CST WEB SITE: Degree-Level Expectations (DLE) Resources

http://www.yorku.ca/cst/dle/index.html

OCAV Degree Level Expectations (DLE) in Courses and Programs

Ontario Council of Academic Vice Presidents (OCAV) Guidelines for University Degree Level Expectations ( please see December 2005) [PDF from www.uwo.ca]

Report to Faculty: Recommended Implementation of the "OCAV Guidelines for University Undergraduate Degree Level Expectations" at York University [Download PDF File]

CCAS Course Outline Model [Download PDF File]

Implementing DLEs in Program & Course Design (Faculty Associate Project, J. Newton, Political Science, LA & PS) [Website Link]

Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. John Biggs, 1996. Higher Education 32.3: 347-364 [PDF from www.springerlink.com] (*Must be logged into York U library account to download)

Resources for developing learning objectives and outcomes

Learning Objectives Addressed - Worksheet, R. Woodhouse, January 2010 [Download PDF File]

Developing learning outcomes. The best overall short explanation of the 'what, why, and how' of learning outcomes that I've come across so far! [PDF from learningandteaching.unsw.edu.au] ( Site under reconstrcution; check back February 2012)

How to write learning outcomes. A straightforward and helpful guide [Download PDF]

Guide to writing expected learning outcomes and linking assessments worksheet, R. Woodhouse, January 2010 [Download PDF]

Taxonomy categories. A useful feature of this link is that it connects various terms used to express outcomes to examples of questions or academic tasks associated with them. It was written to help students translate terms commonly used for assignments into language that helped them understand the kind of learning that was expected for the assignment. Follow the link below and select 'Taxonomy Categories', which is the first option listed under the heading 'Bloom's Taxonomy'. [http://www.coun.uvic.ca]

International Examples of learning objectives and outcomes

Look for statements of ‘subject benchmarks’, which have been developed to “provide a means for the academic community to describe the nature and characteristics of programmes in a specific subject or subject area. They also represent general expectations about standards for the award of qualifications at a given level in terms of the attributes and capabilities that those possessing qualifications should have demonstrated. UK Honours degree benchmark statements for many disciplines are available at QAA: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/AssuringStandardsAndQuality/subject-guidance/Pages/Subject-benchmark-statements.aspx

European statements are available at: http://www.unideusto.org/tuningeu/

Start with Google, and add search terms including the variants of expected learning outcomes (learning objectives, learning outcomes) and your discipline. (An obvious strategy, but still useful!)
Universities in countries such as Australia, the UK and the US often provide the expected outcomes of their programs on departmental websites. You may find helpful leads if you browse these.
It's much harder to access course objectives/outcomes, but they are sometimes available through Departmental-level course information. A Canadian institution that provides such information is Royal Roads University.

The example of Integrative Skills accessed via the link below illustrates expected outcomes for a variety of critical skills. [www.unl.edu]