Course Outcomes state what a student, on successfully completing the course and earning a pass grade and the credit can perform/do/demonstrate with what he/she has learnt in the course. These are also referred as Learning Outcomes or Student Outcomes though NBA uses the term Course Outcomes (COs). Note that the emphasis is on using/applying the knowledge imparted/acquired by a successful student in the course.

1. Writing Measurable Student Learning/Course
Outcomes
Dr. MD. ISRAR EQUBAL
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
MECH. ENGG. SECTION, UNIV. POLY.
AMU, ALIGARH

2. What is an OUTCOME?
Course Outcomes state what a student, on successfully completing the course and earning
a pass grade and the credit can perform/do/demonstrate with what he/she has learnt in
the course. These are also referred as Learning Outcomes or Student Outcomes though
NBA uses the term Course Outcomes (COs). Note that the emphasis is on using/applying
the knowledge imparted/acquired by a successful student in the course.
4
There are 3 types of Course Learning Outcomes:
(1) Cognitive Outcomes: “What will students completing this course know?”
(2) Behavioral Outcomes: “What will students completing this course be able to do?”
(3) Affective Outcomes: “What will students completing this course care about or think?”

3. Definitions
Student Learning/Course
Outcomes describe student
learning – what students will
know and be able to do as a
result of completing a program
Program Goals do not describe
student learning – instead, they
describe programmatic
elements, such as admission
criteria, acceptance and
graduation rates, etc

4. definitions
Outputs describe and count
what we do and whom we
reach, and represent products
or services we produce.
Processes deliver outputs; what
is produced at the end of a
process is an output.
An outcome is a level of
performance or achievement. It
may be associated with a
process or its output. Outcomes
imply measurement -
quantification - of performance.

5. Program Outcomes (POs) and Program-Specific Outcomes (PSOs)
Program Outcomes (POs):
POs are statements that describe what students are expected to know and be able
to do upon graduating from the program. These relate to the skills, knowledge,
analytical ability attitude and behavior that students acquire through the program.
The POs essentially indicate what the students can do from subject-wise knowledge
acquired by them during the program. As such, POs define the professional profile
of an engineering diploma graduate.

6. NBA has defined the following seven POs for an Engineering diploma graduate:
i) Basic and Discipline specific knowledge: Apply knowledge of basic mathematics, science and engineering
fundamentals and engineering specialization to solve the engineering problems.
ii) Problem analysis: Identify and analyse well-defined engineering problems using codified standard methods.
iii) Design/ development of solutions: Design solutions for well-defined technical problems and assist with the
design of systems components or processes to meet specified needs.
iv) Engineering Tools, Experimentation and Testing: Apply modern engineering tools and appropriate technique
to conduct standard tests and measurements.
v) Engineering practices for society, sustainability and environment: Apply appropriate technology in context of
society, sustainability, environment and ethical practices.
vi) Project Management: Use engineering management principles individually, as a team member or a leader to
manage projects and effectively communicate about well-defined engineering activities.
vii) Life-long learning: Ability to analyse individual needs and engage in updating in the context of technological
changes.

7. Program Specific Outcomes (PSOs):
PSOs are a statement that describes what students are expected to know and be able to
do in a specialized area of discipline upon graduation from a program. Program may
specify 2-4 program specific outcomes, if required. These are the statements, which are
specific to the particular 11 program. They are beyond POs. Program Curriculum and other
activities during the program must help in the achievement of PSOs along with POs.
Ability to identify, analyze and solve problems in thermal, design, automotive and
manufacturing domains of mechanical engineering.
Students acquire technical and managerial skill that make them employable and able to
pursue higher studies to improve and extend their technical and professional skills.

8. Assessment of attainment of Outcomes
• Stating the Program outcomes expresses what our learners (students)
will be equipped for when they successfully complete and fulfil the
requirements of the Program (award of the degree)
• In OBE, all outcomes have to measurable ( that is, quantified) and
measured (calculated) to understand how well the program is serving
our students and also to identify improvements to act upon – e.g.
changes to courses, curriculum revision, teaching-learning-evaluation
• Program outcomes are measured each academic year for the
graduating batch.
• POs are realized by curriculum, teaching/learning and assessment
(performance of students) – co-curricular and extra-curricular
components may also be included.

