Learning design

Learning outcomes

All courses need learning outcomes to allow the learner to understand what they can expect to learn from a course.

(If you're planning to create a guide or a handbook they won't require learning outcomes.)

Depending on the length of the course, up to five learning outcomes is usually recommended. Your course structure should be designed around them.

Categories for learning outcomes are:

• knowledge and understanding
• cognitive skills – reasoning abilities 
• practical and/or professional skills
• key skills, e.g. communication, teamwork, etc.

Learning outcomes should be phrased in terms of what the learner should know, understand and/or be able to do by the time they have successfully completed the course.

How to write learning outcomes

Effective learning outcomes contain three elements:

1. An introductory phrase, such as ‘Upon successful completion of this course, learners should be able to …’.
2. This is followed by the learning outcomes in a list, each of which consists of :
   • an active verb or phrase (examples below)
   • an object of the verb
   • a clause or phrase that provides context or condition.
3. Each learning outcome should be:
   • measurable
   • linked to the content, activities and assessment
   • uncomplicated – less is more.

Here's an example of a learning outcome:

Upon successful completion of this course, learners should be able to: 

• • describe the benefits and disadvantages of using OER in distance education.

What's an active verb?

Active verbs enable learners to use the activities to measure how well they’ve met the learning outcomes.

Verbs like ‘understand’, ‘know’ or ‘reflect’ are very difficult to measure.

Example of active verbs include:

• apply
• calculate
• compare
• define
• describe
• differentiate
• discuss
• evaluate
• identify
• implement
• write.