Peter Newbury and Beth Simon Center for Teaching Development University of California, San Diego 30 January 2014 collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

1. 1
Flight Deck by Wayan #tccucsd
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2. Week 4: Learning Outcomes
The College Classroom
January 28 and 30, 2014

3. What is the Value of Course-Specific
Learning Goals Outcomes
3
What was the most important thing you learned from
Simon & Taylor? [1]

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4. What is the Value of Course-Specific
Learning Outcomes
4
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5. Introductory “Astro 101”
5
Traditional Course Syllabus
Course with Learning Outcomes
This course covers Chapters
 deduce from patterns in the
properties of the planets, moons,
asteroids and other bodies that the
Solar System had single formation
event.
1.
Mercury
2.
Venus
…
8.
Neptune
9.
other objects
10. Formation of the Solar System
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 reconstruct the formation and
evolution of various bodies in the
Solar System by interpreting the
presence (and their appearance)
or absence of craters
 provide notable examples of how
comets influenced history, art and
science

6. Astro 101 LO’s are valuable to…
6
 the students



big picture of the next part of the course
justification for why they jump around textbook
tells the students what the instructor thinks is important
 the instructor


crystallizes what prof actually cares about
helped instructor


choose clicker questions for class
write the final exam
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7. …choose clicker questions for class
7
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ClassAction http://astro.unl.edu/classaction/

8. …write the final exam
8
(10 marks) List 3 patterns of the Solar System as a
whole. Then, outline in some detail the current model for
the formation of the Solar System. In particular, make
sure you explain how the observed patterns and
regularities are related to this theory of formation.
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9. Course-level LOs
9
Topic-level LOs
several LOs giving big
picture, attitudes,
behaviors
many LOs defining
what it means to
“understand” at this
level (freshman, etc.)
can be (should be)
repeatedly assessed on
homework, exams
 support one or more
course-level LOs
(if not, why not?)
(likely) can’t be
assessed with a single
exam question
supported by many
topic-level LOs
(if not, why not?)
Learning Outcomes

10. Course-level
learning outcome (LO) #1
Course-level LO #3
Course-level LO #2
Topic-level
TopicLO
Topic-level
Topic-level level LO
Topic-level
LO
LO
LO
Topic-level
TopicTopic-level
Topic-level
LO
level
learning outcomeLO TopicLO
level LO
TopicTopicTopic- Topic-level
level LO
level LO
level LO
LO
10
Learning Outcomes
Course-level LO #4
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO

11. Course-level
learning outcome (LO) #1
Course-level LO #3
Course-level LO #2
Topic-level
TopicLO
Topic-level
Topic-level level LO
Topic-level
LO
LO
LO
Topic-level
TopicTopic-level
Topic-level
LO
level
learning outcomeLO TopicLO
level LO
TopicTopicTopic- Topic-level
level LO
level LO
level LO
LO
11
Learning Outcomes
Course-level LO #4
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topiclevel LO
Topiclevel LO

12. Course-level
learning outcome (LO) #1
Course-level LO #3
Course-level LO #2
Topic-level
TopicLO
Topic-level
Topic-level level LO
Topic-level
LO
LO
LO
Topic-level
TopicTopic-level
Topic-level
LO
level
learning outcomeLO TopicLO
level LO
TopicTopicTopic- Topic-level
level LO
level LO
level LO
LO
12
Learning Outcomes
Course-level LO #4
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topiclevel LO
Topiclevel LO

13. Course-level
learning outcome (LO) #1
Course-level LO #3
Course-level LO #2
Topic-level
TopicLO
Topic-level
Topic-level level LO
Topic-level
LO
LO
LO
Topic-level
TopicTopic-level
Topic-level
LO
level
learning outcomeLO TopicLO
level LO
TopicTopicTopic- Topic-level
level LO
level LO
level LO
LO
13
Learning Outcomes
sync your LOs
Course-level LO #4
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topiclevel LO
Topiclevel LO
see ASTR 310 handout