9. Assessing attainment of POs
As POs are realized through curriculum implementation, we need to
first look at the courses of the curriculum and the Outcomes of each
course (COs).
From the attainment of COs for all the courses of a Program, we can
calculate the attainment of POs
Thus, the attainment-of-outcome calculation is bottom-up –first COs
and from that the POs
Note, however, that curriculum design will be top-down – from POs to
curriculum – to COs/courses
First, we look at the NBA criteria/score for a overall picture and then,
proceed with COs and assessment of attainment of COs

10. Course Outcomes - COs
COs are also known as Learning Outcomes (for instance in ABET) Given a curriculum, we
design and detail courses in terms of syllabus description, pre-requisites, credits (L-T-P-C) text
book(s), reference book(s), QuestionBank.
Implementing a coursecomprises:
• TEACHING, LEARNING and ASSESSMENT (QUIZ, Assignment, Exams..)
• CONSTRUCTIVE ALLIGNMENT OF T,L and A
• ASSESSMENT DRIVEN BYLEARNING-OUTCOMES
• ASSESSMENT DRIVES TEACHING ANDLEARNING
• ASSESSEMENT IS WHAT STUDENTS FOCUSON
• COs are central to OBE

11. CO-PO mapping (connecting COs with POs)
• The mapping is a matrix with rows as COs and columns as POs
Each element/cell of the matrix has a value in {--, 1, 2, 3}
The meaning associated with the values are as follows:
-- this CO (row) has nil/very small/insignificant contribution to
the PO(column)
1  relevant and small significance 2  medium or m
o
d
e
r
a
t
e
and 3  strong
These values have to be justified in the T-L-A of the course, particularly
in terms of the BLOOM Level of the questions/Problems

12. An Example CO-PO mapping (contd ..)
CO1
PO1
2
PO2
2
PO3 PO4
CO2 3
CO3 2 2
CO4 3 2
CO5 3
CO6 2
CO7 3 3

13. Writing COs
Connects to learning required to answer questions to establish COs
Bloom’s taxonomy is a powerful tool to help develop Course outcomes because it
explains the process of learning:
Before you can understand a concept, you must remember it.
To apply a concept you must first understand it.
In order to evaluate a process, you must have analyzed it.
To create an accurate conclusion, you must have completed a thorough evaluation.
• Bloom's Taxonomy is well recognized and widely used in education in T-L-A that
attempts to move students beyond memorization in terms of Higher-Order Thinking Skills
(HOTS).

14. The levels are:
1. Knowledge/remembering (recall)
2. Comprehension/understanding.
3. Application/applying.
4. Analysis/analyzing.
5. Evaluation/evaluating.
6. Synthesis/creating.
Attaining POs requires reaching level 6 in assessment in the Curriculum

16. Revised Bloom’s taxonomy in the cognitive domain includes thinking, knowledge, and application of
knowledge. It is a popular framework in engineering education to structure the assessment as it
characterizes complexity and higher-order abilities. It identifies six levels of competencies within the
cognitive domain (Fig. 2) which are appropriate for the purposes of engineering educators.
According to revised Bloom’s taxonomy, the levels in the cognitive domain are as follows:
Level Descriptor Level of attainment
1 Remembering Recalling from the memory of the previously learned material
2 Understanding Explaining ideas or concepts
3 Applying Using the information in another familiar situation
4 Analysing Breaking information into the part to explore understandings and relationships
5 Evaluating Justifying a decision or course of action
6 Creating Generating new ideas, products or new ways of viewing things
Examination Reform Policy
41

17. Bloom’s taxonomy is hierarchical, meaning that learning at the higher level requires that skills at a lower level
are attained.

18. Level Skill Demonstrated Question cues / Verbs for tests
1. Remember ● Ability to recall of information like facts, conventions, definitions,
jargon, technical terms, classifications, categories, and criteria
● ability to recall methodology and procedures, abstractions,
principles, and theories in the field
● knowledge of dates, events, places
● mastery of subject matter
list, define, tell, describe, recite, recall,
identify, show, label, tabulate, quote, name,
who, when, where
Examination Reform Policy 43
2. Action Verbs for Assessment
Choice of action verbs in constructing assessment questions is important to consider. Quite often, the action verbs are indicators of the
complexity (level) of the question. Over time, educators have come up with a taxonomy of measurable verbs corresponding to each of the
Bloom’s cognitive levels [8].
These verbs help us not only to describe and classify observable knowledge, skills and abilities but also to frame the examination or
assignment questions that are appropriate to the level we are trying to assess.
Suggestive list of skills/ competencies to be demonstrated at each of the Bloom’s level and corresponding cues/ verbs for the examination/
test questions is given below:

