Learning Outcomes

Start with what matters most by defining the knowledge and skills students will develop.

Why outcomes matter

Start With the End in Mind

Learning outcomes provide the foundation for meaningful and aligned learning experiences. At their core, they answer one essential question:

By the end of this course (or module), what will students know, think, and be able to do?

Well-designed outcomes clearly communicate the knowledge, skills, habits of mind, and ways of thinking students are expected to develop. They help faculty design learning experiences with purpose, ensuring that activities, assessments, and course materials all work toward shared and measurable goals.

At Xavier, outcomes also reflect our commitment to educating the whole person. Effective outcomes move beyond simply covering content and invite students to think critically, reflect thoughtfully, apply knowledge in meaningful contexts, and ethically engage with the world around them.

For students, strong outcomes create transparency and direction. They clarify expectations, help learners understand what success looks like, and make visible the connections between course activities, assessments, and larger learning goals.

Writing strong outcomes

A Simple Formula

One simple way to check whether an outcome is specific and measurable is to use the following structure:

Action Verb

Noun

Context

Measurable &
Specific Outcome

Each part plays an important role in helping students understand expectations and helping instructors design aligned assessments and learning activities.

Guiding Questions for Each Component:

Action Verb: What observable action will students perform?
Noun: What knowledge, skill, or concept is the focus?
Context: Under what conditions or in what setting will students demonstrate learning?

Example — before and after

✗ Students will understand the ethical dimensions of data privacy.

↓ Add a measurable action verb + noun + context

✓ Given a real-world data breach case study, students will evaluate the ethical responsibilities of organizations toward users, citing at least two relevant frameworks discussed in the course.

Bloom’s taxonomy

Choose Verbs That Match the Level of Learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy helps instructors think intentionally about the level of thinking students are being asked to demonstrate. Different verbs signal different kinds of cognitive work — from foundational recall to critical evaluation and creation.

Choosing the right verb matters because outcomes, activities, and assessments should align at the same cognitive level. If an outcome asks students to analyze, evaluate, or design, students should have opportunities to practice and demonstrate those forms of thinking throughout the course.

Different levels of cognitive engagement may appear in any course. For instance, introductory courses can still ask students to analyze, reflect, or apply learning, while advanced courses may still require foundational understanding and recall. The important question is not whether a verb is “high” or “low” level, but whether it accurately reflects the kind of thinking students are expected to demonstrate.

Flip each card to see example verbs for that level.

Remember

Recalling information and foundational knowledge

Flip for verbs →

Example verbs

define, list, recall, recognize, name, state, match

Understand

Explaining ideas or interpreting meaning

Flip for verbs →

Example verbs

explain, summarize, classify, describe, interpret, paraphrase

Apply

Using knowledge in a new situation

Flip for verbs →

Example verbs

use, demonstrate, solve, illustrate, calculate, implement, construct

Analyze

Examining relationships, patterns, and assumptions

Flip for verbs →

Example verbs

compare, differentiate, examine, break down, distinguish, critique

Evaluate

Making judgments using criteria or evidence

Flip for verbs →

Example verbs

assess, judge, justify, defend, recommend, argue, appraise

Create

Producing original work or solutions

Flip for verbs →

Example verbs

design, develop, produce, formulate, compose, construct, plan

Strong outcomes also help ensure alignment between learning activities, assessments, and the level of thinking students are expected to demonstrate.

Common challenges

What to Avoid & Why

✗“Students will understand…” “Understand” is not observable. How will you know they understand? Replace it with what demonstrating that understanding actually looks like: analyze, explain, evaluate, apply.
✗“Students will be exposed to…” Exposure is not a learning outcome. The outcome belongs to the student, not the curriculum.
✗Too many outcomes. Most courses can be captured in 4–7 meaningful outcomes. More than that often signals outcomes are describing activities rather than destinations.
✗Outcomes that describe your teaching, not their learning. “This course will cover…” or “Topics include…” belong in the course description, not the outcomes section.
✗Outcomes that don’t align with assessments. If you ask students to “evaluate competing historical interpretations” but only test them with multiple choice, the outcome and the assessment are not aligned.

A Jesuit lens

Outcomes That Reflect the Whole Person

The Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm asks us to consider not only what students know, but who they are becoming. Well-designed learning outcomes can reflect this commitment by intentionally including outcomes that address values, ethical reasoning, or social responsibility when they genuinely belong in your discipline.

A nursing course might include an outcome around advocating for patient dignity. A business course might ask students to evaluate the ethical dimensions of organizational decisions. A theology course might ask students to articulate their own developing moral framework.

Next: Assessments