14. Writing Learning Outcomes
14
Remember: every learning objective should complete
the sentence,
By the end of this course/unit/lecture, you
should be able to…
Address LO
to the student.
S/he’s the one
they’re for.
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15. Writing LOs – The Wrong Way
15
Astro 101 Learning Outcomes
 understand how Saturn’s rings formed
Assess your LOs:
 “Understand”? That could be a sentence…or a thesis
 how does a student demonstrate to you s/he
“understands” at this level?
 how does a student check that s/he has mastered the
Saturn part of the course?
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16. Writing LOs – More Effective Way
16
Astro 101 Learning Outcomes
 give a detailed description of the size and structure
of Saturn’s rings
 trace the gravitational feedback cycle that keeps
Saturn’s rings so thin
Assess your LOs:
1. Is this really what I want them to know?
2. Are they capable of that?
3. Do I have a question I can use to assess this LO?
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17. Deciding on the level of a LO
17
Writing learning outcomes is hard because you have to
 recognize
 declare
 (admit)
what you want your students to be capable of doing.
A good start is picking the verb describing the action
the students will perform to demonstrate their mastery
of the concept:
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18. Bloom’s Taxonomy
[2,3]
18
transform or combine ideas to create
something new
6
Create
5
Evaluate
think critically about and defend a position
4
Analyze
break down concepts into parts
3
Apply
2
Understand
demonstrate understanding of ideas
and concepts
1
Remember
remember and recall factual information
Learning Outcomes
apply comprehension to unfamiliar situations

19. Bloom’s Taxonomy
[2,3]
19
6
Create
5
Evaluate
4
Analyze
3
Apply
2
Understand
1
Remember
Learning Outcomes
higher order thinking
lower order thinking

20. Bloom’s Taxonomy
[2,3]
20
Create
develop, create, propose, formulate,
design, invent
5
Evaluate
judge, appraise, recommend, justify,
defend, criticize, evaluate
4
Analyze
compare, contrast, categorize, distinguish,
identify, infer
3
Apply
apply, demonstrate, use, compute, solve,
predict, construct, modify
2
Understand
describe, explain, summarize, interpret,
illustrate
1
Remember
define, list, state, label, name, describe
6
Learning Outcomes

21. Let’s try it…
Please get out your multiplication quizzes.

22. Revised Bloom’s
22
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[5]
Taxonomy

23. Multiplication quiz, Question 1
23
Locate this question
on the pyramid
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24. Multiplication quiz, Question 2
24
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25. Multiplication quiz, Question 3
25
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26. Multiplication quiz, Question 4
26
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27. Multiplication quiz, Question 4
27
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28. Driver’s Ed 101: How to Drive in CA
28
The whiteboards are numbered. Your group will
concentrate on the DMV Test Question [6] matching your
board’s number.
Task: In a moment but not yet,
write a learning outcome
that your group’s question assesses.
(If necessary, refer to Wieman handout [7])
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29. Course-level
learning outcome (LO) #1
Course-level LO #3
Course-level LO #2
Topic-level
TopicLO
Topic-level
Topic-level level LO
Topic-level
LO
LO
LO
Topic-level
TopicTopic-level
Topic-level
LO
level
learning outcomeLO TopicLO
level LO
TopicTopicTopic- Topic-level
level LO
level LO
level LO
LO
29
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Course-level LO #4
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topic-level
LO
Topiclevel LO
Topiclevel LO

30. Scholarly approach to teaching:
30
learning
outcomes
What should
students
learn?
What are
students
learning?
assessment
(Week 5)
What instructional
approaches
help students
alternatives
learn?
Carl Wieman
Science Education Initiative
cwsei.ubc.ca
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to lecture
(Week 9)

