The Key to Effective Assessment: Writing Measurable Student Learning Outcomes

Abstract

In recent years, assessing learning outcomes has become a priority as colleges and universities have had to justify their existence to outside interests. Higher education institutions and administrators have had to account for the effects, or outcomes, of college that demonstrate its value to graduating students. Consequently, student affairs and campus life entities have felt the need to justify their existence within the larger campus community. Therefore, many academic and students affairs departments have refocused their assessment efforts on the student learning outcomes of their programs and other interventions with students. Assessing student learning outcomes has been challenging for many in the recreational sport profession. Part of this challenge lies in an inability to adequately determine and define the object of the assessment. To properly assess learning outcomes, the intended outcomes must be written in specific, measurable terms. This article adapts the ABCD method, introduced by Jordan, DeGraaf, and DeGraaf (2005), as a method for writing specific and measurable learning outcomes. Recreational sport administrators may incorporate this method to assist them in the development of a strategic assessment plan.