Mapping Student Learning Outcomes through Competencies and Key Performance Indicators

Abstract

Curriculum Development is defined as planned, a purposeful, progressive, and systematic process to create positive improvements in the educational system. The first step in curriculum development is to define the aim, objectives and outcomes for an educational program. Student learning outcomes must be developed for each educational program, for each course in the program and for each module in the course. The student learning outcomes must be aligned within a hierarchy of outcomes. The program outcomes are more generic high-level goals that are not directly measurable. Directly mapping course outcomes with program outcomes is an abstract process and make it tough to map outcomes as well as assessment. Performance indicators are more specific statements when compared to program outcomes. Mapping course outcomes and program outcomes using competencies and key performance indicators makes course outcome attainment measurable and hence the program outcome assessment becomes measurable. This paper focuses on developing a general procedure for mapping course outcomes with program outcomes using the competencies and performance indicators defined for each program outcome. A case study is presented on the undergraduate engineering course Digital Logic Design to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.