Learning Outcomes Importance and Benefits in School Education

Classroom consists of mix groups of learners i.e. individual’s identity, individual’s learning style, individual’s learning level, individual’s family and social background, as well as individual’s economic status. Undoubtedly, thousands of known and unknown reasons determine the learning outcomes in the classroom. What is learning outcomes? Why it is so essential for imparting effective and quality education? UNESCO defines learning outcome as, “Totality of information, knowledge, understanding, attitudes, values, skills, competencies or behaviours an individual is expected to master upon successful completion of an educational programme.”

Why sharing learning outcomes are crucial in the classroom and beyond the classroom teaching learning process? Do sharing learning outcomes at the beginning of teaching help students and teachers? From ancient education system to modern education system where we are talking on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), all educational philosophy and approach, all teaching and learning methods and techniques have one and only on purpose “student’s learning”. If we do not know “where do we want to reach”, then how can we plan for “when, why & how”.

Wise teacher has clear vision and precise goal, “what s/he will achieve at the completion of a topic/lesson/unit within a time frame. His planning, preparation, and practice and implementation determine the learning outcomes of the class. Universal educational philosophy and approach work towards attaining the rational and maximum learning outcomes. Men, method and material always move for that. Sitting in a boat can be adventurous but after so much efforts if we fail to move, it becomes monotones task. If boatman shares his goal in the beginning itself i.e. where to go, what to do, why to do (we will reach at historical place at 8.pm and then we will explores ancient fort and also prepare a report on this visit,), he creates interest, he develops curiosity among all passengers. What is harm in sharing possible completion of task result in the beginning itself.

Sharing learning outcomes with students is beneficial act for teachers and for students too.  

  • Teacher knows well, “what students will come to know after completion of this topic/lesson/unit”
  • Teacher knows well,  “what does s/he wants to develop (knowledge, skill, comprehension) after completion of this topic”
  • Teacher knows well, “how to deliver the lesson that determines learners’ the  best learning outcomes
  • Teacher knows well,  “what method and materials will suit specific learners to ensure the best learning outcomes”
  • Teacher can evaluate, analyze, and discover the learners’ learning outcome and reflect on the result and have wonderful opportunity for him to re-plan and re-modal teaching techniques and teaching methodology, materials etc for ensuring the best learning outcomes at the end of topic/lesson/unit
  • Students know very well, what they will learn at the end the topic/unit/lesson. Learner becomes more alert, more, more active and more confident in learning process.  
  • Students can evaluate and assess learning outcomes themselves – the mentioned learning outcome in the beginning and achieved comprehension and knowledge at the end.

The most interesting facts about sharing learning outcomes with learner can be—

  1. Suppose English language teacher discusses in the beginning that in this period we will learn (a) Present Indefinite (Affirmative sentence, Negative sentence and Interrogative sentence along with 30 main verbs), however students found that due to some reasons their language teacher could not teach 30 main verbs in the classroom. Language teacher forgot to discuss it due to lack of time. When he was winding up the class, he asked students about today’s learning outcomes, students came up with answer, but at the same time they reminded their teacher, “Pardon sir, we have not discussed 30 main verbs in the class.Sharing learning outcomes at beginning in the class sensitize learner and teacher.

Better knowledge, better comprehension of learning outcomes and better competency of a teacher helps to impart quality education. Sharing learning outcomes with learner is an initiative to develop partnership with students, develop sense of ownership among students and to prepare students to become an active learner in learning activity. Sharing learning outcomes with students develop competencies that empower each and every individual learner to reflect on his/her own actions and in wider perspectives it is an act to develop learning accountability among students. In precise tone, we can say sharing learning outcomes with students is an act to empower them to take wise decisions and responsible actions for better understanding of topic/lesson/unit/syllabus/curriculum.

For more Valuable Articles and Contents

https://www.childcare.uwa.edu.au/archive/nqf

https://www.childcare.uwa.edu.au/national-quality-framework

https://www.education.gov.au/my-time-our-place

https://teaching.utoronto.ca/teaching-support/course-design/developing-learning-outcomes/what-are-learning-outcomes/

https://teaching.utoronto.ca/teaching-support/course-design/developing-learning-outcomes/characteristics-of-good-learning-outcomes/

http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html]

https://teaching.utoronto.ca/teaching-support/course-design/developing-learning-outcomes/appendix-b-useful-verbs-for-developing-learning-outcomes/