31. 31
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32. Additional Taxonomies
32
Bloom’s Taxonomies cover 3 types of learning [8]



cognitive: mental skills (Knowledge)
affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas
(Attitude)
psychomotor: manual or physical skills (Skills)
Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) [9]

ranks the increasing complexity in a student’s
understanding
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33. Comparing Taxonomies
33
Bloom’s
SOLO
Assesses QUESTIONS that
the instructor asks.
Assesses student’s
RESPONSE to questions.
Works on any type
question (multiple-choice,
open ended,…)
Works for free-response
questions (that is, checking
a box in a multiple-choice
question is not the skill
being assessed)
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34. SOLO Taxonomy
Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes
34
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Prestructural
Unistructural
Multi-structural
Relational
Extended Abstract
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35. 1. Pre-structural
35
Students are simply acquiring bits of unconnected
information, which have no organization and make no
sense.
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36. 2. Unistructural
36
simple and obvious connections are made, but their
significance is not grasped.
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37. 3. Multistructural
37
a number of connections may be made, but the metaconnections between them are missed, as is their
significance for the whole.
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38. 4. Relational
38
the student is now able to appreciate the significance of
the parts in relation to the whole.
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39. 5. Extended Abstract
39
the student is making connections not only within the
given subject area, but also beyond it, able to
generalize and transfer the principles and ideas
underlying the specific instance.
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40. Algebra: Patterns in number [10]
40
Houses
Sticks
Given:
1
5
2
9
3
__
1. How many sticks are needed for 3 houses? unistructural
2. How many sticks are there for 5 houses? multistructural
3. If 52 houses require 209 sticks, how many sticks do you
need to be able to make 53 houses?
relational
4. Make up a rule to count how many sticks are needed for
any number of houses.
extended abstract
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41. References
41
1.
Simon, B., & Taylor, J. (2009). What is the Value of Course-Specific Learning Goals? Journal of
College Science Teaching, 39, 2, 52-57. PDF available at
www.cwsei.ubc.ca/SEI_research/files/LifeSci/Simon_Taylor_ValueOfCourseSpecificLG.pdf
2.
Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New
York: David McKay Co Inc.
3.
Adapted from edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy
4.
Adapted from Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning. Teaching, and
assessing: A revision of bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives.
5.
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/RevisedBlooms1.html
6.
California DMV Sample Class C Written Test 5
www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/interactive/tdrive/clc6written.htm
7.
Excerpt from Wieman, C. (2007). Slides from the Wieman Learning Goals Workshop.
www.cwsei.ubc.ca/resources/learn_goals.htm
8.
Clark, D. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Domains. www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html
9.
SOLO taxonomy http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/solo.htm by Atherton J S (2011)
Learning and Teaching; About the site [On-line: UK]
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/about.htm
10.
Excerpt from http://schools.reap.org.nz/advisor/aalign/solo-taxonomy.ppt
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42. 42
Next time: Week 5 – Assessment
Watch the blog for next week’s readings and
assignments
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43. Bloom’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain
(Levels of Learning)
6 Create: transform and combine ideas to create something new
develop, create, propose, formulate, design, invent
5 Evaluate: think critically about and defend a position
judge, appraise, recommend, justify, defend, criticize, evaluate
4 Analyze:: break down concepts into parts
compare, contrast, categorize, distinguish, identify, infer
3 Apply: apply comprehension to unfamiliar situations
apply, demonstrate, use, compute, solve, predict, construct, modify
2 Understand: demonstrate understanding of ideas, concepts
describe, explain, summarize, interpret, illustrate
1 Remember: remember and recall factual knowledge
define, list, state, label, name, describe
Adapted from Carl Wieman (2007)
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www.cwsei.ubc.ca/resources/learn_goals.htm

44. SOLO Taxonomy
44
1. Prestructural - Students are simply acquiring bits of
unconnected information, which have no organisation and
make no sense.
2. Unistructural - simple and obvious connections are made, but
their significance is not grasped.
3. Multistructural - a number of connections may be made, but
the meta-connections between them are missed, as is their
significance for the whole.
4. Relational - the student is now able to appreciate the
significance of the parts in relation to the whole.
5. Extended abstract - the student is making connections not
only within the given subject area, but also beyond it, able to
generalise and transfer the principles and ideas underlying
the specific instance.
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/solo.htm
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