Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes
We use learning outcomes to identify and guide the teaching and learning focus of a course, unit or learning activity.
What are learning outcomes?
Learning outcomes are clear and measurable statements that provide a focus for educators and learners about what is to be taught or learned, and to identify the expected student behaviours once they complete a unit or course. Learning outcomes are more specific than general aims or goals. They describe what a student will be able to do in a demonstrable and measurable way.
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Design learning outcomes
Learn how to design and write learning outcomes. You can also view some examples of learning outcomes and are provided with a quick quality checklist.
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Align with taxonomies
Learn how Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised) and the SOLO Taxonomy can be used when writing learning outcomes to describe the desirable performances or behaviours.
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Align with standards
Learn how to align course learning outcome with other standards, such as the Higher Education Standards Framework, external accreditation, Monash Graduate Attributes, the Australian Qualifications Framework and the Bologna Process.
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Align with course levels
Learn how to apply the Australian Qualifications Framework to ensure learning outcomes at the course and unit level are aligned with the level of the exit degree.
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Create constructive alignment
Learn how to design a system of learning that supports students to construct knowledge through intentional activities aligned in purpose to meet the desired outcomes and intentions.
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Map and design alignment
Learn how to map and design assessment to align with learning outcomes and ensure assessment tasks have suitable scaffolding.
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Integrate AI into learning outcomes
Learn about Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) considerations in Learning Outcomes both at the unit and course level. A key question pack has been provided to guide discussions.
Why do we need learning outcomes?
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Learning outcomes have different purposes for different members of the community.
Learning outcomes provide the foundation for building assessment, learning activities and learning resources. Without clearly defined learning outcomes, it is easy for students and educators to become confused about expectations, content and focus. Many issues with teaching and learning in units can be traced back to poorly defined outcomes.
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Learning outcomes provide students with:
- clarity around the breadth and depth of learning required of them
- information on what they require to be successful, and what to expect
- specification on assessable constructs and content
- guidance on what they should focus on and how how they should manage their learning.
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Learning outcomes allow educators to:
- identify the skills and knowledge that teaching must develop and map the breadth and depth of the content required to develop these
- guide the assessment design to ensure that each task allows the students to perform the skills and knowledge that is the focus of the teaching
- ensure that the focus for teaching will develop student abilities so that students are sufficiently prepared to undertake the assessment
- measure student learning effectively
- demonstrate accountability to students when the teaching and assessment delivers on the identified learning outcomes
- align a unit with other units in a course or program
- meet the requirements for education quality standards (TEQSA, AQF) and provide students with opportunities to develop graduate attributes and employability skills.
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Learning outcomes enable institutions to:
- provide detail on how they meet registration and accreditation requirements
- inform prospective and current students of what to expect
- support students in course advice, unit choices and career planning
- quality assure educational offerings, assessment practices and achievement of graduate attributes and professional standards.
Supporting your students
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Supporting your students to understand the purpose of outcomes and using them to provide definition and clarification for their learning is crucial to their ability to monitor their learning progress and self-regulate.
How to support your students
Before the teaching period
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Design learning outcomes that provide a cohesive and clear picture of learning (see how-to: writing learning outcomes) without the need for further clarification or interpretation.
Map course, unit and content learning outcomes against the relevant bodies and frameworks, as well as one another. Ensure that exit degrees are congruent with the overarching degree and qualification levels.
Collaborate with other educators and course leaders to ensure that any assumptions about students’ previous learning, skills or abilities are valid when writing your own learning outcomes. Know your cohort and adjust your own or other units accordingly.
Map assessments to the learning outcomes. Determine where and when particular outcomes are featured in assessment tasks and in assessment criteria to avoid under- or over-assessment.
During the teaching period
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Discuss the learning outcomes for the unit with students.
Communicate if and how different learning outcomes will (or won’t) be assessed
Share the planned learning outcomes for each session with students and discuss what they should be able to know and do at the end of the session.
Reinforce the learning outcomes that are being assessed or addressed in learning activities, providing signposting and reference points for students.
