Learning outcome examples
Computer Engineering learning outcome examples
In computer engineering, learning outcomes start with defining concepts and progress to algorithm and software design, and in the final year to designing a system for a real problem. In the examples below, verbs move to higher levels as the years progress.
- B1 2
- B2 1
- B3 3
- B4 2
- B5 3
- B6 2
- D 2
Year 2
Data Structures
| Learning outcome | Level | Suitable assessment |
|---|---|---|
| List the basic data structures (array, linked list, stack, queue) and their uses. | B1 Remember | Multiple choice, matching, fill in the blanks, short answer |
| Explain the time complexity of an algorithm using Big O notation. | B2 Understand | Short-answer and open-ended questions, concept map |
| Program a solution to a given problem using a suitable data structure. | B3 Apply | Problem solving, practical exam, laboratory, performance task |
| Analyse two algorithms that solve the same problem in terms of running time and memory use. | B4 Analyze | Case analysis, data interpretation, analytical report |
| Justify the choice of data structure for a given application based on performance criteria. | B5 Evaluate | Article critique, debate, report scored with a rubric |
Year 3
Software Engineering
| Learning outcome | Level | Suitable assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Define the stages of software development life cycle models. | B1 Remember | Multiple choice, matching, fill in the blanks, short answer |
| Model user requirements with use cases. | B3 Apply | Problem solving, practical exam, laboratory, performance task |
| Execute unit tests for a module using automated testing tools. | B3 Apply | Problem solving, practical exam, laboratory, performance task |
| Examine dependencies and potential sources of error in a software design. | B4 Analyze | Case analysis, data interpretation, analytical report |
| Take responsibility for the tasks they undertake in teamwork. | D3 Valuing Affective domain |
Attitude scale, reflective writing, portfolio |
Year 4
Capstone Project
| Learning outcome | Level | Suitable assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Design a software system for a real problem, including requirements, constraints and success criteria. | B6 Create | Project, design product, portfolio, research proposal |
| Produce a working prototype of the system they designed. | B6 Create | Project, design product, portfolio, research proposal |
| Evaluate the solution they developed against the success criteria. | B5 Evaluate | Article critique, debate, report scored with a rubric |
| Discuss the ethical, security and legal dimensions of the project. | B5 Evaluate | Article critique, debate, report scored with a rubric |
| Act in accordance with ethical principles in professional decisions. | D5 Characterization Affective domain |
Long-term observation, internship evaluation, 360-degree feedback |
Adapting these examples to your own course
- Change the topic, keep the verbWrite in your course topic; to keep the level, leave the verb as it is or choose another verb from the same level.
- Add a criterionA condition such as “for a given problem” or “against the success criteria” makes clear how the outcome will be assessed.
- Plan the assessmentThe assessment method in the table is the typical method for that level. Every outcome should be assessed by at least one exam question or task.
Other sections: Business Administration, Nursing, Psychology, Turkish Language and Literature.
To write your own outcome, use the Learning Outcome Builder; to check what you have written, use the Learning Outcome Checker.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use these examples in my own course?
Yes, the examples can be adapted freely. Change the topic and the criterion to suit your course, and keep choosing the verb from the approved dictionary. If your institution has its own verb dictionary, that one applies.
How many learning outcomes should a course have?
Four to six outcomes are enough for most courses. The more outcomes there are, the harder it becomes to assess each with its own questions; an outcome that is not assessed produces no evidence for accreditation.
Who sets the level of an outcome?
The level comes from the verb the course coordinator chooses from the approved dictionary; it is recorded as a declaration. The levels on this page were not typed by hand either; they were read from the verb dictionary.
The examples are for guidance; they are not the official outcomes of any programme. Levels are read from the SixBloom verb dictionary.
Link your outcomes to assessment
In SixBloom Course Design Studio, every learning outcome is linked to the exam questions that assess it; at the end of term you see how many students achieved it.