The next step in our framework is to write learning outcomes. Course level outcomes, supporting outcomes, and sequencing outcomes will be discussed. As always, formative evaluation will be conducted to help you thoroughly think through your design decisions.

Chapter Learning Outcome: I can create learning outcomes that define expectations for learner achievement in my blended course. 

Sub-section outcomes:

• I can articulate one or two broad goals for learner achievement in my blended course. These are course-level outcomes. (Section 3.1)
• I can write unit, chapter, and/or lesson-level outcomes for my blended course. (Section 3.2)
• I can sequence the outcomes in a logical order to support student learning. (Section 3.3)

3.0 Introduction

This chapter will introduce you to learning outcomes as the foundation of blended course design. By incorporating learning outcomes into course design, educators can create a purposeful and coherent learning experience that supports learner success. Ideally, the learning outcomes should significantly influence course design as they:

• define the objectives of the course, outlining the specific knowledge, skills, or competencies that learners are expected to acquire. 
• guide the selection and sequencing of course content, ensuring that what is taught directly contributes to the intended learning goals. 
• inform the choice of instructional strategies and methods, helping educators determine the most effective approaches to facilitate student learning and engagement. 
• provide a framework for comprehensive evaluation of learner achievement, playing a crucial role in designing assessments that align with the desired outcomes (see Chapter 4).

Pay attention to the creation and organization of different outcome levels as you build a course structure that both meets your learning goals and guides your assessment plan. You will consider outcomes at three levels: the course level, the supporting level (units and lessons), and the activity level.

3.1 Course-Level Outcomes

​​Course-level outcomes refer to the broad and overarching learning goals that define what learners should achieve at the end of a course or program. These are the macro-level goals, the big picture, the overarching themes. To create those outcomes, consider the learners' prior knowledge and abilities as well as the core knowledge, skills, or competencies that learners are expected to acquire as a result of completing the course. 

Learning Outcome: I can identify one or two broad goals for learner achievement in my blended course, and write them as clear, concise course-level outcomes.

Assessment: Learning Outcome Map Part 1.

3.1.1 Learner Analysis

Any design process should begin with an understanding of the learners’ and their needs. In this section, you will learn about conducting a learner analysis, which will help you identify the broad goals to address in your course. Video 3-1 will introduce the topic of this section.

Video 3-1. Learner Analysis (4:41)

As you work through a learner analysis, consider the following:

• The main type of learner you will teach, i.e. the average learner. 
• The range of learners you will teach—including outliers such as the advanced learners or below-average learners.
• The learners' prior knowledge and experience.
• The learners' strengths, weaknesses, and interests.
• The knowledge and experience learners will need for future coursework or careers.
• The support systems learners will need to succeed in your course.

Starting with a clear idea about your learners will help you meet their needs appropriately in your course.

3.1.2 Course Goals 

Using the learner analysis as a foundation, begin identifying and defining the broad learning goals of the course that provide a high-level overview of what learners are expected to achieve. Ask yourself: "How do I get the learners from where they are at the beginning of the course to where they need to be at the end?" 

The number of course-level goals can vary depending on factors such as the scope and complexity of the course and institutional or program requirements. Since they provide a high-level view of the desired learning outcomes, they are stated in broad terms and the number chosen should be both comprehensive and manageable. A general recommendation is 4-7 course outcomes. See the guidelines provided by the University of Kansas and Northeastern University as examples. Table 3-1 shows an example of some broad course goals for a Psychology Research Methods course.

Table 3-1. Broad Course Goals for a Psychology Research Course

Notice that these goals are very general; they describe big-picture aims for the course. Each of these broad goals will eventually be chunked into smaller, achievable supporting outcomes, but for now, it is best to start with broad themes or categories that outline the main ideas of your course.

3.1.3 Using Bloom's Taxonomy to Articulate Learning Outcomes

Now that some course goals have been identified, they can be restated as formal learning outcomes. It is important that learning outcomes are well written because they serve as the primary reference point for designing the curriculum, assessments, and instructional strategies for the course. They need to be easy to understand and each should only describe a single outcome.

Each written outcome should have four parts: 

1. A verb that describes the action learners will perform. Many educators use verbs relating to the levels in Bloom's Taxonomy to identify the cognitive complexity of the tasks. Doing so helps align the outcomes, activities, and assessments in the course.
2. The subject or topic the learners will learn about.
3. Any necessary explanatory information that clarifies what the learners need to do, but without overcomplicating the focus on the outcome.
4. A label that identifies which cognitive domain is being addressed. The label is for intentional course development and is not usually included in your syllabus.

For example:

Learners will be able to + [verb]¹ + [subject]² + [explanatory information]³ + [cognitive domain]⁴.

Learners will be able to [analyze]¹ [data]² [using statistical software.]³ [Bloom's Level—Analyze.]⁴  

Figure 3-1 below shows a version of Bloom's Taxonomy and some commonly used verbs for each cognitive level.

