A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
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CONTENT PAGE
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR
COURSES OF STUDY OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS
1.0
2.0
3.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Definition of Learning Outcomes
1.2
Development of Objectives and Learning Outcomes in Curriculum
Development
THE DIFFERENCES
OUTCOMES
BETWEEN
OBJECTIVES
AND
LEARNING
2.1
What are the differences between objectives and learning
outcomes?
2.2
Why do we need to develop objectives and learning outcomes?
STEPS IN MANAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES
FOR ONGOING COURSES OF STUDY AND NEW COURSES OF STUDY
3.1
Developing Learning Outcomes for Ongoing Courses of Study
3.2
Developing Learning Outcomes for New Courses of Study
4.0
PRINCIPLES OF WRITING LEARNING OUTCOMES (TEACHERS)
5.0
HOW TO WRITE LEARNING OUTCOMES
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1
LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
1.0
INTRODUCTION
This guideline aims to assist the Private Higher Education Institutions in
Malaysia in developing and writing learning outcomes for their
curriculum design at various levels namely certificate, diploma, degree
with honours, masters and doctorate for academic and professional
qualifications. The guideline introduces an approach that can be
practised by the Institutions to develop learning outcomes for ongoing
courses of study as well as for new courses of study.
1.1
Definition of Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes are statements of:
WHAT STUDENTS KNOW AND CAN DO AS A RESULT
OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COURSES OF STUDY
1.2
Development of Objectives and Learning Outcomes for Courses
of Study
In the endeavor to produce balanced, informed and graduates of
calibre, the curriculum design for courses of study offered at
Private Higher Education Institutions should emanate from the
National Philosophy of Education and the Education Act (1996).
The Institutions concerned should also take cognizant of other
external
factors
like
international
recognition
and
internationalization of Malaysian education inclusive of
educational psychology in designing their curriculum. It is
imperative that the formulation of curriculum design should
incorporate the following aspects:
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
Vision
Mission
Goals
Objectives
Learning outcomes
Curriculum content
Organization of the curriculum
Teaching and learning strategies
Assessment and evaluation
Should the curriculum designers list the objectives and learning
outcomes explicitly in their curriculum development, it would
have a direct impact on the quality of education, quality of
teaching and learning, and quality of students in the Institutions.
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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
The objectives regulate the teaching and learning. Learning
outcomes are viewed as benchmarks in identifying and evaluating
the intended education aspirations for balanced and excellent
graduates. Therefore, objectives and learning outcomes need to
be developed for courses of study and for each subject in the
courses of study.
2.0
THE DIFFRENCES BETWEEN OBJECTIVES AND ELARNING OUTCOMES
2.1
What are the differences between objectives and learning
outcomes?
Objective
Learning Outcome
Objectives state what the
teachers must teach and what
they have to plan to teach not
to assert the statement of the
end product of education.
Learning outcomes state what
the students should know,
understand
and can do or
what they are expected to
know, understand and can do
as a result of their learning
experience.
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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
2.2
Why do we need to develop the objectives as well as the learning
outcomes?
Objectives
Objectives
developed:
should
Learning Outcomes
be Learning outcomes should be
developed:
·
to ensure the changes of ·
behaviour in students in the
process of teaching and
learning.
to evaluate the performance
of students on what they
know and can do at the end
of their courses.
·
to determine the topics, ·
concepts, generalizations,
or the content of other
elements to be covered in ·
the courses of study and
subjects.
to ensure that students can
manage their learning.
to prepare guidance in ·
developing and designing
the
curriculum
and
instructions,
which ·
comprise the contents and
students behaviour in the
process of teaching and
learning.
·
to know what is supposed
to be changed.
·
to know where the human
resources can be invested.
·
to
prepare
the
accountability that can be
put forward to the outside
constituents.
·
to ensure that what
taught and learned
intentional.
is
is
to improve as well as to
enhance the quality of
learning.
to plan towards improving
the quality of education and
the effectiveness of the
institutions.
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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
2.3
Examples of Learning Outcomes
(i)
Economics Discipline
Learning Objective
Expected Learning
Outcome
Economics students will Economics students will be
understand the nature and able to identify the role of
functioning of the market supply and demand in a
system.
market economy and the
necessary conditions to
function well.
(ii)
Management Discipline
Learning Objective
Management students will
understand and use a
variety
of
quantitative
analysis
techniques
appropriate for business
Expected Learning
Outcome
Management students will
demonstrate
a
basic
knowledge of calculus,
statistics,
and
other
quantitative
tools
necessary to solve realworld problems
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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
3.0
STEPS TO MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES
3.1
Developing Learning Outcomes for Ongoing Courses of Study
STEPS
HOW TO MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF
LEARNING OUTCOMES
STEP 1
Start by having a faculty/staff meeting (including
students and alumni, and experts in education) and
introduce the concept of learning outcomes. The
management staff should also be invited to attend the
meeting on writing the learning outcomes for the
programmes.
