Writing Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes are written from the student’s perspective, clearly articulating what the student is expected to know, understand and do upon completion of a course of study. For this reason learning outcomes are considered to be at the heart of student-centred learning.
The adoption of learning outcomes in Higher Education has happened in parallel with a shift in pedagogical focus in higher education – essentially a shift from being primarily concerned about what the lecturer does, to being primarily concerned about what the student does.
Every programme of study offered by TU Dublin is required to have a set of learning outcomes which align with the expectations set out in the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Grid of Level Indicators. Learning outcomes should be completely integral to both the learning and teaching strategies you follow with your students, and also the assessments you design for your students (see Constructive Alignment).
You'll find below the information you need to craft good learning outcomes at both the module and programme level, and you can then use these to inform your chosen learning, teaching and assessment strategies.
Like almost everything in curriculum design, crafting learning outcomes is an iterative process. During curriculum design, you will refine your learning outcomes in alignment with your learning and teaching methods and assessment strategies.
Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are written statements that articulate what a learner is expected to know, understand or be able to do upon successful completion of a given programme of study.
Module Learning Outcomes (MLOs) are written statements which articulate what a student is expected to be able to do on successful completion of a module in order to demonstrate the knowledge, understanding, skills and/or competencies that the module is seeking to develop.
Well-written learning outcomes help you design the content, activities and assessments appropriate to your module and/or programme in a manner that will support your students' achievement of the learning outcomes (this is known as constructive alignment). Learning outcomes reflect the desired end-point of your teaching and are an important statement of the aim of your module and/or programme.
All validated TU Dublin programmes have learning outcomes that are consistent with the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) level of the programme.
You will find the existing learning outcomes for your module and/or programme in the TU Dublin Programme and Module Catalogue (PMC).
Module learning outcomes typically start with the phrase “Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to:” followed by a sentence which follows the format active verb + the object of the verb + the context. Some examples are provided below
| Active verb | The object of the verb | The context |
| Explain | the role of accounting information | in organisations |
| Analyse | visual elements and principles | in selected artworks and design examples |
| Evaluate | the accuracy and reliability of analytical methods | in the quantitative determination of chemical compounds |
There are several key attributes of good module learning outcomes.
Module learning outcomes must be assessable. Assessable means that the achievement of the learning outcome can be observed, evidenced and judged via an assessment task. Assessment design and good learning outcomes are very closely related. If in doubt about assessability ask yourself “How will I know the student has achieved this module learning outcome?”. A module learning outcome is assessable when:
- It uses an observable action verb (e.g. analyse, design, interpret)
- Performance of the action leads to production of evidence (e.g. report, presentation, artefact)
- The evidence produced is likely to be demonstrable of the specifically requested knowledge/skill
- Clear criteria can be applied to the evidence to determine whether the outcome has been achieved
Module Learning Outcomes should be written in a manner which is comprehensible by the student. This means clear, concise, understandable and unambiguous language. As far as possible, keep your learning outcome statement clause free, in simple language and have one clear objective.
Module Learning Outcomes should align with the appropriate National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) level of the programme of which the module is a part. There is some leeway for modules which are one of many on a large degree programme, e.g. a level 9 programme may include one or two modules which are validated also for a level 8 or level 10 programme. Learning outcomes for stand-alone micro-credentials and single module awards must align with the appropriate NFQ level. See guidance re. aligning with NFQ.
Module Learning Outcomes must focus on student achievement. They must explicitly describe what it is the student will be able to do on successful completion of the module (not what the lecturer will teach).
Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs) follow a similar structure to module learning outcomes. They state what the student will be able to do at the successful conclusion of the programme. However, as they must encompass a much greater range of learning than Module Learning Outcomes they tend to be written in broader, more abstract terms.
A good Programme Learning Outcome is one which will easily act as an umbrella for learning outcomes for many different modules from different stages of the programme.
When crafting your Programme Learning Outcome, remember the overall aim and purpose of your programme and its special characteristics – don't let these get lost in the weeds and make sure they shine through in your final Programme Learning Outcomes.
Programme Learning Outcomes must align with the NFQ grid of level indicators. Programme Learning Outcomes relevant to each of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) headings “Knowledge”, “Know-how and Skills” and “Competence” must be included (when entering your Programme Learning Outcomes into the TU Dublin Programme and Module Catalogue, you will be required to indicate which of these headings most relevant for the particular Programme Learning Outcome).
