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6 Learning Outcomes

Nomita Yadav

Every course design begins with learning outcomes. Learning outcomes are statements that describe the specific knowledge, skills, or abilities that we hope students will be able to demonstrate in the real world as a result of completing a lesson. In engaging students with community-based learning, we hope to achieve multiple learning outcomes.

Figure: How can these work together to influence learning objectives/outcomes?

Diagram with real world problems in a circle on the left, with two arrows one points to Faculty Expectations what should students already know or be capable of doing confidently and the other points to community partner expectations what needs are there and how can students assist in addressing these needs? What can we and should we offer? An arrow points from faculty expectations to Considerations: what competencies academic and cific are needed to fulfill expected obectives? and What are the learning coutcomes as defined by the University and department? Community Partner Expectations points to Considerations How can the community benefit while mutually assisting? What experience of training and on-site education will help students get the most out of the experience? The first Considerations points to Shaped by Course Content and the second considerations points to shaped by community needs. Both of these point to Student learning outcomes.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville. (n.d.). Service-learning course design guide. Teaching and Learning Innovation (TLI) developed guide. Retrieved from https://teaching.utk.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/78/2018/04/442930-ServiceLearningGuide-v2.0accessible.pdf 

Learning Outcomes

  • Positive impact on students’ academic learning
  • Improves students’ ability to apply what they have learned in “the real world”
  • Positive impact on academic outcomes such as demonstrated complexity of understanding, problem analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, and cognitive development
  • Improved ability to understand complexity and ambiguity

Personal Outcomes

  • Greater sense of personal efficacy, personal identity, spiritual growth, and moral development
  • Greater interpersonal development, particularly the ability to work well with others, and build leadership and communication skills

Social Outcomes

  • Reduced stereotypes and greater inter-cultural understanding
  • Improved social responsibility and citizenship skills
  • Greater involvement in community service after graduation

Career Development

  • Connections with professionals and community members for learning and career opportunities
  • Greater academic learning, leadership skills, and personal efficacy can lead to greater opportunity

Relationship with the Institution

  • Stronger relationships with faculty
  • Greater satisfaction with college
  • Improved graduation rates

Faculty Benefits of Community Engagement

  • Satisfaction with the quality of student learning
  • New avenues for research and publication via new relationships between faculty and community
  • Providing networking opportunities with engaged faculty in other disciplines or institutions
  • A stronger commitment to one’s research

College and University Benefits of Community Engagement

  • Improved institutional commitment to the curriculum
  • Improved student retention
  • Enhanced community relations

Community Benefits of Community Engagement

  • Satisfaction with student participation
  • Valuable human resources needed to achieve community goals
  • New energy, enthusiasm and perspectives applied to community work
  • Enhanced community-university relations

 

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LWTech's Community-Based Learning Faculty Guide Copyright © 2025 by Lake Washington Institute of Technology is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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