of particular programmes and courses”. Page 89
Scwartz (2010) takes an approach and believes that knowledge and learning goes beyond what is taught at university but comprises of ‘wisdom’ having a role model and personal experience.
Intended Learning Outcomes at the Programme Level: (Degree)
Translating Graduate Level Outcomes to Programme level outcomes need to be mapped and designing the ILO from the aims of the particular degree programme. They are the central outcomes intended for the programme.
There are generally only a few ILO’s, no more than 6 to realistically be achieved.
The course committee and teachers are to check that the ILO are appropriate and achievable to the listed graduate outcomes?
It is not possible to have graduate outcomes which cover all varying degrees. Eg. Empathy needed in social working degrees/ but not in computing degrees. You cant force irrelevant or unnecessarily Graduate outcomes on a subject or course.
(Bath et.al 2005; Sumsision and Goodfellow 2004) Coordinating programme ILO with the requirements with institutions is specific to each university.
Intended Learning Outcomes at Course Level:
‘Curriculum objectives’. What the student is learning rather than hat he teacher is teaching. The ‘students perspective’.
The importance of verbs! – What is the level of performance?
No more than 6 again.
One problem found is teachers start by deciding what topics need to be taught. Then they try to write outcomes for the topics. With say 10 topics which 3 outcomes for each would be completely unmanageable to achieve.
Designing and Writing Course ILOs:
What knowledge wants to be involved? Are the ILO declarative knowledge (knowing theories, concepts, disciplines) or functioning knowledge (taking control over problems or decisions)? What is it and why? Be selective with topics! Why are you teaching the topic? Prioritise necessary topics. What is desirable for performance of the course?
Once they have all been decided it is important that the three levels are aligned.
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