This document provides guidance on designing pedagogical experiments and courses with a focus on student learning outcomes. It emphasizes that instructors should begin with the end in mind by clarifying learning goals and desired results, not just activities. Learning outcomes should describe concrete skills and knowledge students will demonstrate after instruction. The document provides examples of different types of learning outcomes and guides the reader in writing their own outcomes. It also discusses using backward design to map outcomes, assessments, and lessons. Finally, it recommends project planning, including breaking work into stages, timelines, and identifying needed resources. The overall message is that focusing on learning outcomes leads to more purposeful and effective course and project design.

1. Toolkit 1: Designing
Pedagogical Experiments
with the ends in mind
“Good design is not so much about gaining a few new technical skills as it
is about learning to be more thoughtful and specific about our purposes
and what they imply.” -- Wiggins and McTighe, Understanding by Design
Julie Sievers, Center for Teaching Excellence

2. Learning Outcomes
as Touchstones
• Make purposeful decisions as you
design your course
• Focus your own efforts
• Help students learn – by clarifying
the “why do we have to do this?”
question
• Assessment: Did you accomplish
your goal?
• Collaborate with colleagues:
clarify shared goals
“If you don’t know
exactly where you are
headed, then any road
will get you there.”
We are quick to say:
• what things we like to
teach,
• what activities we will
do, and
• what resources we will
use;
… but without clarifying
the desired results of our
teaching, how will we ever
know whether our designs
are appropriate or
arbitrary?” - Wiggins & McTighe

3. What are
Student
Learning
Outcomes?
What is a goal?
• a destination rather than
the path taken to get there
• the end rather than the
means
• the outcome rather than
the process
What is a learning goal?
The knowledge, skills, attitudes,
and habits of mind
. . . that students take from a
learning experience

4. A focus on what students can do
What is a behavioral
goal?
• Focus on what students
(not professors) will know
& do
• Describe what students can
know/ do after course or
graduation
• use concrete action words
3 categories:
•Knowledge
•Skills
•Attitudes

5. SLOs: Knowledge & Understanding
What students should
be able to do:
• Remember
• Replicate a simple
procedure
• Define, summarize,
or explain concepts
or phenomena
For example:
“Summarize the
distinctive
characteristics of a
particular novelist.”
“Explain how to access
the web from
computers in campus
labs.”

6. SLOs: Thinking Skills & Other Skills
What students
should be able to
do:
• Thinking skills
but also, perhaps…
• Performance
skills
• Interpersonal
skills

7. Old vs. new versions of Bloom’s taxonomy
Learn more about the revision of the original (1956) taxonomy into the revised (2001)
version.

8. SLOs: Attitudes & Values
What students should
be able to do:
• Become aware of
their own values,
attitudes, and
opinions - and how
they evolved
• Develop integrity
and character
• Enjoy, value
learning
For example:
“Appreciate the
perspective of people
from backgrounds
different from one’s
own.”
“Choose ethical
courses of action.”

9. Write Your Own Goals
Draft 5 goals for your
project or course.
1. Brainstorm / sketch
2. Review your syllabi /
project description
3. Revise / refine
Time: 15 minutes
Need to read
more?
• Suskie pgs 82-86
provides more
detail.
Want other
taxonomy ideas?
• See UCD Dublin
guide.

10. Peer Review
Peer pairs
• Richard & Chris
• Mary & Jason
• Kate & Jimmy
• Rachael & Alex
• Yuliya & Gary
Peer review process
• 10 min per person
• Share each SLO & your
rationale for it.
• Ask peer any questions
you have
Reviewer’s job:
• Push peer towards
greater specificity and
focus on action words
• Use Nilson rubric to
evaluate

11. Design Matters
“Teachers are designers. An
essential act of our profession is
the crafting of curriculum and
learning experiences to meet
specified purposes. We are also
designers of assessments to
diagnose student needs to guide
our teaching and to enable us, our
students, and others [ . . .] to
determine whether we have
achieved our goals.”

14. Linda Nilson, Teaching At
Its Best, 2010
Outcomes-Based Design
recognizes
developmental
steps required to
progress towards
complex goals

16. Backward Design
• It’s hard to achieve a goal you haven’t defined
• Design decision should always come down to
goals / outcomes
• Think developmentally
• Think practically: where will I see it? How will I
know? What’s the evidence?
• Clarity about goals / purposes helps motivate
and unify students and faculty

17. Project Management &
Planning
• Goal 1: Use backward design process to break
down course / project into
– ultimate outcomes & student work
– Mediating outcomes & student work
– Foundational outcomes & student work
• Goal 2: Break down your own project work into
stages.
– Identify tasks
– Identify resources needed (including colleagues,
support staff)
– Map tasks / resource acquisition against a timeline

18. Project Planning
1. (Optional) Break down course / project into stages:
– Ultimate outcomes & student work
– Mediating outcomes & student work
– Foundational outcomes & student work
2. Identify major components of project work and sequence.
1. Identify needed resources (including consults w/ colleagues / staff)
2. Articulate questions that remain that you don't yet know how to
answer or solve.
1. Develop a Timeline: Map project work against calendar. Note
interactions with other obligations.
– Due dates for each major component
– Weekly work plan if you need to structure your progress
1. Reflect: What about your project plan seems most ambitious or
challenging? Where do you anticipate problems? What do you see as
the components for which you are most prepared already?