gms | German Medical Science

Learning Outcomes are quickly becoming one of the most popular "building blocks" of quality assurance models and curriculum development processes in the European Higher Education Area - some sort of a universal remedy for all kinds of didactic problems. Yet in addition to these somewhat overdrawn expectations, they also run the risk of sharing the fate of many other Bologna requirements and thus becoming a pure formality; important questions (how are the learning outcomes realised in the curricula? what teaching and learning strategies are required? and how can the students' learning progress be assessed, i.e. how can the learning outcomes be evaluated?) still tend to get overlooked and the implementation process often ends with the definition phase.

The presentation will provide a (self) critical insight into the development and implementation of a learning outcome oriented Teaching & Learning Strategy at WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business). After a brief description of the overall framework - including WU's "portfolio approach" with regard to outcome evaluation -, the input will focus on the strategy's effects on the university's program delivery and assessment regime as well as on the quality assurance/evaluation of its academic programs. Corresponding to the "work-in-progress"-character of the implementation process, the presentation will also emphasise the "meanders and blind alleys" of WU's journey so far and outline some upcoming challenges.

The subsequent workshop will is intended to deepen the discussion of different approaches, methods and tools for assessing and evaluating learning outcomes on a course/program level as well as offering additional opportunities for exchanging experiences and good practices.

Based on WU's "portfolio approach" with regard to outcome evaluation, the workshop will offer an opportunity to discuss and develop different methods and tools for assessing and evaluating learning outcomes on a course/program level.