A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY

OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

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CONTENT PAGE

A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR

COURSES OF STUDY OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Definition of Learning Outcomes

1.2 Development of Objectives and Learning Outcomes in Curriculum

Development

2.0 THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING

OUTCOMES

2.1 What are the differences between objectives and learning

outcomes?

2.2 Why do we need to develop objectives and learning outcomes?

3.0 STEPS IN MANAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES

FOR ONGOING COURSES OF STUDY AND NEW COURSES OF STUDY

3.1 Developing Learning Outcomes for Ongoing Courses of Study

3.2 Developing Learning Outcomes for New Courses of Study

4.0 PRINCIPLES OF WRITING LEARNING OUTCOMES (TEACHERS)

5.0 HOW TO WRITE LEARNING OUTCOMES

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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
1.0 INTRODUCTION

This guideline aims to assist the Private Higher Education Institutions in

Malaysia in developing and writing learning outcomes for their
curriculum design at various levels namely certificate, diploma, degree
with honours, masters and doctorate for academic and professional
qualifications. The guideline introduces an approach that can be
practised by the Institutions to develop learning outcomes for ongoing
courses of study as well as for new courses of study.

1.1 Definition of Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes are statements of:

WHAT STUDENTS KNOW AND CAN DO AS A RESULT

OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COURSES OF STUDY

1.2 Development of Objectives and Learning Outcomes for Courses

of Study

In the endeavor to produce balanced, informed and graduates of

calibre, the curriculum design for courses of study offered at
Private Higher Education Institutions should emanate from the
National Philosophy of Education and the Education Act (1996).
The Institutions concerned should also take cognizant of other
external factors like international recognition and
internationalization of Malaysian education inclusive of
educational psychology in designing their curriculum. It is
imperative that the formulation of curriculum design should
incorporate the following aspects:

Vision
Mission
Goals
Objectives
Learning outcomes
Curriculum content
Organization of the curriculum
Teaching and learning strategies
Assessment and evaluation

Should the curriculum designers list the objectives and learning

outcomes explicitly in their curriculum development, it would
have a direct impact on the quality of education, quality of
teaching and learning, and quality of students in the Institutions.

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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
The objectives regulate the teaching and learning. Learning
outcomes are viewed as benchmarks in identifying and evaluating
the intended education aspirations for balanced and excellent
graduates. Therefore, objectives and learning outcomes need to
be developed for courses of study and for each subject in the
courses of study.

2.0 THE DIFFRENCES BETWEEN OBJECTIVES AND ELARNING OUTCOMES

2.1 What are the differences between objectives and learning

outcomes?

Objective Learning Outcome

Objectives state what the Learning outcomes state what

teachers must teach and what
they have to plan to teach not
to assert the statement of the
end product of education.
the students should know,
understand and can do or
what they are expected to
know, understand and can do
as a result of their learning
experience.

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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
2.2 Why do we need to develop the objectives as well as the learning
outcomes?

Objectives Learning Outcomes

Objectives should be Learning outcomes should be

developed: developed:

to ensure the changes of to evaluate the performance

behaviour in students in the of students on what they
process of teaching and know and can do at the end
learning. of their courses.

to determine the topics, to ensure that students can

concepts, generalizations, manage their learning.
or the content of other
elements to be covered in to ensure that what is
the courses of study and taught and learned is
subjects. intentional.

to prepare guidance in to know what is supposed

developing and designing to be changed.
the curriculum and
instructions, which to improve as well as to
comprise the contents and enhance the quality of
students behaviour in the learning.
process of teaching and
learning. to plan towards improving
the quality of education and
the effectiveness of the
institutions.

to know where the human

resources can be invested.

to prepare the
accountability that can be
put forward to the outside
constituents.

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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
2.3 Examples of Learning Outcomes

(i) Economics Discipline

Expected Learning
Learning Objective
Outcome

Economics students will Economics students will be

understand the nature and able to identify the role of
functioning of the market supply and demand in a
system. market economy and the
necessary conditions to
function well.

(ii) Management Discipline

Expected Learning
Learning Objective
Outcome

Management students will Management students will

understand and use a demonstrate a basic
variety of quantitative knowledge of calculus,
analysis techniques statistics, and other
appropriate for business quantitative tools
necessary to solve real-
world problems

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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
3.0 STEPS TO MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES

3.1 Developing Learning Outcomes for Ongoing Courses of Study

HOW TO MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF

STEPS
LEARNING OUTCOMES

STEP 1 Start by having a faculty/staff meeting (including

students and alumni, and experts in education) and
introduce the concept of learning outcomes. The
management staff should also be invited to attend the
meeting on writing the learning outcomes for the
programmes.