19. Level Skill Demonstrated Question cues / Verbs for tests
2. Understand ● understanding information
● grasp meaning
● translate knowledge into new context
● interpret facts, compare, contrast
● order, group, infer causes
● predict consequences
describe, explain, paraphrase, restate,
associate, contrast, summarize, differentiate
interpret, discuss
3. Apply ● use information
● use methods, concepts, laws, theories in new
● situations
● solve problems using required skills or knowledge
● Demonstrating correct usage of a method or procedure
calculate, predict, apply, solve, illustrate, use,
demonstrate, determine, model, experiment,
show, examine, modify
4. Analyse ● break down a complex problem into parts
● Identify the relationships and interaction between the
● different parts of a complex problem
● identify the missing information, sometimes the redundant
information and the contradictory information, if any
classify, outline, break down, categorize,
analyze, diagram, illustrate, infer, select
Examination Reform Policy 44

20. Level Skill Demonstrated Question cues / Verbs for tests
5. Evaluate ● compare and discriminate between ideas
● assess value of theories, presentations
● make choices based on reasoned argument
● verify value of evidence
● recognize subjectivity
● use of definite criteria for judgments
assess, decide, choose, rank, grade,
test, measure, defend, recommend,
convince, select, judge, support,
conclude, argue, justify, compare,
summarize, evaluate
6. Create ● use old ideas to create new ones
● Combine parts to make (new) whole,
● generalize from given facts
● relate knowledge from several areas
● predict, draw conclusions
design, formulate, build, invent, create,
compose, generate, derive, modify,
develop, integrate
Examination Reform Policy 45
It may be noted that some of the verbs in the above table are associated with multiple Bloom’s Taxonomy levels. These
verbs are actions that could apply to different activities. We need to keep in mind that it’s the skill, action or activity we need
students to demonstrate that will determine the contextual meaning of the verb used in the assessment question.

21. 3. Assessment Planning
While using Bloom’s taxonomy framework in planning and designing of assessment of student learning, following points need to
be considered:
1. Normally the first three learning levels; remembering, understanding and applying and to some extent fourth level analysing are
assessed in the Continuous Internal Evaluation (CIE) and Semester End Examinations (SEE), where students are given a limited amount of
time. And abilities; analysis, evaluation and creation can be assessed in extended course works or in a variety of student works like course projects,
mini/ minor projects, internship experience and final year projects.
Fig. 3: Assessment methods for different Bloom’s cognitive levels
Examination Reform Policy 46

22. An Example of Course Outcomes COs
• Course Title: Heat & MassTransfer
• Course Outcomes
1 Solve practical engineering problems using basic concepts of heat and mass transfer.
2 Evaluate steady and unsteady performance for insulation, fin and thermocouple.
3 Analyze laminar and turbulent boundary layer flow on internal and external regions.
4. Design shell and tube type heat exchangers for convective heat transfer applications.
5 Analyze phase change heat transfer processes applied to process-heat applications
6 Determine radiation heat transfer rates in engineering problems.
7 Perform design calculations of thermal equipment and prepare technical report

24. COURSE TITLE: STRENGTH OF MATERIALS
COURSE OUTCOMES (CO’S):
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
CO1: Analyze the behaviour of the solid bodies subjected to various types of loading; Calculate the stress and strain
developed in any structural member due to applied external load.
CO2: Differentiate the type of beams and the various loading and support condition upon them. Draw shear force
diagram and bending moment diagram for different type of beams under different loading condition..
CO3: Derive the pure bending equation, and on its basis explain the existence of normal stresses and shear stresses in
the different layers of the beam. Explain the importance of and evaluate the section modulus for various beam cross-
sections. Calculate the normal and tangential stresses on an inclined section of a bar under uniaxial, biaxial, pure
shear and plain stress conditions.
CO4: Evaluate the principal stress and principal strain at a point of a stressed member and draw the Mohr’s circle of
stresses. Predict failure of a material using various theories of failure, and their relative applications.
CO5: Calculate the slope and deflection in beams by using methods like Double integration, Macaulay method,
Moment-area method, Conjugate beam, etc.

25. Model Question Papers
Course Name: Manufacturing Processes
Course Outcomes
CO1. Classify manufacturing processes & enumerate the process steps involved in a sand casting
process and their applications.
CO2. Recommend a suitable moulding /casting method (sand/special) & a melting furnace to cast
given auto components.
CO3. Enumerate cleaning/fettling operations and discuss various types of casting defects,
possible causes for their occurrence, detection methods and suggest remedies.
CO4. Suggest a suitable welding process (arc welding, ultrasonic welding, electron beam welding,
laser beam welding etc) for a given precision welding job.
CO5. Illustrate the fundamental principles of metal cutting processes and specify suitable
machine tools (traditional/CNC) and develop process plan/part programming for producing given
component.
CO6. Recommend a suitable forming process for a given component.
CO7. Recommend a suitable non- traditional/micro-machining/high speed machining method for
a stated application.