Figure 3-1. Bloom's Taxonomy

Note: Learning outcomes should measure one competency at a time. Be careful not to stack a learning outcome with multiple goals. For example: "Collect and analyze data to write a report about its implications" is NOT a good learning outcome because it addresses three competencies. However, these three learning outcomes are appropriate:

• Collect data with a qualitative method, such as surveys or interviews.
• Analyze data using statistical software.
• Report on the predictive implications of collected data.

A singular focus will help ensure that the outcomes are clear, concise, and measurable. Table 3-2 shows an example of course-level outcomes for a Psychology Research Methods course.

Table 3-2. Course-Level Outcomes for a Psychology Research Course

Adapted from Jhangiani, et al., 2013, CC BY-NC-SA.

Notice how the course level outcomes above compare to the broad goals from Table 3-1. Each general idea has been written as a formal course-level outcome. These communicate the standards for learner achievement more precisely. In Chapter 2, we began the process of writing your syllabus. Course-level outcomes should be included in your syllabus. For example: 

Course Outcomes — By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Understand the fundamental principles and goals of scientific research in psychology. 
• Design a psychological research study. 
• Communicate research findings effectively in written reports following APA style guidelines. 

3.2 Supporting Outcomes

Each of the course-level outcomes is very broad. Remember they are macro-level concerns. A learner beginning your course might feel like the outcomes are unattainable. It is like asking them to eat a whole meal in one bite. Instead, each outcome needs to be chunked into manageable pieces that can be processed before taking on more. Video 3-2 explains and provides examples of how chunking works. Outcomes that are chunked into manageable pieces are called supporting outcomes. 

Supporting outcomes are specific learning outcomes that contribute to the achievement of the course outcomes. They break down the course-level outcomes into smaller, more focused components, often at the unit and lesson levels. Supporting outcomes provide more detailed expectations for what learners should achieve within a particular topic, theme, or skill area. They help guide the selection and organization of content, as well as the design of assessments and instructional activities within the course. Supporting outcomes provide a focused roadmap that helps educators and learners understand the specific milestones or learning objectives to be accomplished along the way. 

Learning Outcome: I can write unit, chapter, and/or lesson-level outcomes for my blended course.

Assessment: Learning Outcome Map Part 2 

Video 3-2. Chunking (3:32)

3.2.1 Unit Outcomes

Broad course-level outcomes need to be chunked into smaller learning units. A unit represents days or weeks of learning in your course. These are the supporting-level goals to facilitate the achievement of the course goals. Table 3-3 shows some examples of unit-level outcomes for the psychology research course.

Table 3-3. Course and Unit-Level Outcomes for a Psychology Research Course

Adapted from Jhangiani, et al., 2013, CC BY-NC-SA.

Notice that these unit-level outcomes are still too big to be easily processed without additional skills and practice. We need even smaller supporting chunks that will be lesson-level outcomes.

3.2.2 Lesson Outcomes

The unit-level outcomes need to be chunked into individual lessons. A lesson represents one instance of instruction in your course. These are micro-level steps that are within the learners' capacity. Table 3-4 shows some examples of lesson-level outcomes for the psychology research course.

Table 3-4. Lesson-Level Outcomes for a Psychology Research Course 

Adapted from Jhangiani, et al., 2013, CC BY-NC-SA.

These lesson-level outcomes are more manageable. They will guide planning for instruction, selecting teaching materials, and developing assessments. For example, to help learners accomplish the outcome Define the scientific method, an instructor might choose to show a video about the scientific method, then lead an activity where learners practice the steps of the scientific method, and then administer a quiz asking learners to define the scientific method in their own words.

However, some lesson objectives may need to be chunked into even smaller segments of instruction; for example, Explain each of the following five research designs: experimental, non-experimental, quasi-experimental, single-subject, and correlational designs. If learners are capable of processing all these approaches as one chunk, the five research designs could be covered in one lesson. However, if learners have no prior knowledge about research designs, it might be better to teach each design separately and cover this material in five lessons. Instructors should be attuned to the learners' needs, abilities, and cognitive capacity.

Keep in mind that proper alignment of learning objectives at all course levels is imperative. Awareness of desired outcomes will ensure that the instructors' and learners’ time and effort are dedicated to the intended purposes of the course. Lesson objectives should support unit objectives, and unit objectives should support course-level objectives. Individual learning activities and assessments will have their specific learning objectives, but those outcomes should align seamlessly with other supporting-level and course outcomes. 

3.3 Sequencing Outcomes

Course-level and supporting outcomes should be organized in a coherent, hierarchical manner that reflects the progression of learning within the course. Two learning theory frameworks are particularly helpful for this process: Bloom's Taxonomy and Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD).

Learning Outcome: I can sequence the outcomes in a logical order to support student learning.

