How Do You Write a Student Learning Outcome?
Two parts of a clear, measurable, learner-centered outcome:
1. The action verb – the core of the outcome
2. The particular course content to be mastered
1. The Action Verb
 Tells what the student will be able to do at the completion of the course or
unit/module.
 Chosen very intentionally to reflect required cognitive ability level (see
Bloom’s Taxonomy)
Reflect on:
 What do you want your students to do given the level of the course?
 Is it appropriate to ask students merely to recall information?
 Are higher level thinking skills such as analysis or synthesis appropriate?
Levels of thinking skills:
 Have been categorized into a taxonomy by Benjamin Bloom and associates
 Bloom’s taxonomy is the standard in instructional systems design
 Stair-step visual demonstrates that each level requires increasingly higher
level thinking skills
2. The Course Content to be Mastered
 The action verb is followed by the particular course content to be mastered;
that is, what exactly is to be defined, identified, etc.
 For example: “Differentiate among learning goals, objectives and
outcomes.”