ASSIGNMENT #1
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

DUE: SEPTEMBER 8 , 2009     

The best way to learn how to effectively use student learning outcomes, sometimes called learning objectives, is to try your hand at developing them. Do it. We'll discuss the relevant issues in class today (September 3). Then you will write two (2) specific student learning outcomes for college students in an area or discipline that will be useful to you.

Bring your drafts of these two objectives with you on Tuesday (September 8).  We're going to use them in class. Your final versions may be submitted at the next couple of class periods, so you'll have some time to consider your classmates' feedback. You may plan to incorporate these two student learning outcomes or objectives as part of your work in Assignment #2.

For each student learning outcome, you should:

• write the student learning outcome (what you want the students to learn);

• write a brief description of how you would evaluate whether students have met the learning objective -- that is, whether they have learned whatever you intended them to learn;

• write a brief description of how you would teach toward the student learning outcome, in other words, what you would do to help students  learn what you want them to learn.

When working on this assignment:

• Be certain that the student learning outcomes are learning objectives . . .  they should describe what the students are going to learn, not what the teacher is going to teach.

• Focus on higher levels of learning. Try to develop student learning outcomes that deal with learning above and beyond fundamental memorization in the cognitive domain, or simple observation in the psychomotor domain, or basic awareness in the attitudinal domain.

• But, most important, focus on student learning outcomes that are truly important for your students.