Assessment: Learning Outcome Map Part 3 

3.3.1 Bloom's Taxonomy: Higher-Order and Lower-Order Thinking

Bloom's Taxonomy is a great way to sequence the course-level, supporting-level, and activity-level outcomes. Starting at the bottom, the taxonomy levels are arranged from lower-order to higher-order thinking skills, as depicted in Figure 3-2.

Higher-order thinking skills are considered more complex, even sometimes abstract, and they require deeper cognitive processing, including critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. In contrast, lower-order thinking skills are more concrete and simple, and they involve more straightforward cognitive processes, such as rote memorization and basic understanding. Lower-order recall and understanding provide a solid foundation for learning. We could never expect learners to excel at creating balanced algebra equations if they have never memorized their multiplication tables. However, wherever possible and appropriate, we should strive to move learners beyond lower-order thinking to higher-order thinking for maximum learning potential.

The course-level planning should build from lower to higher thinking. Consider the course-level outcomes from Table 3-2. It makes sense to sequence those outcomes in the order of Bloom's Taxonomy, as shown in Table 3-5 below.

Table 3-5. Sequencing the Course-Level Outcomes for a Psychology Research Course

Adapted from Jhangiani, et al., 2013, CC BY-NC-SA.

The supporting-level planning for the course units of instruction should also build from lower to higher thinking. Remember Table 3-3 with the unit-level outcomes. It makes sense to sequence those outcomes in the order of Bloom's Taxonomy, as shown in Table 3-6 below.

Table 3-6. Sequencing the Unit-Level Outcomes for a Psychology Research Course

Adapted from Jhangiani, et al., 2013, CC BY-NC-SA.

Lesson-level and activity-level planning needs to be sequenced in the same way, so consider sequencing your learning objectives in a logical progression as you continue your course design. (Activity-level design will be discussed in Chapters 5 and 6.) Let’s consider how the  zone of proximal development applies to learning potential.

3.3.2 Vygotsky and the Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotsky's theory of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) refers to the range of tasks that a learner cannot yet perform independently, but can perform with help. Learners can get help from technology and tools, but the most important source of help is what Vygotsky called a "more knowledgeable other" (see Figure 3-3 below). This mentor plays a crucial role in the learning process by providing scaffolding, which involves tailoring support to the learners' individual needs.

Scaffolding is the support structure built on construction sites that allows the workers to access and work on taller projects. Scaffolding can be multiple stories tall for work on skyscrapers but still provides safety and support at every level. Notice in Figure 3-4 below that the scaffolding allows construction workers access to each level of the building.

Similarly, scaffolding in education allows learners to access and work on higher-level concepts,  sometimes involving multiple steps to address highly complex issues. Scaffolding provides learners with safety and support. Safety in education might be a new concept for some, but it is imperative that learners feel safe enough to take risks, ask questions, and tolerate failure. The learning process asks learners to navigate many unknowns, but a well-designed course and attentive instructor can help learners progress in ways that feel supported.

Scaffolding includes breaking down complex tasks into manageable chunks, which was discussed in section 3.2, and arranging those chunks into a logical sequence of progression. The logical progression needs to guide the learners through the zone of proximal development, like stepping stones across a lake. Each small step feels manageable, and each step is progress toward the end goal

Figure 3-5. Stepping Stones

 Photo by Robert Linder on Unsplash, 2021.

Through scaffolding, learners can expand their cognitive abilities, learn new skills, and achieve higher levels of understanding and problem-solving. As they receive guidance and gradually internalize the knowledge and skills provided by the mentor, they move from dependency to independent mastery, fostering their overall development.

The activity-level planning for the lesson-level outcomes should build from lower to higher thinking in Bloom's Taxonomy and guide learners step-by-step through the ZPD. Remember Table 3-4 with the lesson-level outcomes. One way to sequence those outcomes is shown in Table 3-7.

Table 3-7. Sequencing and Scaffolding the Lesson-Level Outcomes for a Psychology Research Course 

Adapted from Jhangiani, et al., 2013, CC BY-NC-SA.

Consider the natural progression of learning and complexity within your course. Arrange supporting outcomes in a logical order that reflects the sequence in which they will be addressed. Remember, organizing course-level and supporting outcomes is a dynamic process that may require revisions and adjustments based on feedback, curriculum changes, or the evolving needs of learners. Regular review and refinement of the outcomes can help maintain their relevance and effectiveness within the course.

Conclusion

This chapter has prepared you to create your learning outcomes map. The learning outcomes map takes all of these ideas —course-level outcomes, supporting outcomes, and the logical teaching sequence to guide learners from lower-level thinking at the beginning of the ZPD to higher-level thinking at the end of the ZPD— and creates a first draft of a road map for the course. You will brainstorm and list simple ideas in your outcomes map that you will fully develop later in this course. For now, just open your mind to ideas.

And finally: