Module learning objectives (MLOs) and course learning outcomes (CLOs) define the essential learning taught and assessed in a course.
MLOs are linked to specific content knowledge or skills and are assessed through regular course activities such as exams, lab reports, presentations, or homework sets. MLOs are typically provided to students in module, unit, or weekly based folders within the course. Providing these outcomes can help students better understand the specific material that will be covered and the level at which they should be able to demonstrate their skill or knowledge. MLOs can also inform the success of teaching practices.
CLOs are broad and reflect the overarching knowledge or skills that we hope our students have at the end of the course. CLOs and MLOs are linked in that several MLOs can be combined to assess the achievement of a CLO. The CLOs are the outcomes that are documented in Curriculum (formerly Curriculog) and the course syllabus, and are the basis for assessment projects that include data collection, reporting, and reflection.
When writing CLOs for a course, consider keeping the following guidelines in mind:
- If multiple faculty teach a course, CLOs should be written collaboratively.
- CLOs should be broad and overarching, not based on specific content taught in the class.
- A typical course should have 1-2 CLOs per contact hour, but eight or fewer overall.
- Each CLO should have one measurable verb that will be assessed.
- Each CLO should be clear and concise.
- The six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and associated verbs can be helpful in developing CLOs. As you can observe in the table below, Bloom’s Taxonomy is hierarchical, so it is assumed that to attain higher levels of knowledge and skill, knowledge and skills at lower levels have been attained. Therefore, it is only necessary to write outcomes with the highest-level verb that will be assessed. For example, if you wish your students to both identify and organize data, only organization needs to be included in the CLO and assessed.
- Consider the level of students in your course. An entry or introductory level course will likely build foundational skills and knowledge so the outcomes may be more focused on the memory, comprehension, application and analysis levels of the Bloom’s Taxonomy. More advanced courses may seek to achieve the higher levels of analysis, evaluation, and creation. Faculty teaching sequential courses may wish to work together to write outcomes that show the progression of students as they move through the course sequence.
| Level and Description | Sample Verbs |
|---|---|
Memory- Retrieving and remembering facts
| Define, Identify, Label, Match, Recall, State |
Comprehension- Building meaning through interpreting, organizing, summarizing, reasoning, and explaining
| Compare, Compute, Describe, Discuss, Distinguish, Observe, Summarize |
| Application- Executing or implementing a procedure or activity | Apply, Calculate, Demonstrate, Derive, Graph, Plot, Sequence, Sketch, Solve, Translate, Use |
| Analysis- Dividing ideas or content into parts and determining relationships within the same or greater a structure or purpose | Analyze, Correlate, Deconstruct, Dissect, Document, Group, Investigate, Optimize, Order, Organize, Prioritize, Relate |
| Evaluation- Drawing conclusions and making judgements based on criteria and standards | Appraise, Assess, Conclude, Conduct, Determine, Explain, Interpret, Justify, Measure, Predict, Rate, Recommend, Verify, Reflect |
| Creation- Combining or reorganizing ideas and content to construct a new entity | Abstract, Advance, Assemble, Categorize, Code, Compose, Construct, Design, Develop, Revise, Synthesize |
8. MLOs should help your students achieve the CLOs. In general, the verbs selected for MLOs should be lower level than or equal to the verb selected for the CLO. For example:
Overarching Course Learning Outcome (CLO)
- Design (creation) a process to separate a mixture of known chemicals.
Supporting Module Learning Objective (MLO)
- Demonstrate (application) the process of recrystallization.
- Develop (creation) a process to separate a mixture of organic acids, organic bases, and neutral organic compounds.
- Summarize (comprehension) the physical and chemical properties of various organic and inorganic compounds.
Special Considerations for Writing CLOs Aligned with the General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs)
Courses that are designated as General Education must have CLOs that align with at least two of the seven general education learning outcomes (GELOs), among other requirements. CLOs should be written to demonstrate that alignment. Please keep in mind that it is the CLO, not the GELO, that should be assessed. The GELOs are listed here with examples of aligned CLOs :
| General Education Learning Outcome (GELO) | Example Aligned Course Learning Outcome(s) (CLO) |
|---|---|
1. Civic Engagement: Apply knowledge of social, political, or environmental conditions to demonstrate understanding of community responsibility.
| Explain the implications of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism for living in the contemporary global world.
|
2. Communication: Demonstrate effective communication through listening, speaking, reading, or writing using relevant sources and research strategies.
| Construct a critical interpretation of a text for an audience, either written or presented, using relevant sources. Demonstrate communication competence in gender relationships.
|
3. Critical Thinking: Gather and synthesize relevant information, evaluate alternative perspectives, or understand inquiry as a means of creating knowledge.
| Analyze the interrelatedness of film to other arts such as literature, philosophy, religion, the performing arts, and the visual arts. Evaluate information to identify limitations and biases. Identify appropriate sociological research methods and research questions to study specific social problems. Demonstrate competency using sociological perspectives, theories, concepts, and research to frame and interpret various social problems. |
| 4. Cultural Competence: Understand diverse interpersonal and cultural perspectives through analysis of scholarly or creative works | Analyze social problems at the local, regional, national, and global levels. Articulate how a Cultural Ecology theoretical perspective guides the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data used to investigate the relationship between native cultural forms and the environment. |
5. Information Literacy: Discover, ethically apply, or disseminate scholarly information.
| Apply information literacy skills in a research-based writing project. Identify ethical dilemmas associated with environmental, social, or cultural issues.
|
| 6. Intellectual Curiosity: Seek and apply knowledge through discovery, experimentation, or research to advance academic, personal, and career growth. | Determine the rates of chemical reactions and the factors that affect those rates in the laboratory.
|
7. Problem-Solving: Apply theory, calculation, or experimentation to demonstrate effective problem-solving.
| Apply exponential and logarithmic functions to growth, decay and compound interest problems. Contrast abnormal anatomical and physiological conditions to normal states. |