SESSION 4 HOW TO WRITE COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
HOW TO WRITE IT?

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DESIGN BACKWARD- COMMON PRACTICE

 VISION
 MISSION
 EDUCATIONAL GOAL

PROGRAMME AIM
 PROGRAME EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVe
 ROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOME
 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME

 COMMON PRACTICE:

 Use SMART and VSSC as the general guideline.

i. SMART :
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and
Timebound.

ii. VSSC : Verb, skills, substance and/or context

 How to write PEO? Common Practice

i. The statement must support vision, mission,
educational goal as well as programme aims.

ii. Use a measurable verb
iii. Measure between 3 -5 years after student graduation.

Need to be validated?
Yes..need to be validated by the stakeholders

 Examples:

Program Educational Objective (PEO) is what the programme is preparing
graduates for in their career and professional life. Our current PEOs are as
follow:
 PEO1 - Graduates will demonstrate technical competency and

leadership to become professional engineers leading to a successful
career.
 PEO2 - Graduates will demonstrate commitment towards sustainable
developement for the betterment of society.
 PEO3 - Graduates will pursue lifelong learning in generating innovative
engineering solutions using research and complex problem-solving
skills.

 Source: University of Nottingham
https://www.nottingham.edu.my/Engineering/Departments/M3/Programme-Educational-Objectives-
PEO.aspx

 How to write PLO? Common Practice

i. Use SMART and VSSC (at least 3 out of 4 element)
iii. Measure right upon the graduation of students.
iv. Must be validated by the stakeholders.

 Examples of PLO

 Program Learning outcomes are narrow statements describing what students are expected to know
and able to do by the time of graduation. These are related to knowledge, skills and attitude that the
students acquire while progressing through the Program. There are 12 PLOs for BE Program as
specified below:

 1. Engineering Knowledge
 An ability to gain and apply knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering fundamentals and

engineering specialization to solve complex engineering problems.
 2. Problem Analysis
 An ability to identify, formulate, research literature and analyse complex engineering problems

reaching substantiated conclusions using first principles of mathematics, natural sciences and
engineering sciences.
 3. Design / Development of Solutions
 An ability to design solutions for complex engineering problems and design systems, components or
processes that meet specified needs with appropriate consideration for public health and safety,
cultural, societal, and environmental considerations.

 Source:Pakistan Navy Engineering College.
 http://www.nust.edu.pk/INSTITUTIONS/Colleges/PNEC/Departments/EPE/About%20Department/Pa

ges/Program-Learning-Outcomes.aspx

 How to write CLO? Common practice.

i. CLO must indicate PLO because courses are the
strategies element in order to achieve the PLO.

ii. CLO must be SMART and contain VSSC (at least 3 out
of 4 elements) same as the PLO.

iii. CLO is specific to the course itself.
iv. Must be measure at the end of the semester.

Must be validated by the stakeholders.

Example of CLO :

VERB SUBSTANCE SKILL CONTEXT MAPPING
Analyze by using problem solving skills in marketing research. (C4, PLO2)
issues and provide CLS2
solutions Cognitive skill

As mention earlier, learning outcomes usually have these
elements :

 a. verb

 b. skill
 c. substance – refers to the gist or main idea of something/
substance is the quality of being important or significant

 d. context - Background, environment, framework, setting, or
situation surrounding an event or occurrence

 WHERE TO FIND ALL THE VERBS?:

COGNITIVE : Revised Bloom Taxonomy

PSYCHOMOTOR: E. J. Simpson (1972) (there are
several more taxonomy such Dave (1970), Harrow
(1972), Dawson (1998) and Ferris and Aziz (2005)
according to Kennedy, Hyland and Ryan (2006) :
Writing and Using Learning Outcomes: a Practical
Guide

AFFECTIVE : Krathwohl

MAPPING:

 MAPPING VISION, MISSION vs PEO
 MAPPING PEO vs PLO
 MAPPING PLO vs Courses.

THANK YOU