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Intended learning outcomes

A well-written intended learning outcome is a single, specific, measurable description of what the learner will be taught and is intended to master. The learner can only be measured if they can demonstrate evidence of their knowledge or skill. One learning experience can be composed of one or more outcomes. Intended learning outcomes can also be nested into terminal learning outcomes and one or more enabling learning outcomes which are sub-skills that support each terminal intended learning outcome. 

When writing learning outcomes, it is useful to draw on Bloom's taxonomy. Bloom's Cognitive Taxonomy Links to an external site. is probably the best known and most used and is organised into six levels of cognitive skills from simple to complex. It provides a method for teachers and learning designers to plan, organize and scale the complexity of the content in a way that supports learners' achievement.

A rainbow-colored pyramid equally segmented into 6 sections ordering the levels of human cognitive processing from highest to lowest. The highest, first tip is “Create: Produce new or original work; Design, assemble, construct, conjecture, develop, formulate, author, investigate.” Second is “Evaluate: Justifying a stand or decision; Appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, critique, weigh.” Third is "Analyze: Draw connections among ideas; Differentiate, organize, relate, compare, contrast, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test.” Fourth is “Apply: Use information in new situations; Execute, implement, solve, use, demonstrate, interpret, operate, schedule, sketch.” Fifth is “Understand: Explain ideas or concepts; Classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify, locate, recognize, report, select, translate.” And sixth, forming the bottom or base of the pyramid and representing the lowest order, is “Remember: Recall facts and basic concepts; Define, duplicate, list, memorize, repeat, state.”

Source: Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s Taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved 14 September 2022 from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy Links to an external site..

Bloom's Taxonomy has since been revised to include create at the top of the hierarchy as the most complex cognitive skill.  The taxonomy is often associated with a list of verbs which can assist us in writing learning objectives that are pedagogically sound and ensure that our students graduate from our courses with an ability not only to recall facts and content but to apply their new found knowledge to a variety of authentic contexts, particularly as graduates in their chosen profession. 

This table was created specifically for the online context. CD intro Poutama figure...

Bloom's revised taxonomy - Poutama version

Source: Smith, G. (2020). Supercharge your teaching with Bloom's taxonomy - the Poutama version. Retrieved 14 September 2022 from https://thisisgraeme.me/2012/10/29/blooms-taxonomy-poutama-version/ Links to an external site. 

You can also download a print-friendly version of Bloom's revised taxonomy - Poutama version here Links to an external site.. 

One can debate the verbs listed here, but they are a good place to start the shift to thinking about the learning affordances available in online environments.

Quick guide to writing learning outcomes

This is a quick guide to writing intended learning outcomes Links to an external site. from the University of Tasmania (Sharing Learning Resources Project)

​ Further resources:

Bloom, B. S. and Krathwohl, D. R. (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive Domain.New York: Longmans. (Available in our library GENERAL LIBRARY Main Collection 370.1 T23)