26. Q.No Questions Marks CO BL
1a Manufacturing processes are classified as,
i) Processing operations and
ii) Assembly operations
Mention sub-classifications under these two categories with suitable examples.
6 CO1 L2
1b A broken railway track needs welding on-site. Recommend a suitable process & outline its
working principle.
6 CO4 L3
1c Differentiate between Brazing, Soldering and Welding with the following aspects,
i) Temperature
ii) Type of material to be joined
iii) Surface finish and
iv) Strength
8 CO4 L2
2a Discuss the criteria for selection of manufacturing processes. 6 CO1 L2
2b A precision foundry needs to produce IC engine pistons. Suggest suitable process and explain the
procedure with neat sketch.
6 CO2 L3
2c Explain the post processes of casting, fettling-cleaning and finishing of castings. 8 CO3 L2
3a Enumerate the steps involved in sand casting. 6 CO2 L2
Model Question Paper
Total Duration (H:M):3:00
Course: Manufacturing Processes
Maximum Marks: 100

27. Q.No Questions Marks CO BL
3b A pattern shop has received order to make a wooden pattern for making sand castings. Discuss various pattern
allowances to be considered by him to produce the required pattern. 6 CO2 L3
3c With neat sketch, discuss the working principle of investment casting process and list the advantages &
limitations of it.
8 CO2 L2
4a Draw Merchant’s force diagram. State the assumptions made in the development of such a diagram. 6 CO5 L2
4b Interpret the program syntax. N10 G28 U0 W0;
N20 T0101;
N30 G00 X35 Z2;
N40 G00 X30 M03 S1500; N50 G01 Z64 M08 F0.1;
6 CO5 L3
4c A drilling operation is performed on a steel part using a 10mm diameter twist drill with point angle 1180. The
hole is blind hole with depth of 60mm. Cutting speed=15m/min and feed =0.20mm/rev. Determine,
i)Cutting time of the operation
ii)Material removal rate
8 CO5 L3
5a Considering the suitable example, explain open and closed loop control system. 6 CO5 L2
5b Enumerate the advantages and disadvantages of CNC machines. 6 CO5 L2
5c In orthogonal cutting operation on a material with the shear yield strength of 250N/mm², the following data is
observed.
Rake angle= 200; Uncut chip thickness= 0.3mm Width of chip= 1.5mm; Chip thickness ratio= 0.4 Friction angle=
400 Determine,
i)The shear angle ii)The cutting force component iii) The resultant force on the tool
8 CO5 L3
6a When do you recommend the climb milling and up milling? Explain the same with diagram. 6 CO5 L3
6b A typical tool signature of single point cutting tool is 0-7-6-8-15-16-0.8. Interpret this and show with neat
sketch of the tool.
6 CO5 L2

28. Q.No Questions Marks CO BL
6c A peripheral milling operation is performed on the top surface of a rectangular work part which is
200mm long and 40mm wide. The milling cutter, which is 90mm in diameter and has 13 teeth,
overhangs the width of the part on both sides.
Cutting speed = 70m/min, chip load = 0.2mm/tooth depth of cut = 6mm
Determine:
i)The actual machining time to make one pass
ii)The material removal rate.
8 CO5 L3
7a Differentiate between bulk deformation & sheet metal working. 6 CO6 L2
7b Explain the advantages of thread rolling over thread cutting (machining). 6 CO6 L2
7c Determine the minimum force capacity press to perform the blanking operation on 1.5mm thick mild
steel sheet with shear strength of 360N/mm². The blanking profile is rectangle with 50×100mm
dimensions. Also find the total force required if there were two 13mm diameter holes to be pierced
simultaneously in the previous station along with blanking.
8 CO6 L3
8a Explain in what cases do you prefer non-traditional machining process suitable. 6 CO7 L3
8b Explain electric discharge machining process principle with neat sketch and state its applications. 6 CO7 L2
8c Additive manufacturing is the key component for the “future of manufacturing”. Explain your
understanding of the statement and outline two process that are in use today. 8 CO7 L3
BL – Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels (1- Remembering, 2- Understanding, 3 – Applying, 4 – Analysing,
5 –Evaluating, 6 - Creating) CO – Course Outcomes
PO – Program Outcomes