Course Design: Aligning Student Learning Outcomes and Assessments

COURSE DESIGN: ALIGNING STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENTS

You don’t need to be an instructional designer to design an effective course. An important part of course design is to make sure that the student learning outcomes and assessments are aligned with each other. On this page, we will explain the basics of alignment and share tips on how to do this alignment so it isn’t overwhelming for you and will lead to a more rewarding teaching experience for you and a more meaningful learning experience for your students.

On this page, we will cover:

  1. Introduction to Aligning Student Learning Outcomes with Assessments
  2. Reflect on Course Context
  3. Identify Student Learning Outcomes
  4. Decide on Assessments
  5. Planning Document
  6. Additional Resources
  7. References

 

Introduction to Aligning Student Learning Outcomes with Assessments

What does it mean to align outcomes with assessments?

Since universities may define student learning outcomes differently, let’s start with how CSUN approaches student learning outcomes. At CSUN, learning outcomes identify what the learner will know and be able to do by the end of a course or program (California State University, Northridge, n.d.a). 

Assessments are designed to help you and your students determine if students have made progress toward achieving the student learning outcomes. For an assessment to be an effective method for determining a student’s progress, it should be aligned with the outcome it is designed to measure. Learning outcomes and assessments are considered to be aligned when assessments are intentionally selected and designed to determine how well students have learned what is described in specific learning outcomes (Carnegie Mellon University, n.d.). In order to have close alignment between outcomes and assessments, it is helpful to be very specific in the learning outcomes and then to think carefully about how students can demonstrate how well they have met those outcomes. 

For example, one of the program learning outcomes for a student majoring in psychology at CSUN is to demonstrate effective writing for different purposes (California State University, Northridge, n.d.b). Since this outcome specifies that students should be able to demonstrate their writing abilities, a multiple choice test as an assessment would not be closely aligned with the outcome. Adding short answer questions to an exam would be more closely aligned to the outcome, but still only provides an opportunity to demonstrate writing skills for one purpose. To determine how well students have learned how to effectively write for different purposes, the assessment would need to include several writing assignments that focus on different purposes. 

Why should learning outcomes and assessments be aligned? 

If outcomes and assessments aren’t aligned, it can lead to frustration for instructors and students, which can lead to everyone losing the motivation to continue to actively engage in the course (Carnegie Mellon University, n.d.). For example, if an outcome is focused on demonstrating a skill, but the assessment is focused on recalling information through a multiple choice test, the instructor won’t be able to determine if a student has developed the skill. Additionally, the student may feel frustrated that they aren’t able to track their own progress in the skills that they have been developing in the course. 

How do you align outcomes and assessments? 

To align outcomes with assessments, it is helpful to use discrete steps through an intentional process. This process starts by deciding specifically what you want students to learn and then determining the type of evidence that will show you if they have learned it (Artze-Vega et al., 2023; Fink, 2003). You don’t need to start from scratch when it comes to outcomes and assessments. Your department has approved outcomes for each course, and there are resources to help you consider the types of assessments that align with types of outcomes, such as this website Links to an external site. from Carnegie Mellon University. This Toolkit page and this planning document Links to an external site. will guide you through the steps of aligning your learning outcomes with your assessments.

 

Reflect on Course Context

Before deciding on student learning outcomes and assessments, it is helpful to reflect on the context of your course (Artze-Vega et al., 2023; Fink, 2003). This reflection can also be useful if you are using a colleague’s syllabus as inspiration for your course so that you can determine how your context is different and how those differences may lead to the need for different outcomes and/or assessments. 

Consider the following topics as you reflect on your course (Artze-Vega et al., 2023; Fink, 2003). 

  • Course logistics
    • How many students are in the course?
  • Expectations of external groups
    • Is this a prerequisite for another course? What do students need to learn in this course to be prepared for the next course?
  • Characteristics of the learners
    • What do you know about the students’ prior knowledge and experiences?
  • Characteristics of the instructor
    • What expertise do you have that can impact the course?
  • Current issues in communities or society that relate to the course
    • How does the course content relate to current events that are relevant to your students?

 

Identify Student Learning Outcomes

Student learning outcomes will answer this question: What knowledge, skills, attitudes, and/or aspirations would you like students to gain by participating in your course? 

Each department has its own program learning outcomes, which are found on the CSUN website, and each course meets one or more of the department’s program outcomes. Ask your department chair for the course-level learning outcomes for the courses you teach. Faculty are welcome to include their own outcomes in addition to the required departmental outcomes, and we encourage you to look into future FacDev programming for help with writing measurable learning outcomes.

The learning outcomes that are approved by your department and any that you create will describe what students will learn in your class. Well-designed learning outcomes can lead to significant learning.  According to Fink (2003), there are six types of significant learning, and a well-designed course aims to achieve all six of them.  To learn about Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning, visit the Syllabus Teaching Toolkit page.

If you decide to create your own student learning outcomes for your course, these resources can be used to help you craft specific learning outcomes that address the different dimensions of learning. 

 

Decide on Assessments

The assessments you use in your course will help you answer this question: How will you and your students know if they have made progress toward gaining the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and/or aspirations you would like them to gain through your course?

Depending on your department and the courses you teach, you may have some predetermined assessments that you must use in your course or you may have complete freedom to determine all of your course’s assessments. As you consider your options for assessments, think about how you and your students will determine the progress they are making toward achieving the learning outcomes you have for your course. This website Links to an external site. from Carnegie Mellon University provides guidance on options for assessments based on types of learning outcomes. Things to consider when deciding on assessments include the following (Artze-Vega et al., 2023; Fink, 2003).

  • Does the assessment give students an opportunity to demonstrate progress toward achieving the specific learning outcome it is designed to measure?
  • Is the assessment authentic to the subject of the course and how it is applied in the real world?
  • Does the assessment allow students to make choices so that it is relevant to their life?
  • Does it connect with students’ interests and strengths?
  • Does it utilize technology to increase relevance?
  • Have you created clear and appropriate criteria and standards and shared them with students?
  • Is there an opportunity for self-assessment?
  • Are there low stakes, frequent opportunities for students to show progress and assess learning that is happening?

 

Planning Document

This planning document Links to an external site. can be useful as you create or review a syllabus to ensure that student learning outcomes are aligned with assessments. It will guide you through the steps of reflecting on your course context, identifying the student learning outcomes for your course, and deciding on assessments that are aligned with the outcomes. The document is a Google Doc. When you open it, you will be prompted to create a copy to save in your Google Drive. 

Note: The first step to use this planning document is to have access to a Google account. This will be your username and password used to log in to applications like Google Docs, Gmail, and YouTube. If you do not have one yet, you can sign up for a Google Account for free Links to an external site.. Make sure you are logged in to your account when you access the planning document for the first time or you will not be able to make a copy of it. Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms are compatible with many operating systems and browsers. However, for best results, we recommend using Google Chrome Links to an external site..

 

Additional Resources

 

References

Artze-Vega, I., Darby, F., Dewsbury, B., & Imad, M. (2023). The Norton guide to equity-minded teaching. Links to an external site. W.W. Norton and Company. 

California State University, Northridge. (n.d.a). Program learning outcomes.  

California State University, Northridge. (n.d.b). Programs: Psychology.

Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d.). Why should assessments, learning objectives, and instructional strategies be aligned? Links to an external site. 

Fink, L. Dee. (2003). Creating significant learning experiences. Jossey-Bass.