Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

SLOs are course level learning outcomes that are the expected outcomes for a course. SLOs are determined by approved curriculum and should be the same across the College for the same course. When developing a new course or modifying a course, SLOs should be considered. The following are guidelines on establishing SLOs for courses at TOCC.

What information is needed in developing good SLOs?

1. The course description.
2. If the course is transferrable, other SLOs from other colleges and Universities. AZtransfer is a good resource in finding this information 
3. Understanding of mission, vision, and goals of the college. 
4. The T-Ṣo:ṣon. The T-Ṣo:ṣon is a required component of all courses at TOCC and should be directly or indirectly addressed in SLOs.
5. Consultation and advice from other faculty who have developed courses and the Faculty Senate Assessment Committee.
6. The PLOs (if program course) or the General Education Goals (if general education course) or both if the course falls under both categories.
7. If the course is part of a certification process, outcomes of the certifications should be taken into consideration.

Guidelines for Creating SLOs

Very similar to PLOs, SLOs should be measurable and something a student can demonstrate. The difference between a PLO and SLO is that the number of SLOs is determined by the necessary learning needed to accomplish the course description and can vary from five to fifteen. When determining SLOs, a faculty member should do what is reasonable to accomplish within the credit hours provided for a course. The SLOs should be accompanied by a course outline which provides a map to how SLOs are going to be achieved.

A good example of SLOs is BIO 105N Environmental Biology.