Difference between Objectives and Outcomes
Linking Institutional Learning Outcomes to Course/Program Learning Outcomes and Strategic Plan Goals
By: Sesime Adanu
Assessment is an ongoing process, which involves the use of varied methods and data to evaluate student learning so as to determine whether or not learning outcomes are being met; use the findings to identify weaknesses or gaps and address them with the view to improve teaching and learning.
It helps address questions such as whether or not students are meeting the learning goals set by faculty in the respective courses and programs of study.
Program assessment refers to the process where a program is self-assessed by faculty teaching in the program aimed at ensuring continuous improvement on identified indicators of success such as program learning outcomes, retention, persistence, among others. The goal is to ensure that students are learning what the intended program outcomes indicate they will learn when they complete the program. Program assessment is a requirement from SUNY Central Administration and MSCHE.
Program level learning outcomes are those learning-related outcomes that a student should be able to demonstrate upon successful completion of a program.
Program level outcomes demonstrate a program's performance but are not specific to areas or domains of student learning (e.g., employment rates could be a program outcome but they are not specific to an area of academic content that the student may be expected to know/demonstrate/perform on upon the completion of a program).
Middle States under standard 4 requires periodic assessment of the effectiveness of programs supporting the student experience.
They are the basis or standards upon which a program is assessed to determine whether or not it is meeting its intended outcomes. They provide context on the purpose of a program and the expected outcome/result at the end of the program.
Example: Upon the completion of this program:
Unlike goals, which are broad statements, objectives are very specific and specify expected results at the end of a course/program as well as show how the results will be achieved. Objectives are usually aligned with benchmarks, which state the yardstick against which they will be measured.
Example: upon the completion of this course/program, students will be able to:
Objectives state the specifics on what is expected to be learned or attained at the end of a program while outcomes provide the evidence or results that indicate whether or not the objective was attained.
These are specific skills or knowledge that students are expected to acquire and are able to demonstrate upon the completion of a course or program.
Cognitive, affective and behavioral.
Examples- upon completion of this course/program students will be able to:
Output refers to the count or evidence at the end of a process, activity, event or program. Such results are usually attained in the immediate short term. Outputs do not provide specific evidence as to the quality or impact an event or activity has had on trainees or beneficiaries.
Outcomes, on the other hand provide evidence that demonstrates what has been attained or achieved as a result of an event, activity, or taking a particular course. Outcomes also address evidence on quality, impact or value.
Action Words from Bloom's Taxonomy | |||||
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Knowledge | Understand | Apply | Analyze | Evaluate | Create |
define identify describe label list name state match recognize select examine locate memorize quote recall reproduce tabulate tell copy discover duplicate enumerate listen observe omit read recite record repeat retell visualize | explain describe interpret paraphrase summarize classify compare differentiate discuss distinguish extend predict associate contrast convert demonstrate estimate express identify indicate infer relate select translate ask cite discover generalize give examples group illustrate judge observe order report represent research review show trace | solve apply illustrate modify use calculate change choose demonstrate discover experiment relate show sketch complete construct dramatize interpret manipulate paint prepare produce Report Teach Act Administer Articulate Chart Collect Compute Determine Develop Employ Establish Examine Explain Interview Judge List Operate Practice Predict | analyze compare classify contrast distinguish infer separate explain select categorize connect differentiate discriminate divide order point out prioritize subdivide survey advertise appraise break down calculate conclude correlate criticize deduce devise diagram dissect estimate evaluate experiment focus illustrate organize outline plan question test | reframe criticize evaluate order appraise judge support compare decide discriminate recommend summarize assess choose convince defend estimate find errors grade measure predict rank score select test argue conclude consider critique debate distinguish editorialize justify persuade rate weigh | design compose create plan combine formulate invent hypothesize substitute write compile construct develop generalize integrate modify organize prepare produce rearrange rewrite role-play adapt anticipate arrange assemble choose collaborate collect devise express facilitate imagine infer intervene justify make manage negotiate originate propose reorganize |
Benchmarks are specific measures, which help determine the effectiveness of a program, activity or event. To determine effectiveness, a benchmark has to be established against which comparisons are made. Thus, benchmarks provide the yardstick against which to determine success or failure. Benchmarks can be internal or external. Internal benchmarks refer to the situation where a program/course uses its own data as baseline to determine whether or not any improvement was made. With external benchmarking, data from a similar course or program in another institution or department is used as the yardstick to determine how ones program compares with that of another institution or department.
