{"id":331,"date":"2014-09-23T15:04:15","date_gmt":"2014-09-23T15:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/?p=331"},"modified":"2025-02-26T13:23:59","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T13:23:59","slug":"losvisual","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/2014\/09\/23\/losvisual\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting creative: meaningful visual representations of learning outcomes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Creative.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-361\" src=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Creative.png\" alt=\"Creative\" width=\"106\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Creative.png 152w, https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Creative-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 106px) 100vw, 106px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I recently came across a couple of sources that focus on identifying ways to present learning objectives to students\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><em>other<\/em><\/span> than as standard bullet point lists:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.commlabindia.com\/elearning-design\/learning-objectives-in-elearning\" target=\"_blank\">Different ways to present learning objectives in e-learning<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.slideshare.net\/didau\/51-ways-to-introduce-learning-objectives-9929425?ref=http:\/\/info.shiftelearning.com\/blogshift\/bid\/341004\/como-crear-mejores-introducciones-para-sus-proximos-cursos-de-elearning?source=Blog_Email_%5BC%C3%B3mo%20crear%20mejores%20i%5D\" target=\"_blank\">51 ways to introduce learning objectives<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Whilst these sources may be focused more on learning objectives at the compulsory schooling levels, there are some ideas that I think have a lot of scope to be useful for presenting learning <em>outcomes<\/em> (as opposed to objectives &#8211; there is a difference) to HE students.\u00a0 These particular ideas centre around learning outcomes being presented in much more visual and graphic\/image-based ways.\u00a0 The vast amount of info-graphics now being created and shared (tweeted and retweeted!) show that people find this sort of presentation of ideas, information and\/or concepts\u00a0very appealing.<\/p>\n<p>At a more basic level, getting creative with the presentation of learning outcomes could be achieved simply through adding images to\u00a0a list of outcomes:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/LO-new-image.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-341\" src=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/LO-new-image-300x132.png\" alt=\"LO new image\" width=\"537\" height=\"236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/LO-new-image-300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/LO-new-image.png 963w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 537px) 100vw, 537px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.commlabindia.com\/elearning-design\/learning-objectives-in-elearning\" target=\"_blank\">Different ways to present learning objectives in e-learning<\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, I would like to focus on other ideas that could help to convey further meaningful information to students about their learning outcomes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Colour-wheel.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-345\" src=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Colour-wheel-300x244.png\" alt=\"Colour wheel\" width=\"300\" height=\"244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Colour-wheel-300x244.png 300w, https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Colour-wheel.png 424w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.commlabindia.com\/elearning-design\/learning-objectives-in-elearning\" target=\"_blank\">Different ways to present learning objectives in e-learning<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">This image-based presentation of learning objectives above suggested to me an idea of presenting learning outcomes in a circle-based way that would show how each learning outcome contributes to the centre point of the course or module.\u00a0 Instead of presenting learning outcomes in a hierarchical fashion (as a bullet point list potentially does), a circle-based representation could demonstrate how all the\u00a0pre-defined learning outcomes help to build understanding towards the particular topic being studied.\u00a0 In this way, concepts like &#8216;appreciate&#8217; and &#8216;understand&#8217; do not have\u00a0to be avoided but can be at the centre of the circle showing what the learning outcomes for a module or course are ultimately aiming to help students achieve.\u00a0 Consider the example below for an English module:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Eng-los.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-348\" src=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Eng-los-300x252.png\" alt=\"Eng los\" width=\"602\" height=\"505\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The above is a diagram that I have created and, being technically-challenged to a certain extent, I cannot make the writing in the picture appear clearer in this blog.\u00a0 As I don&#8217;t want to lose the picture, below is the text of what appears in each circle:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em>Centre red circle<\/em> &#8211; Appreciate the imaginative and aesthetic richness and complexity of the realist novel in 19th century Russia and France.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em>Outer circles<\/em>:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em>Light green circle<\/em> -Describe and analyse the formal and thematic characteristics of a range of realist novels.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em>Darker green circle<\/em> -Describe and explain the variety of forms, contents, and effects of the realist novel.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em>Blue circle<\/em> &#8211; Compare the themes and narrative devices of authors across the 19th century and between cultures.