STEP 2 Brainstorm about what an ideal graduate would know,

understand, and be able to do. (Consult web sites for
your professional/disciplinary organization. Many of
them are developing the learning outcomes for higher
education programmes at various levels)

STEP 3 Agree on a first draft of a list of learning outcomes,

understanding that they will be revised several times
before becoming firm (or definitive) and that they will
change over time due to changing needs and
characteristics of students.

STEP 4 List the learning outcomes for courses of study and

subjects

STEP 5 Gather feedback from students in each course about

how well they perceive that learning outcomes were
addressed.

STEP 6 Assess students assignments to measure

achievement of each of the learning outcomes that
are designed for each subject.

STEP 7 Have a meeting with faculty/staff at the end of

semester to revise the list of learning outcomes of
each course and its subjects.

STEP 8 Repeat the above steps regularly and as needed to

improve the learning outcome statements.

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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
3.2 Developing Learning Outcomes for New Courses of Study

HOW TO MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF

STEPS LEARNING OUTCOMES

STEP 1 Start by having a faculty/staff meeting (including

experts in education) and introduce the concept of
learning outcomes. The management staff should
also be invited to attend the meeting on writing the
learning outcomes for the programmes.

STEP 2 Brainstorm about what an ideal graduate would know,

understand, and be able to do. (Consult web sites for
your professional/disciplinary organization. Many of
them are developing the learning outcomes for higher
education programmes at various levels)

STEP 3 Agree on a first draft of a list of learning outcomes,

understanding that they will be revised several times
before becoming firm (or definitive) and that they will
change over time due to changing needs and
characteristics of students.

STEP 4 List the learning outcomes for courses of study and

subjects

STEP 5 Repeat the above steps regularly and as needed to

improve the learning outcomes statements.

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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
4.0 PRINCIPLES OF WRITING LEARNING OUTCOMES (TEACHERS)

The following are guiding principles of writing learning outcomes for

ongoing courses and new courses of study.

Learning outcomes should:

embody the skills, knowledge and attitudes that are necessary and

significant for the student to succeed in the vocation.

represent the minimum level of performance required for passing

the course.

be both realistic and achievable by post-secondary students.

reflect present and anticipated future requirements of the

workplace.

be verifiable and measurable.

be transferable to a variety of contexts.

be communicated to learners, educators, employers and the

public.

reflect the principles of equity and fairness to accommodate the

needs of diverse learners.

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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
5.0 HOW TO WRITE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning outcomes in a curriculum design can be created based on the

Blooms Classification of Cognitive Skills. Blooms levels of cognitive
skills are provided in a table below with a list of related behaviours as
action verbs that can be used when creating learning outcomes.

Category Definition Related Behaviours

Knowledge Recalling or Define, describe,
remembering something identify, label, list,
without necessarily match, memorize, point
understanding, using, or to, recall, select, state
changing it

Comprehension Understanding Alter, account for,

something that has been annotate, calculate,
communicated without change, convert, group,
necessarily relating it to explain, generalize, give
anything else example, infer, interpret,
paraphrase, predict,
review, summarize,
translate

Application Using a general concept Apply, adopt, collect,

to solve problems in a construct, diagram,
particular situation; discover, illustrate,
using learned material in interview, make use of,
new and concrete manipulate, relate, show,
situations solve, use

Analysis Breaking something Analyze, compare,

down into its parts; may contrast, diagram,
focus on identification of differentiate, dissect,
parts or analysis of distinguish, identify,
relationships between illustrate, infer, outline,
parts, or recognition of point out, select,
organizational principles separate, sort, subdivide

Synthesis Creating something new Blend, build, change,

by putting parts of combine, compile,
different ideas together compose, conceive,
to make a whole create, design,
formulate, generate,
hypothesize, plan,
predict, produce,
reorder, revise, tell, write

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LEMBAGA AKREDITASI NEGARA
A GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR COURSES OF STUDY
OFFERED AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation Judging the value of Accept, appraise,
material or methods as assess, arbitrate, award,
they might be applied in choose, conclude,
a particular situation; criticize, defend,
judging with the use of evaluate, grade, judge,
definite criteria prioritize, recommend,
referee, reject, select,
support

Use the related behaviours as action verbs to write the learning

outcomes for courses of study and its subjects either for the ongoing
courses or for the new courses.

References:

Bloom B (1956, 1964). Taxonomy of educational objectives.

Education Act, 1996, Malaysia

http://www.chea.org

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca

http://www.education.tas.gov.au

http://www.ksu.edu/apr/Learning/HowTohtm

2004 LBCC Media Service. Linn-Benton Community College.

cfsupport@ml.linnbenton.edu

Dr Khathijah Abdul Hamid / PDR 7/ BDR/ LAN / Julai 2004

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