Specific sets of criteria that are clearly defined and used by faculty to assess student performance in a course or program. It is thus a form of grading scheme used by faculty. The criterion used assesses a student's ability at each level of performance and assign values to each level. It provides levels of proficiency that describe a continuum from excellent to poor performance. To help students have a good sense on how they are being assessed, it is advisable that faculty share with students through the course syllabus information on grading rubric.
Outcomes that are crafted with the ability to quantify or measure specific tangible results. Outcomes could also be assessed qualitatively. A measurable outcome needs to focus on a specific issue or characteristics, have a clearly identified means of determining results as well as a clear criteria on how success will be measured.
Course learning outcomes for COM 210- Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to:
Name of Office/Department: Communication and Media Arts | ||||||
Name of Person Responsible: John Zoningo | ||||||
Email Address: example@sunybroome.edu | ||||||
SUNY Broome Strategic Plan Goal and Objective | Unit/Dept. Goal to Assess | Means of Assessment (How will goal be assessed?) | Benchmark-Expected Outcome (Target expected to be met) | Summary of Assessment Findings | Use of Results | Budget/Resource Allocation Implications |
Goal 2:Teaching and Learning | Students expected to enumerate practical and theoretical knowledge in advanced lighting practices, and repeat the process in both the environments of field production and studio production. | Theoretical knowledge to be tested through mid-term paper and practical knowledge tested via field work tapping events at the local farmers market. | Students are expected to score at least 80% in each of the 3 lighting theories; 80 % of the students are expected to have the right light balance filming indoors and outdoors using created rubric. | Of the 20 students in the class, 17 scored at least 85% in theories. The goal was, therefore, exceeded by 5%. On advanced lightening, 9 of the students accurately met the threshold using established rubric. 11 did not. Goal was, therefore not met. | Feedback from students revealed that 3 did not pass theories because of lack of understanding of key concepts. Subsequent courses will be taught with supplementary materials explaining the key concepts. To help students master the right light balance, two extra class time will be devoted to practicing these skills by taking students into the community for practice. | The program will need $20,000 to replace 4 broken lighting systems as well as buy 6 more to make the practical side of the class more accessible to the students. |
Closing the assessment loop on the advanced lighting goal as indicated above; a goal that was not met. This will be done in the following academic year to close the loop.
Faculty followed up on student feedback obtained from prior course evaluation and used it for the next class taught by developing a supplementary material that specified the key steps to be followed in understanding the theory of lighting. Two extra class times were spent sending the class into the community to practice lighting skills under the guidance of faculty. The college provided the program with $18,000 out of the $20,000 requested to replace equipment. Students did a fundraiser on campus to make up for the $2,000 shortfall. The implementation of these measures led to 20 of the 21 students enrolled in the next course passing the lighting theory and practice aspects of the course with a grade of C or higher based on the same rubric used for the prior course. One student had a D grade. The goals were met this time around and the assessment loop (gap) is now closed.
