What Is a Student Learning Outcome?

An academic program Student Learning Outcome (SLO) describes the knowledge, skills, competencies, or behaviors students are expected to demonstrate as a result of completing a degree or certificate program.

The central question is:

What should students know or be able to do by the time they complete the program?

Student Learning Outcomes focus on student learning, rather than program operations, student satisfaction, participation, or other indicators of program effectiveness.

Writing an Academic Program SLO

A strong SLO identifies:

• Who: the students completing the program;
• What learning is expected: the knowledge, skill, competency, or behavior; and
• How that learning is expressed: through an observable action.

Common action verbs include:

analyze, apply, create, demonstrate, design, evaluate, interpret, perform, solve, synthesize, and communicate.

Avoid relying primarily on vague verbs such as know, understand, appreciate, or be aware of when they do not make the expected demonstration of learning clear.

Example

Too broad:
Students will understand research methods.

Stronger:
Students will apply appropriate research methods to investigate questions within the discipline.

The stronger statement identifies what students are expected to do with their learning, making it possible to determine what evidence could demonstrate achievement.

Match Learning to the Program Level

SLOs should reflect the level, scope, and complexity of the credential.

Undergraduate outcomes should identify significant knowledge and abilities expected of bachelor's-level graduates. Graduate outcomes should reflect appropriately advanced learning, such as greater depth, integration, specialization, independent inquiry, research, professional application, or creation of knowledge.

When related programs exist at different credential levels, the outcomes should demonstrate meaningful progression in expectations rather than simply using the same outcome with a higher performance threshold.

Student Learning Requires Direct Evidence

Each SLO should be written so that students can demonstrate the learning described in the outcome.

Examples of potential direct evidence include:

• papers or written work;
• examinations or embedded examination questions;
• projects;
• portfolios;
• presentations;
• performances or demonstrations;
• case studies or simulations;
• clinical or laboratory work;
• research products;
• capstone work; and
• theses or dissertations.

The specific assessment method and criterion for success are established in Stage 2.

Academic Program SLO Quality Check

Before finalizing the outcome, ask:

• Does the statement focus on student learning?
• Does it identify significant knowledge, skill, competency, or behavior?
• Is the expected learning appropriate to the level of the program?
• Does the verb describe something students can demonstrate?
• Could student work or performance provide direct evidence of the learning?
• Would the results tell the program something meaningful about student achievement?

What Is a Program Outcome?

A Program Outcome (PO) describes a meaningful result that demonstrates the effectiveness of an academic degree or certificate program beyond students' direct demonstration of learning.

The central question is:

What results would provide meaningful evidence that the program is accomplishing its purposes and effectively supporting its students and stakeholders?

Program Outcomes may address areas such as:

• enrollment;
• retention and persistence;
• graduation;
• time to degree;
• student progression;
• academic advising;
• student support;
• experiential learning;
• licensure or certification;
• employment or continued education;
• student or graduate satisfaction;
• preparation for professional practice;
• curriculum or program quality;
• faculty or program capacity; and
• other mission-related indicators of effectiveness.

A Program Outcome does not need to focus only on efficiency. The intended result should reflect an important dimension of program quality, effectiveness, student success, or stakeholder experience.

Writing a Program Outcome

Consider:

WHO / WHAT
Which students, graduates, faculty, stakeholders, program process, or aspect of the program is affected?

INTENDED RESULT
What should occur, improve, or be maintained?

QUALITY DIMENSION
Does the outcome concern progression, access, satisfaction, preparation, completion, quality, participation, efficiency, or another meaningful result?

Example: Student Experience

Too broad:
Graduate students will be satisfied with the program.

Stronger:
Graduating students will report satisfaction with the quality and accessibility of academic advising provided by the program.

Example: Student Progression

Outcome:
Students will progress through the program in a timely manner.

A corresponding criterion might later establish the expected time to degree, graduation rate, or other performance threshold.

