8.2. Constructing learning outcomes

In this topic, we are going to elaborate on how foreign language teachers may create concrete plans for their learning outcomes.

8.2.1.   What are learning outcomes of the learning process?

Learning outcomes are statements of the knowledge, skills and abilities individual learners should acquire and be able to show immediately after the completion of a learning process or series of learning processes. When foreign language teachers draw plans of learning outcomes, it is recommended to consider the following:

• “Learning outcomes should be explicit and well outlined”

When processing a list of learning outcomes for learners, you should consider the importance of statements being explicit and well outlined. Outcomes should described in clear and concise definitions of the specific skills learners should be able to present, generate, and know when accessing the course’s curriculum. It is also prudent to exclude as many alternatives as possible to make them measurable. For example, the learning outcome “Learners completing B2 level in French should be adequately practiced in the relevant language production skills” is unclear, because we do not know what the relevant language production skills include. Therefore, measuring the behaviour of interest and arriving at concrete conclusions about the successful completion of the course will be hindered or problematic.

• “Learning outcomes should be achievable”

Making sure that outcomes are achievable is significant. Outcomes should be examined based on learners’ ability, level of development, their intrinsic skills, and finally, the time required or available for achievement (i.e., 2 years, 3 semesters, etc.). Let us not forget, though, that all the above must be aligned with what is being taught.

• “Learning outcomes should be expressed by verbs in active voice, in the future tense”

Learning outcomes ought to be determined in the future tense considering what learners should be able to generate following teaching instructions. For example, the learning outcome “Learners have demonstrated proficiency in…” is a statement of learners’ current output instead of what they will be able to achieve when completing the course. In order to be able to observe and measure learning outcomes, we should formulate them in active verbs. For example, outcomes like “Learners will grow an appreciation of, and will be dealing with…” carry underlying notions that can hardly be quantified.

• “Learning outcomes should be arranged considering the teaching course and not only classes offered by the course”

Learning outcomes should be tailored to course goals and should not address secondary learning or training goals.

• “There should be an adequate number of learning outcomes”

You are advised to comprise between three to five learning outcomes in your assessment plan. Less than three will not allow you to gather sufficient information and evidence to make necessary interventions; and more than five might perplex your assessing targets. You may also need to consider that it is not feasible to assess all learning outcomes in all classes or for all learners. You may need to select where to give emphasis.

• “Learning outcomes should be adjusted to the course’s curriculum”

The learning outcomes described in your plan are required to align with the curriculum objectives of the course you are teaching. This plays a significant role on how you are going to “decipher” your assessment data considering where adjustments might be required. A way to make sure that your learning outcomes correlate with your curriculum requirements is to develop a curriculum map. This matrix will offer valuable assistance in defining the correlation between what you are assessing on the course and what you are teaching.

• “Learning outcomes should be simple and not blended”

Your learning outcomes should be defined by simple, comprehensible language. Be aware of not using statements that cover more than one outcome, e.g., writing skills with listening skills.

• “Learning outcomes should focus on learning products and not the teaching process”

Your outcomes should be described considering your anticipated learner performance and not what you aspire to teach. You should aim to address the learners’ capabilities and what they have learned when they have completed the course.

8.2.2.   Taxonomies of teaching objectives

When devising a thorough list of learners’ learning outcomes, taxonomies of educational objectives can be a useful guiding tool. Taxonomies make a significant effort to categorise all distinct types of learning. They classify learning into three kinds of domains (cognitive, affective, and behavioural) and determines the level of output for each domain. Cognitive outcomes explain what learners should know. Affective outcomes explain what learners should contemplate. Behavioural outcomes explain what learners should be able to produce or do.

“Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives” (1956) is the traditional framework for organising learning outcomes for learning. Levels of performance for Bloom’s cognitive domain comprise knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. This classification arranges the order of cognitive complexity where evaluation represents the highest level. The table below outlines the levels of performance for Bloom’s cognitive domain:

Source: https://irds.stanford.edu/sites/g/files/sbiybj10071/f/clo.pdf

8.2.3.   The Use of Action Verbs

When structuring learning outcomes it is useful to use action verbs that describe a visible and tangible output instead of passive verbs that cannot be measured. The following table presents you with a list of common active verbs for each of Bloom’s (1984) performance levels.

Source: https://irds.stanford.edu/sites/g/files/sbiybj10071/f/clo.pdf

8.2.4.   Different sources for learning outcomes 

Other sources you might find useful and helpful in your efforts of constructing learning outcomes are methodology publications, peer institution websites, or online banks of teaching or learning outcomes, (some of those are provided here in following sections). Furthermore, we suggest you also rely on your learners and the feedback you receive from their performance so far in their courses.

• Samples of learning outcomes

Source: https://irds.stanford.edu/sites/g/files/sbiybj10071/f/clo.pdf

• Use of curriculum map

Once you have completed describing the learning outcomes for your course, you can apply a curriculum map to identify how these outcomes are fulfilled in your course. A curriculum map is a rather simple type of matrix in which you place each teaching outcome in the rows and the courses in the columns to suggest which courses participate to each teaching outcome. In each cell, place a letter to indicate how the course relates to the teaching outcome. Use the letters “I,” “R,’ and “E” to specify which courses “introduce,” “reinforce,” or “emphasise” the respective learning outcomes. Keeping a curriculum map helps you conduct an overview of redundancies, inconsistencies, misalignments, weaknesses, and gaps in your learning outcomes.

Source: https://irds.stanford.edu/sites/g/files/sbiybj10071/f/clo.pdf

• Use of learning outcomes checklist

Once you have completed describing the learning outcomes for your course, you might find it useful to apply the following learning outcomes checklist to confirm they are complete. List your outcomes in the first column and then evaluate each outcome by placing a check mark in the appropriate boxes for each outcome.

Source: https://irds.stanford.edu/sites/g/files/sbiybj10071/f/clo.pdf