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Outcome Assessment

Writing Outcome Statements:

Objectives vs. Outcomes

  • Objectives: intended results or consequences of instruction, curricula, programs, or activities
    • they specify what is expected and describe what should be assessed
  • Outcomes: achieved results or consequences of what was learned- evidence that some learning took place
    • outcomes are behaviors and products generated by students after the program is delivered and are the object of the assessment.
    • outcomes should be realistic, achievable, and directly related to the activities of the program
    • outcomes can be immediate, short-term, or long-term.
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Types of Outcomes

  • Program Outcomes
    • illustrate what you want your program to do
    • present measurable and meaningful statements of what you want the program to accomplish
  • Service Outcomes
    • related to program outcomes
    • Example: Financial Aid - develop a financial aid package that ensures that students have enough money to enroll and stay enrolled in college
    • Example: Health Center - delivery of health care in a timely and efficient manner
  • Learning Outcomes
    • illustrate the learning that you want to occur
    • assess outcomes to "know" (cognitive abilities), to "be" (affective components), and/or to "do" (skills)
  • Developmental Outcomes
    • assess affective dimensions or attitudes
    • examples would include being sensitive to the values of others, becoming aware of one's own talents and abilities, and developing an appreciation for life-long learning
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Creation of Learning Outcomes

Learning:
  • is affected by the educational climate
  • is an active search for meaning
  • is developmental - involving the whole person
  • is done by individuals who are tied to others as social beings
  • is enhanced by taking place in the context of a compelling situation
  • is fundamentally about making and maintaining connections
  • is grounded in particular contexts and individual experiences
  • involves the ability of individuals to monitor their own learning
  • requires frequent feedback, practice, and opportunities for utilization
  • takes place informally and incidentally
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Guidelines for Outcomes

  • Does each outcome describe what the program or department intends for students and/or staff to know, think, or do?
  • Does the intended outcome meet the following criteria?
    • detailed and specific?
    • appropriate to the program or department?
    • measurable/identifiable?
    • meaningful in making decisions of how to improve the program?
  • Does the program have a component to be able to deliver/implement each outcome?
  • Are multiple methods, if appropriate, used to assess outcomes?
  • Do the assessment methods include direct and indirect measures of outcomes?
  • Is each assessment method or tool appropriate to the outcome it is evaluating?
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