CLOs, ULOs, LOs

I love working with creators and subject-matter experts (SMEs) to create their first (or second, or third) online programs, courses and e-learning experiences.

But before we decide if you should create a self-paced or cohort-based course, or even an active learning community, let me quickly explain the need for understanding Course-Level Outcomes (CLOs) and Unit-level outcomes (ULOs), as well as Learning Objectives

If we work together, we will create your CLOs, ULOs and Learning Objectives that will guide the development of your course.

• CLOs are broad statements that define the purpose of a course and its major goals.
  • They should be achievable within the course and explain what a successful student should be able to do.
• Unit-level outcomes are narrower and more specific, describing what a student should be able to do at the end of each unit.

We will then use these to write more focused Learning Objectives.

These should be clear and measurable, and provide a framework for students to understand the purpose of the course.

Instructional Designers use Bloom's Taxonomy action verbs to create measurable learning objectives that clearly define the level of knowledge and performance expected from learners.

A clear example: A leather-worker wants to create "Wallet-Making Basics" to teach beginners their first project, a leather wallet. Well, we need to start with buying the leather. This could be a short lesson, a section (or Module), 

• Course-level outcome 1: Learners will develop an understanding of how to source and purchase leather on a budget.
• Unit-level outcome 1: Learners will be able to identify the best places to purchase leather.
• Unit-level objective 1: Learners will be able to compare prices and select the appropriate type of leather for their wallet.

• Once we have the objectives, we'll use them to design learning materials.
  • This could be an article, a videos, short audio, worksheets, ..
• We can them choose an appropriate assessment type.
  • This could be a quiz, a project, or any variety of written assignments or video or audio uploads.
    • "Take a picture of your leather when it arrives to share with the community."