Program SLOs
This webpage explains how to compose clear program-level student learning outcomes (Program SLOs) and provides answers to frequently asked questions. For information related to course-level student learning outcomes (Course SLOs), please visit here.
Necessary components in a program SLO
Each program has a set of goals, or program student learning outcomes (Program SLOs), which describe, in an observable manner, what students at different stages of the program will know and be able to do.
To build clear SLOs, the FCC strongly recommends using action verbs from Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and following the SMART framework.
- Specific:
- Please clearly state the expected quality, efficiency, performance, or skill students will learn in this program.
- Measurable:
- Each outcome must be clearly tied to specific courses' assignments, exams/quizzes, or activities that are graded.
- Attainable:
- The results can be realistically achieved by students. Usually, a program SLO is achieved through multiple courses in the program's curriculum. All of the courses that contribute to a certain program SLO should ideally spread out across lower and upper-level offerings so a program SLO can be attained through a process of introduction, reinforcement, development, and, eventually, mastery. However, only two or three of those courses will be used as assessment methods and should be stated in the Curriculog proposal's "Assessment method and performance expectation" textbox.
- Result-driven:
- The expected performance target should be clearly stated such as “70% of students receiving C or higher on the [assessed assignment],” etc.
- Time-bound:
- The time frame for achieving the performance target in each assessment method, i.e. an assignment, exam, etc., in an assessed course, should be given such as “at the end of the semester” or “one-third through the semester,” etc.
How to fill in SLO information in Curriculog
Program SLOs specify what students enrolled in the program (e.g., BA, BS, Minor, etc.) as a whole will be able to know and do. A program should have at least three SLOs. Similar to a course SLO, a program SLO should use action verbs in the revised Bloom’s taxonomy.
A program proposal in Curriculog divides the program SLO information into two textboxes: "Program Level Student Learning Outcomes," and "Assessment Methods and Performance Expected." Below is an example from the Geology, Paleontology Concentration, B.A. proposal.
(1) Program Level Student Learning Outcomes
Note: the originator uses verbs from Bloom's Taxonomy to formulate program SLOs. The subject matter is clearly communicated.
(2) Assessment Method and Performance Expected
Note: in this textbox, the originator reiterates each program SLO and lists the corresponding assessment methods, including courses and specific assignments, in this case, the final exam, as well as performance targets. Some proposals also present such information as a table with the program SLOs in the left column, the assessment methods in the middle, and the performance target in the right column.
For additional program SLO examples from various schools, please click here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
- How many assessment methods does one program SLO need?
Each program SLO is achieved through multiple courses in the program's curriculum. These courses cumulatively contribute to a certain SLO on the levels of introduction, reinforcement, development, and mastery.
However, only a subset of those courses, usually two, are used in the assessment of that SLO. The courses used for assessment should ideally spread out across lower and upper levels course offerings.
Each assessment method should specify the course, the artefacts (essay assignment, in-class quiz, exam, etc.) that generate performance data, the points of time during the semester when the artefacts are expected to be generated (e.g. one-third through the semester, mid-term, at the end of the semester, etc.). The performance target should specify 1) a grade level and 2) the percentage of students reaching the level.
- Can one course be used to assess multiple program SLO?
Yes. But all the courses used to assess all program SLOs should spread across the program's curriculum.
- What is the relationship between concentration SLOs and the program's SLOs?
A program with concentration(s) should still have general program-level SLOs and their corresponding assessment methods/performance expectation. In addition, concentration-specific SLO(s) can be appended to the program-level SLOs either with continuing SLO numbers or with separate SLO numbers for each concentration. Concentration SLO(s) should be assessed through concentration-specific courses.
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What is the difference between the SLOs for a non-stand alone minor and those for a stand-alone minor?
A non-stand alone minor has a parent major such as in Math, Spanish, Astronomy, Communication, Physics, Theatre, etc., where courses and program SLOs between the major and minor are shared. Consequently, non-stand alone minors are assessed as part of the parent major. When a student minors in a non-stand alone minor such as Physics or Spanish, they can transition to the parent major easily because of the shared courses and program SLOs.
Some stand-alone minors share the majority of their courses with a related major such as between the Business Language in Spanish minor and the Spanish major. However, there are enough distinct courses in the minor, along with the minor structure, to justify different program SLOs for the stand-alone minor; therefore, the stand-alone minor requires its own assessment report..
Other stand-alone minors are completely stand-alone: they might share just a few courses from various programs, such as the Medical Humanities Minor, which has no parent minor (one cannot easily transition to a major from this minor), but shares courses with various programs. Students can graduate with a minor. They do not require to be enrolled in a major.