Example: Access

Outcome:
The program will expand students' access to required coursework through additional flexible course offerings.

The development of new online courses would be an activity or improvement strategy used to support this outcome rather than necessarily the outcome itself.

Counts and Participation Can Be Appropriate

Enrollment, participation, utilization, and other counts can be appropriate Program Outcomes when reach, access, enrollment, participation, or growth is itself the intended result.

The important question is not whether the measure is a count, but whether it provides meaningful evidence related to the purpose of the outcome.

For example:

Outcome:
The program will increase student participation in discipline-related internship experiences.

This can be a meaningful Program Outcome when experiential learning participation is an important program priority.

Program Outcome Quality Check

Before finalizing the outcome, ask:

• Does the outcome address program effectiveness rather than direct student learning?
• Is the intended result important to the program's mission or priorities?
• Is the population, process, or program dimension sufficiently clear?
• Can the result be meaningfully measured?
• Would the findings help the program make a decision, identify an improvement, or determine whether current practices should continue?

 What Is a General Education Course SLO?

General Education assessment focuses on Student Learning Outcomes at the course level.

A General Education SLO identifies the knowledge, skill, or competency students should demonstrate as a result of completing the course.

The central question is:

What should students demonstrate as a result of the learning provided in this course?

General Education outcomes are Student Learning Outcomes; they do not require a separate outcome category such as “Core Outcomes.”

Writing a General Education SLO

General Education SLOs should:

• focus on meaningful student learning;
• be appropriate to the course;
• use observable and assessable language;
• identify what students will demonstrate; and
• align, as appropriate, with FIU's institutional learning expectations.

Example

Too broad:
Students will understand quantitative reasoning.

Stronger:
Students will interpret quantitative information and use appropriate evidence to support conclusions.

Assess the Learning, Not the Course Experience

The outcome should focus on what students learn, rather than whether they enjoyed the course, found it useful, or were satisfied with the instructional experience.

For example:

Student Learning Outcome:
Students will evaluate the credibility and relevance of information used to support an argument.

Not a Student Learning Outcome:
Students will report satisfaction with the research assignments in the course.

Student perceptions may provide useful supplemental information, but they do not directly demonstrate achievement of the learning outcome.

General Education SLO Quality Check

Before finalizing the outcome, ask:

• Does it describe student learning rather than satisfaction or experience?
• Is the learning appropriate to the course?
• Can students directly demonstrate the knowledge, skill, or competency?
• Is the outcome sufficiently clear to guide the selection of an assessment?
• Does it align appropriately with applicable institutional learning expectations?

What Is an Administrative Outcome?

An Administrative Outcome describes the result or impact an administrative unit, student-serving unit, Dean's Office, Center, or Institute intends to achieve through its core responsibilities.

The central question is:

What should be different or better because the unit performs this function effectively?

These outcomes may address:

• service effectiveness;
• quality;
• accessibility;
• responsiveness;
• efficiency;
• accuracy;
• compliance;
• resource stewardship;
• operational performance;
• technology;
• stakeholder experience;
• research support or productivity;
• employee development;
• partnerships;
• community impact; or
• other mission-related responsibilities.

The focus should be on the result of the unit's work, rather than simply documenting that work occurred.

Start With the Unit's Core Function

A useful sequence is:

1. Identify the core function
What does the unit exist to accomplish?

2. Identify the intended effect
What should be better because the unit performs that function well?

3. Identify the quality dimension
Is the intended result about efficiency, access, quality, satisfaction, compliance, accuracy, engagement, resource stewardship, or another dimension?

4. Write the intended result
Describe what should occur for the population, service, process, or function.

Example: Administrative Process

Activity:
Procurement staff will process purchasing requests.

Outcome:
University units will have timely and compliant access to the goods and services required to support educational and operational priorities.

Example: Student Support

Activity:
Academic advisors will contact students who have degree-progress barriers.

Outcome:
Students with identified degree-progress barriers will receive timely, targeted advising interventions that support continued progress toward degree completion.

Example: Technology

Activity:
The unit will monitor university technology systems.

Outcome:
Students, faculty, and staff will have reliable, secure, and accessible technology services that support learning, teaching, research, and university operations.

Outcomes Should Not Simply Restate Tasks

An outcome such as:

“Conduct four workshops each semester.”

primarily describes unit activity.

A stronger effectiveness outcome asks what the workshops are intended to accomplish:

“Participants will report increased preparedness to complete the process addressed through the workshop.”

However, participation itself may be an appropriate outcome when increasing access, reach, or utilization is the intended objective.

Functional Areas

Administrative/effectiveness outcomes may also be classified according to FIU's four administrative assessment functional areas, as applicable:

• Administrative Support Services
• Educational Support Services
• Research
• Community Service

Dean's Offices and colleges have specific expectations related to these functional areas. Other units should classify outcomes according to the function represented by the outcome.

Administrative/Effectiveness Outcome Quality Check

Before finalizing the outcome, ask:

• Is it an outcome rather than simply an activity or task?
• Does it represent a core function or strategic responsibility of the unit?
• Is the intended result clear?
• Is the result within the unit's ability to influence?
• Is the relevant quality dimension apparent?
• Can the outcome be assessed using meaningful evidence?
• Could the findings lead to a decision, improvement, or continuation of an effective practice?

When Is a Learning Outcome Appropriate?

Administrative, student-serving, and co-curricular areas may provide structured experiences intended to produce learning.

A Learning Outcome is appropriate when students or other participants are expected to gain and demonstrate specific knowledge, skills, competencies, or behaviors as a result of an educational experience.

The central question is:

What should participants know or be able to do because of this experience?

Learning may result from:

• workshops;
• training programs;
• leadership programs;
• advising or coaching experiences with an instructional component;
• career-development activities;
• information-literacy instruction;
• community-based educational programming;
• structured student-development experiences; or
• other intentional educational activities.

Learning Outcome or Effectiveness Outcome?

The distinction depends on what you want to know.

Effectiveness Outcome

Question: Did the service, program, or experience achieve an intended operational or participant result?

Example:
Students participating in career services will report increased preparedness for the job-search process.

This evaluates a reported result associated with the service.

Learning Outcome

Question: Can participants demonstrate the knowledge or skill they were expected to learn?

Example:
Students participating in résumé-development workshops will develop a discipline-specific résumé that meets established professional criteria.

This requires students to demonstrate the intended learning.

Direct and Indirect Evidence

Learning outcomes should be written so the intended learning can be evaluated.

Direct evidence asks participants to demonstrate the learning through an observable product or performance, such as:

• a scenario-based assessment;
• case study;
• demonstration;
• presentation;
• completed product;
• knowledge assessment; or
• performance evaluated using a rubric.

Indirect evidence captures participants' perceptions of their learning, such as reported confidence, awareness, understanding, or perceived growth.

The distinction is straightforward:

Direct: Can the participant demonstrate the learning?
Indirect: Does the participant report that the learning occurred?

The detailed requirements for selecting measures are addressed in Stage 2: Develop an Assessment Strategy.

Faculty and Staff Professional Development

Training provided to FIU faculty or staff is generally treated as an administrative or professional-development effectiveness outcome rather than a Student Learning Outcome.

For example:

Administrative/Effectiveness Outcome:
Faculty participating in assessment training will report increased confidence in developing measurable assessment plans.

Learning outcomes are most appropriate when the assessment is intentionally designed to determine whether participants can demonstrate specific learning resulting from the experience.

Administrative/Co-Curricular Learning Outcome Quality Check

Before finalizing the outcome, ask:

• Is intentional learning an expected result of the experience?
• Does the outcome identify knowledge, skill, competency, or behavior?
• Does it describe what participants should demonstrate rather than simply how they feel?
• Can the learning be directly assessed?
• Is the expected learning appropriate to the purpose and scope of the experience?