The Role and Integration of Learning Outcomes into the Educational Process

Abstract

This article provides a rationale for the adoption of a learning outcomes approach for delivering a curriculum. Included is a unit guide framework for establishing the learning outcomes and the incorporation of an appropriate assessment strategy. This format has been adopted at Sheffield Hallam University and has proved to be most successful. In order to provide validity for this approach, the article contains an example of the use of a learning outcomes model related to the requirements of professional bodies involved in the education of construction students within higher education establishments. Professional bodies have assisted in determining a set of common learning outcomes which all construction graduates should be capable of performing. However, higher education is charged with designing a strategy for delivering the common learning outcomes. Therefore, an appropriate methodology for addressing this issue built around the construction example is provided in the form of an implementation model.