Link learning outcomes to assessment and performance criteria explicitly and frequently so students can see the purpose and value of assessment, and how they are achieving the learning objectives.
Support the development of skills and behaviours specific to learning outcomes. If your unit doesn’t cover models for critical thinking but you have it as a learning outcome, consider how students will be supporting in achieving the outcomes.
Provide opportunities for students to monitor their own progress towards the outcomes through self-evaluation, self-reflection and peer and team assessment opportunities. Relate feedback to desired outcomes.
After the teaching period
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Evaluate whether the assessment regime has gathered the evidence of learning that you intended from the outcomes.
Determine if the learning outcomes that all activities and assessments are aligned with are still appropriate for the unit and course.
Revise outcomes, activities, assessment instructions and rubrics by looking at how students interpreted them to complete tasks and review student performance for any areas where learning needs more scaffolding.
What resources and services are available to students
Student Academic Success: Learning and Language Support
Encourage students to seek advice from learning and language support about understanding the assessment task. Students can have a one-on-one consultation with a Learning Adviser who can assist them with interpreting and analysing the requirements of assessments. They can also learn about time management, including managing multiple assessment tasks across the semester.
Study Support: Study programs
Monash Health and Wellbeing has a variety of study programs for students from PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions), Academic English workshops and stress management.
Related resources
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Technologies
Structuring Moodle
Learning outcomes should be clearly visible on your Moodle site and also available in the Moodle Preview.
Courseloop
Courseloop is the on-line system through which all Monash curriculum data including coursework and graduate research courses, areas of study and units are managed. Courseloop supports collaborative curriculum design, governance and accreditation, and publishes course and unit content directly to the University Handbook.
Writing and assessing learning outcomes
Designing assessment regimes
This resource provides guidance on how to align assessment with the unit and course learning outcomes, unit content, and the students’ current levels of skill development.
Choosing assessment tasks
Assessment is a fundamental element of student learning and allows you to evaluate student achievement of the learning outcomes for your unit (and/or the course). This resource outlines the different purposes of assessment, common assessment terminology, types of assessment and how to select appropriate assessment tasks for your learning outcomes.
Assessing and assuring Australian graduate learning outcomes: principles and practices within and across disciplines
The AAGLO project brought together key stakeholders and perspectives for assessment of graduate learning outcomes. The papers have been archived here.
Governance and compliance
Monash University Academic Programs and Governance
Based in the Portfolio of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Academic Programs and Governance provide information, resources and support relating to accreditation, amendments and review of courses.
Aligning course outcomes and educational standards frameworks
Information about how to use the Monash Handbook and which educational standards and frameworks are relevant to Monash University courses. This is where you will find the Monash Graduate Attributes.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) regulated qualifications in Australia, and encompasses higher education, vocational education and training (VET) and schools.
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia’s independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education. Their guidance notes cover requirements for course design, learning outcomes and assessment.
The Bologna Process
Monash University participates in the Bologna Process to maximise transferability of higher education degrees and mobility programs.
Relevant policies & procedures
Monash has specific policies and procedures related to Course Governance and Design. Take the time to review these to inform your teaching practice.
Course Governance and Design Policies and Procedures
Education Performance Standards Framework
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The Education Performance Standards identify the expectations of education practice at Monash – See the Education Performance Standards for more details.
Impact on student learning | Impact on educational knowledge | Impact on educational environment | |||||
Effective teaching and learning | Responsive program design | Student- centred orientation | Professional learning engagement | Pedagogical content knowledge | Education research performance | Education innovation | Education leadership |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
You could address these Practice Elements by providing evidence of how you:
- Design measurable learning outcomes to ensure that each course/ unit/ session or task focuses student learning and prepares students to perform the required skills and knowledge
- Lead teams to redesign or review courses and units and the learning outcomes in these
- Ensure that the focus for teaching and assessment aligns with the learning outcomes
- Design creative ways for students to learn so that they meet the learning outcomes