Main Components of Learning Outcomes

As you know, learning outcomes are important because they make explicit for students what they will be able to do once they have completed your course. Learning outcomes are measurable and observable practices that improve the focus of learning for your students.

Well-structured learning outcomes identify the specific practices, dispositions and skills your students will learn.  When creating these outcomes, consider using the ABCD learning outcome method.

Audience: Who are the learners?

       When creating your learning outcomes, you must consider and include who the learners are.  

Behavior: What will the students be able to know or do?

       Within your learning outcomes, you must define what the students will be able to do by identifying an observable action the students will complete.

Condition: In what context will the learning occur?

       In your learning outcome, you must clearly state how the students will be learning and completing the learning outcome. 

Degree: How well should the behavior be performed?

       When writing your learning outcomes, you must be very specific as to how you want your student to show their learning. 

Continue on to the next page to learn how to integrate information literacy into learning outcomes for your course. 

Assessment Toolbox: Writing Learning Outcomes - ABCD Method. UC San Diego Student Affairs. Retrieved from https://vcsa.ucsd.edu/_files/assessment/ABC%20StudentLearningOutcomes.pd Links to an external site.f

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