Course learning outcomes for BUS 150- Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to:
Name of Office/Department/Program: Business Information Technology | ||||||
Name of Person Responsible: Alexo Batarra | ||||||
Email Address: example@sunybroome.edu | ||||||
SUNY Broome Strategic Plan Goal and Objective | Unit/Dept. Goal to Assess | Means of Assessment (How will goal be assessed?) | Benchmark-Expected Outcome (Target expected to be met) | Summary of Assessment Findings | Use of Results | Budget/Resource Allocation Implications |
Goal 2: Teaching and Learning | Students are expected to set-up and produce a program that runs a hypothetical non profit organization's online application form. | Students set up and formatting of the application page, layout of the questions, and writing programming codes that mandate key questions to be answered before applicants move to the next question. | All students will be expected to complete the assignment to specifications under "means of assessment" | Of the 15 students who completed the course, 13 were successful in setting up and developing programs that run the non profit online application form. Goal was not met. Two students had difficulty completing the programming component of the assignment. | Faculty to work with the Learning Assistance Department to hire a peer tutor to provide support for students needing help in coding and programming. | An amount of $12,000 will be need to pay hourly wages for peer tutor for the academic year. |
Faculty worked with the LAD department to recruit a peer tutor who now provides a one-on-one tutorial support for students who need help understanding the coding process. This effort led to all students who took the course successfully completing it with a passing grade. The goal is, therefore, met. The assessment loop is now closed.
Faculty teaching in courses or programs could assess students' perception of courses through indirect means such as students' feedback through end of term/semester course evaluations, surveys administered to students to seek their views of how the course was taught as well as its content. Also, use of results from the SUNY Student Opinion Survey, program job placement data, program review data, alumni survey, graduation and retentions data, and student demographic statistics.
For example, 45% of the students who took a course indicated in the course evaluation that they had difficulty understanding most of the content in the textbook used for the course and will appreciate the formation of discussion groups to help them better digest the course material. Faculty took the suggestions into consideration and reviewed other books to select a different textbook that was more digestible for students. Discussion groups were also formed for the next class. Course evaluations for the next class revealed that 80% of the students were satisfied with the new textbook, and 85% liked the formation of the discussion groups. The two identified gaps are now addressed and closed.
After measurable outcome goals are developed, they need to be linked to one of the six Broome Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) as well as applicable goal(s) of the strategic plan. This is attainable by identifying the outcome goals that are more in alignment with any of the ILOs or strategic plan goals.
These are the end results arrived at after the goals and objectives developed are assessed at the end of the assessment cycle to determine whether or not established benchmark was met.
After outcome assessment findings are made, the results have to be used in requesting budgetary resources to support continuous improvement. This helps focus assessment on issues or areas that contribute to improved student learning.
This refers to the process where course-learning outcomes are mapped to program learning outcomes to help assess the effectiveness of program learning outcomes. An example of a Curriculum map is presented below:
Business Administration Program Learning Outcomes | ||||||||
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Courses Mapped to Program Learning Outcomes | Introductory Knowledge of marketing | Global Context of Business Management | U.S. Business Models | Principles | Principles and Processes of the Stock Market | Business Consumer Behavior and Theories | Applied Marketing Entre- preneur- ship | Professional Industry Prepa- ration |
Bus 101 | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
Bus 102 | S | I, S | I | I | I | |||
Bus 201 | S | I, S | I | I | I, S | |||
Bus 202 | I, S | I | I | I, S | ||||
Bus 203 | S | S | I | S | I | I, S | ||
Bus 204 | S | S | I | S | S | I | I, S | |
Bus 301 | A | S | S, A | S | S | S | ||
Bus 302 | S, A | S | S | S | ||||
Bus 305 | A | A | S, A | S | S, A | S,A | ||
Bus 306 | S, A | S, A | A | A | ||||
Bus 309 | S, A | S, A | S, A | S, A | A | |||
Bus 310 | A | I, S, A | S | S, A | S, A | S, A | ||
Bus 401 | A | A | A | I, S, A | A | S, A | ||
Bus 402 | A | A | A | A | A | S, A | A | |
Bus 403 | A | A | A | A | A | A | ||
Bus 405 | A | A | A | A | A | A |
For Gen Ed courses and other courses without a program, map to Gen Ed and Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs). The reason being that there are no program learning outcomes to map to.