{"id":349,"date":"2023-07-20T10:32:17","date_gmt":"2023-07-20T09:32:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/education-development-toolkit\/?page_id=349"},"modified":"2026-03-25T16:05:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T16:05:42","slug":"programme-learning-outcomes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/education-development-toolkit\/programme-development\/programme-learning-outcomes\/","title":{"rendered":"Programme Learning Outcomes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting started with Programme Learning Outcomes<\/h2>\n

Introduction to the Four-Stage Process<\/h3>\n

Staff are advised to follow an outcomes-based approach to education, that is to directly align the learning outcomes of a course of study (at the programme and modular level) to assessment tasks, their marking and feedback, and teaching and learning activities (QAA). We embed this approach in the LTA by promoting this 4-stage process to programme development. Here we focus on the Programme Learning Outcomes, the first of the stages.<\/p>\n

See below for a diagram that explains the process.<\/p>\n

\"Process<\/figure>\n

Another aspect of this page to be aware of is the Holistic Template for Programme Development. We’ll be filling it in in increments across the four pages as part of this process. It is available in its entirety in the Deeper dive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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What are Programme Learning Outcomes?<\/h3>\n

Learning outcomes are a clear, concise description of what a student should be able to demonstrate in terms of knowledge, understanding and behaviours at the end of a programme or module. Learning outcomes guide what and how we teach and assess, and therefore they should represent the core of what students learn. This process of alignment is called constructive alignment (Biggs, 1996) and is discussed further in the Deeper dive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Diagram
Constructive alignment process wheel diagram, highlighting learning outcomes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Constructive alignment and PLOs<\/h2>\n \n\n
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\n Globe<\/title><\/path><\/svg> <\/div>\n \n
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Points for Reflection<\/h3>

Questions to consider when applying Constructive Alignment to curriculum design:<\/p>\n