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em>Purple circle<\/em> -Assess the significance of the realist novel as a\u00a0literary model and source of pleasure and instruction.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">What this diagram illustrates is a way of presenting learning outcomes that show how they are related to a much broader\u00a0focus of the module, which is probably what the tutor ultimately hopes that his or her students would have gained by the end of the module.\u00a0 This broader outcome\u00a0is not one that is going to be assessed like the outer circle-based ones should be.\u00a0 Instead, it gives a\u00a0more holistic and cohesive picture\u00a0to the student about the nature of the module.\u00a0 It gives a sense\u00a0of &#8216;this is what we&#8217;re doing this learning for&#8230;this is what you will gain by working towards these specific learning outcomes&#8217;.\u00a0 \u00a0The diagram also shows\u00a0that each learning outcome is not a separate,\u00a0isolated element,\u00a0but is a part of this cohesive picture &#8211; they all relate to one another and together will help the student to achieve the central element.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">I can offer support for my view that &#8216;appreciation&#8217; and &#8216;understanding&#8217; of a particular topic can be the ultimate goal that learning outcomes are designed to help students achieve.\u00a0 A recent <a href=\"http:\/\/assets.cengage.com\/pdf\/mi_learning_outcomes.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Cengage Learning paper <\/a>quotes two scholars who argue that:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><em>By emphasizing concrete language in [student learning outcomes], the specification of student learning outcomes is sometimes seen as demeaning academic content to \u201cfactory skills.\u201d It is difficult to measure, for example, \u201cappreciation of a discipline\u201d or \u201crespect for clients.\u201d Nevertheless, if a goal in a literature course is to \u201ccultivate an appreciation of Victorian literature,\u201d then it is possible for this to be stated as a learning outcome that links assessment and preparatory activities. For example, \u201cIdentify a Victorian novel not covered in this course, explain the traits that define it as Victorian, and evaluate its level of interest to a modern audience&#8221;. These skills reveal the student\u2019s \u201cappreciation\u201d of the topic.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">This quote reinforces my argument in\u00a0<a title=\"Arguing against learning outcomes as a behaviourist learning approach\" href=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/2014\/07\/24\/behaviourist\/\" target=\"_blank\">another blog post <\/a>that\u00a0scholars are\u00a0&#8216;misunderstanding&#8217; the learning outcomes paradigm if they think that it is one that avoids &#8216;appreciation&#8217; and &#8216;understanding&#8217;.\u00a0 My diagram above shows how these concepts\u00a0can actually be at the heart of every learning outcome that is devised.<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">Moving on, I also like the idea about representing learning outcomes as a learning continuum:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\" align=\"LEFT\"><a href=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Learning-continuum.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-357\" src=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Learning-continuum-300x218.png\" alt=\"Learning continuum\" width=\"370\" height=\"269\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Learning-continuum-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/staffblogs.le.ac.uk\/loproject\/files\/2014\/09\/Learning-continuum.png 957w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.slideshare.net\/didau\/51-ways-to-introduce-learning-objectives-9929425?ref=http:\/\/info.shiftelearning.com\/blogshift\/bid\/341004\/como-crear-mejores-introducciones-para-sus-proximos-cursos-de-elearning?source=Blog_Email_%5BC%C3%B3mo%20crear%20mejores%20i%5D\" target=\"_blank\">51 ways to introduce learning objectives<\/a>\u00a0(slide 19)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The above image relates to learning <em>objectives <\/em>and is perhaps focusing on school-based learning.\u00a0 However, I think this idea has potential for use with learning outcomes in HE.\u00a0 Particularly, representing learning outcomes in this continuum-based way would encourage outcomes not to be seen in isolation to a module or course&#8217;s marking criteria and it would\u00a0emphasise that there are different levels at which a learning outcome could be achieved.\u00a0 Therefore, whilst all students may achieve a specific learning outcome, there are some who may achieve it to a far higher level.\u00a0 This distinction of levels within a learning outcome could help to reinforce the responsibility that the student has to achieve their learning outcomes at a high level (and so gain higher marks)\u00a0rather than just at the minimum level to pass.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Additionally, if learning outcomes were linked to marking criteria in this way, it may help to facilitate more meaningful feedback for students and discussions with them about why they have not achieved the grade or level that they wanted, and what they need to do to gain higher marks.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Getting creative with the presentation of learning outcomes may, at the very least,\u00a0make writing them more fun for tutors.\u00a0 But if these outcomes can become more meaningful visual representations for the student of the learning journey to be embarked upon, it may make the whole learning outcomes approach\u00a0more meaningful for tutors too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I recently came across a couple of sources that focus on identifying ways to present learning objectives to students\u00a0other than as standard bullet point lists: Different ways to present learning objectives in e-learning 51 ways to introduce learning objectives Whilst these sources may be focused more on learning objectives at the compulsory schooling levels, there 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