NUR 648 Week 3 Discussion Nursing Education Seminar
NUR 648 Week 3 Discussion Nursing Education Seminar
NUR 648 Week 3 Discussion Nursing Education Seminar
DQ1 Differentiate between course outcomes and learning objectives, and provide an example of each one. Why it is important for an instructor to align course outcomes and learning objectives to professional standards and nurse educator competencies?
DQ2 Choose three evidence-based practices relevant to developing course outcomes and learning objectives. Explain why instructors should utilize these practices in the course design process. For the evidence-based practices selected by your peers, provide additional ideas on how these can be utilized in the course design process.
What are Learning Outcomes?
Learning outcomes are specific statements of what students will be able to do when they successfully complete a learning experience (whether it’s a project, course or program). They are always written in a student-centered, measurable fashion that is concise, meaningful, and achievable.
Learning Outcomes at the University or Program Level
Outcomes are used on many scales, from developing curriculum for a program of study to creating lessons for a single class activity. At the highest level, learning outcomes can be established at the university level. You can review the learning outcomes for DePaul graduates at the institutional level or program level.
Learning Outcomes at the Module, Unit, or Week Level
Just as learning outcomes can be designed at the program level or university-wide level, they can also operate at a more granular scale within an individual course. Typically instructors divide their courses into smaller units such as modules or weeks, and many instructors establish learning outcomes for these smaller units that map onto the larger course-level outcomes. As a general rule, as the level of analysis becomes smaller, from course to module to assignment, the learning outcomes tend to be more specific and easily quantifiable.
How are Learning Outcomes Different from Learning Goals or Learning Objectives?
These terms are often used interchangeably and they are all related to the teaching and learning that is expected to take place in the classroom. However, the difference between goals or objectives and outcomes lies in the emphasis on who will be performing the activities.Learning goals and objectives generally describe what an instructor, program, or institution aims to do, whereas, a learning outcome describes in observable and measurable terms what a student is able to do as a result of completing a learning experience (e.g., course, project, or unit).
Why Write Learning Outcomes?
Identifying the desired results of a learning experience is the first step of backward design.Learning outcomes are used for this purpose. Learning outcomes are also valuable in these ways:
Learning outcomes help instructors…
- describe to students what is expected of them
- plan appropriate teaching strategies, materials and assessments
- learn from and make changes to curriculum to improve student learning
- assess how the outcomes of a single course align with larger outcomes for an entire program
Learning outcomes help students…
- anticipate what they will gain from an educational experience
- track their progress and know where they stand
- know in advance how they’ll be assessed
Elements of Effective Learning Outcomes
Clearly written course-level and module-level outcomes are the foundation upon which effective courses are designed. Outcomes inform both the way students are evaluated in a course and the way a course will be organized. Effective learning outcomes are student-centered, measurable, concise, meaningful, achievable and outcome-based (rather than task-based).