Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) occur at three levels.
- CSLOs (Course Student Learning Outcomes) - describe the knowledge and skills students develop by the end of a course
- PSLOs (Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes) - describe the knowledge and skills students develop by the end of a degree or certification program
- ISLOs (Institutional Student Learning Outcomes) - describe knowledge, skill, abilities, and attitudes that students develop from all aspects of their college experience including courses, programs, departments, and services
Why are Student Learning Outcomes important?
- SLOs communicate what students will get out of the course, programs, and degrees.
- SLOs provide a way for faculty to communicate to students, employers, etc. what faculty intended for students to learn from a course they take, program or degree they complete.
- SLOs are a guide for:
- planning or redesigning a course.
- the instructor what students will need to demonstrate that they have mastered the outcomes
- selecting course instructional activities
- planning/assessment tool for program/departments
- planning institutional assessment and accreditation
“The most important outcome of education is to help students become independent of formal education”
-Paul Gray