STEP 2
Brainstorm about what an ideal graduate would know,
understand, and be able to do. (Consult web sites for
your professional/disciplinary organization. Many of
them are developing the learning outcomes for higher
education programmes at various levels)
STEP 3
Agree on a first draft of a list of learning outcomes,
understanding that they will be revised several times
before becoming firm (or definitive) and that they will
change over time due to changing needs and
characteristics of students.
STEP 4
List the learning outcomes for courses of study and
subjects
STEP 5
Gather feedback from students in each course about
how well they perceive that learning outcomes were
addressed.
STEP 6
Assess
students’
assignments
to
measure
achievement of each of the learning outcomes that
are designed for each subject.
STEP 7
Have a meeting with faculty/staff at the end of
semester to revise the list of learning outcomes of
each course and its subjects.
STEP 8
Repeat the above steps regularly and as needed to
improve the learning outcome statements.
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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
3.2
Developing Learning Outcomes for New Courses of Study
STEPS
HOW TO MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF
LEARNING OUTCOMES
STEP 1
Start by having a faculty/staff meeting (including
experts in education) and introduce the concept of
learning outcomes. The management staff should
also be invited to attend the meeting on writing the
learning outcomes for the programmes.
STEP 2
Brainstorm about what an ideal graduate would know,
understand, and be able to do. (Consult web sites for
your professional/disciplinary organization. Many of
them are developing the learning outcomes for higher
education programmes at various levels)
STEP 3
Agree on a first draft of a list of learning outcomes,
understanding that they will be revised several times
before becoming firm (or definitive) and that they will
change over time due to changing needs and
characteristics of students.
STEP 4
List the learning outcomes for courses of study and
subjects
STEP 5
Repeat the above steps regularly and as needed to
improve the learning outcomes statements.
______________________________________________________________________________________
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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
4.0
PRINCIPLES OF WRITING LEARNING OUTCOMES (TEACHERS)
The following are guiding principles of writing learning outcomes for
ongoing courses and new courses of study.
Learning outcomes should:
·
embody the skills, knowledge and attitudes that are necessary and
significant for the student to succeed in the vocation.
·
represent the minimum level of performance required for passing
the course.
·
be both realistic and achievable by post-secondary students.
·
reflect present and anticipated future requirements of the
workplace.
·
be verifiable and measurable.
·
be transferable to a variety of contexts.
·
be communicated to learners, educators, employers and the
public.
·
reflect the principles of equity and fairness to accommodate the
needs of diverse learners.
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8
LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
5.0
HOW TO WRITE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning outcomes in a curriculum design can be created based on the
Bloom’s Classification of Cognitive Skills. Bloom’s levels of cognitive
skills are provided in a table below with a list of related behaviours as
action verbs that can be used when creating learning outcomes.
Category
Definition
Related Behaviours
Recalling
or
remembering something
without
necessarily
understanding, using, or
changing it
Define,
describe,
identify,
label,
list,
match, memorize, point
to, recall, select, state
Comprehension Understanding
something that has been
communicated without
necessarily relating it to
anything else
Alter,
account
for,
annotate,
calculate,
change, convert, group,
explain, generalize, give
example, infer, interpret,
paraphrase,
predict,
review,
summarize,
translate
Application
Using a general concept
to solve problems in a
particular
situation;
using learned material in
new
and
concrete
situations
Apply, adopt, collect,
construct,
diagram,
discover,
illustrate,
interview, make use of,
manipulate, relate, show,
solve, use
Analysis
Breaking
something
down into its parts; may
focus on identification of
parts or analysis of
relationships
between
parts, or recognition of
organizational principles
Analyze,
compare,
contrast,
diagram,
differentiate,
dissect,
distinguish,
identify,
illustrate, infer, outline,
point
out,
select,
separate, sort, subdivide
Synthesis
Creating something new
by putting parts of
different ideas together
to make a whole
Blend, build, change,
combine,
compile,
compose,
conceive,
create,
design,
formulate,
generate,
hypothesize,
plan,
predict,
produce,
reorder, revise, tell, write
Knowledge
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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation
Judging the value of
material or methods as
they might be applied in
a particular situation;
judging with the use of
definite criteria
Accept,
appraise,
assess, arbitrate, award,
choose,
conclude,
criticize,
defend,
evaluate, grade, judge,
prioritize,
recommend,
referee, reject, select,
support
Use the related behaviours as action verbs to write the learning
outcomes for courses of study and its subjects either for the ongoing
courses or for the new courses.
References:
Bloom B (1956, 1964). Taxonomy of educational objectives.
Education Act, 1996, Malaysia
http://www.chea.org
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca
http://www.education.tas.gov.au
http://www.ksu.edu/apr/Learning/HowTohtm
Ó 2004 LBCC Media Service. Linn-Benton Community College.
[email protected]
Dr Khathijah Abdul Hamid / PDR 7/ BDR/ LAN / Julai 2004
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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA