Taken-for-granted metaphors in HE and the messages they convey
In my work on the ‘Learning Outcomes Project’, I’ve been reviewing a lot of the learning outcomes literature. Over the coming weeks I will try to review some of the papers I’ve found that have either been very interesting or have made me stop and think further about certain issues. For this post I want […]
Unwarranted research claims in educational research: reflections for ‘learning outcomes’
Some time ago I came across a paper from Stephen Gorard called ‘Warranting research claims from non-experimental evidence’. This paper makes some important points about warrants for research conclusions in educational research. Gorard states: many of the high-profile criticisms of educational research are not, on reflection, about the nature of the evidence produced but about […]
Arguing against learning outcomes: limited evidence and moving forward
As part of the ‘Learning Outcomes Project’, I’m always very eager to see the different contexts in which other academics/scholars write about learning outcomes (LOs). Last week I came across a piece from Graham Gibbs on the SEDA blog in which he discusses the importance of conveying clear and high expectations to students. The key […]
Making learning outcomes really student-centred
I questioned in a previous blog post whether learning outcomes are really deserving of their ‘student-centred’ claim if they are primarily derived by teachers/lecturers and if we have no real idea about how students are actually using them. The ‘Learning Outcomes Project’ team has recently had a paper published in which we begin to address the […]
Conducting a systematic literature review: reflections and resources
For the past couple of months I have been undertaking a systematic review (of sorts) of the learning outcomes (LOs) literature. I say ‘of sorts’ because I have followed all but the final few protocols of a systematic review – I have reviewed the extent of certain features within the LOs literature but have not quality assessed studies […]
Learning about learning outcomes: the student perspective
Our first ‘Learning Outcomes Project’ paper has just been published in Teaching in Higher Education. It’s called ‘Learning about learning outcomes: the student perspective’, and is based on research we conducted with students at the University of Leicester concerning their perceptions about, and uses of, learning outcomes. We are particularly pleased with this publication as it […]
Who are learning outcomes REALLY for?
Some people, who see learning outcomes more as accountability tools, may shout ‘MANAGERS’. Others, who espouse the student-centred notions of learning outcomes, will most probably shout ‘STUDENTS’. The literature would certainly suggest that these are the two main audiences for learning outcomes. But, if we take the most educationally ideal answer, i.e. ‘students’, are […]
Learning outcomes in higher education: what’s being blogged?
Welcome to the first blog of the ‘Learning Outcomes’ project at the University of Leicester (UoL). Most people will be aware that there is currently much focus on developing, or further embedding, a learning outcomes approach in UK higher education (i.e. ‘By the end of this module, students will be able to…). This focus has […]
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