See guidance section below on aligning with National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
Assessment happens at the module level. Therefore your programme learning outcomes rely entirely on the assessment of module learning outcomes for achievement of the award, and confirmation of standard.
For this reason, when programmes are validated, an extensive curriculum mapping process will take place which ensures that the outcomes, content, activities and assessment of the individual constituent modules provide students with the opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and competences described by the Programme Learning Outcomes.
It is important that this coherence is maintained over time and that ‘small’ tweaks to individual modules do not lead inadvertently to gaps in the overall programme curriculum.
National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)
Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) 'is the state agency responsible for promoting the quality, integrity and reputation of Ireland's further and higher education system'.
As part of this remit, QQI maintains the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). This is a 10-level system that classifies all QQI-recognised qualifications in Ireland based on the knowledge, skills, and competencies students must achieve.
All qualifications awarded by TU Dublin have a level within this framework. The programmes leading to those awards must therefore align with the requirements of the appropriate level on the framework. While TU Dublin awards its own degrees and qualifications, the NFQ shapes the context in which TU Dublin operates. TU Dublin's programmes and awards must therefore align with their requirements.
QQI provide the NFQ Grid of Level Indicators to help with this alignment. This is a framework that describes the knowledge, skill and competency expected at each NFQ level, enabling educators and students to observe the differences between qualifications at different NFQ levels.
How does the NFQ help with writing MLOs or PLOs?
While the language in the NFQ Grid of Level Indicators is very generic, it helps to indicate what language might be suitable to use when writing learning outcomes for level 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10. There is a shift in complexity of language as the levels increase, along with more extensive requirements generally around knowledge, skills and competencies.
This additional complexity, breadth and depth needs to be reflected in the learning outcomes you craft yourself - remembering all the time about alignment with the appropriate level on the NFQ.
There are eight dimensions to each qualification level on the NFQ Grid of level Indicators. When adding Programme Learning Outcomes into the Programme and Module Catalogue (PMC), you will need to associate each Programme Learning Outcome with at least one of these dimensions, and ensure that all dimensions are captured in the full set of Programme Learning Outcomes.
The eight dimensions are described in the table below.
| Dimension | Description |
|---|---|
| Knowledge - Breadth | What you know about, the variety of things you know about |
| Knowledge - Kind | Depth, from concrete facts to abstract ideas and theories |
| Know-how & Skill - Range | Very much about what the learner can do, and the use of tools - tools may include cognitive and social processes as well as physical implements. The diversity of skills and the completeness of the set of skills is reflected in the level. |
| Know-how & Skill - Selectivity | The judgement the learner exercises in carrying out a particular task |
| Competence - Context | The situation the learner is operating in - is it highly defined and structured with therefore a limited number of options to plan for? Or are they complex, changing, ill-defined situations requiring higher levels of learning/skill? |
| Competence - Role | Adopting roles within a group, to what extent will the learner need to demonstrate application of social skills, leadership, initiative, autonomy. |
| Competence - Learning to Learn | This relates to the internalisation of standards and the ability to judge your own limits of ability, and make plans to transcend those limits. |
| Competence - Insight | Your self-awareness and reflective capacity, consideration of your engagement with others and society more broadly |
The answer to this question is generally - as many as you absolutely need but as few as will do the job.
Programmes at levels 6-10 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) will typically have approximately twelve Programme Learning Outcomes, aligned with the relevant level indicators.
Modules generally have four to six Module Learning Outcomes, but where modules carry a large number of credits, in may be necessary to increase this.
Higher Education in Ireland operates in an outcomes-based educational system.
While this may seem self evident now, it wasn’t always quite so explicit. Educators have always had objectives to their teaching but the focus on learning outcomes as we know them today was significantly influenced by the move towards harmonisation of education at European level.
A key element of this harmonisation was the need to determine a relatively straightforward method of facilitating recognition and equivalency of academic accreditation across Europe, to develop a transparent system which articulated graduate competencies and facilitated graduate mobility through mutual recognition of degrees and other qualifications. This harmonisation endeavour began with the Bologna process in 1999, and learning outcomes were identified as one of the key methods of achieving harmonisation.
Now, all programmes in Irish higher education define the students' outcomes in the form of Programme Learning Outcomes and Module Learning Outcomes.