The Canvas Outcomes tool enables administration and faculty to track students’ progress as measured by pedagogical goals or desired outcomes.
Assessments created to test student knowledge or to demonstrate a specific skill resulting from a learning activity can be aligned to learning outcomes using rubrics (which can be used for grading simultaneously).
Grading student work automatically collects and compiles data on student progress for the Outcomes. The data is available for reporting to support teaching improvement, identify at-risk students, and support the accreditation process.
Make Outcomes Navigation Link Visible
Step 1: Enable Outcomes Navigation Link in a selected course
In the course navigation menu, locate and select Settings.
Step 2: Move Outcomes Navigation Link
Using the Navigation tab in Settings, find the Outcomes Navigation Link. Click and hold the Outcomes Navigation Link and drag it up to the course navigation links above.
Step 3: Save the Navigation Links
At the bottom of the Navigation Links page, click the blue Save button. The Outcomes link should now appear without a Visibility icon.
Adding Learning Outcomes to a Course
Note: Learning outcomes have been predefined by the college/department/program and/or accrediting body. Faculty may select which outcomes to associate and align with course assessments from a pre-populated list. Faculty should consult with the college/dept/program before creating new outcomes in the Outcomes tool.
Step 1: Access the Outcomes tool in a selected course
In the course navigation menu, locate and select the now visible Outcomes tool.
Step 2: Navigate to the outcomes for a specific account (college or program)
In order to add existing outcomes that have been pre-populated in the Outcomes tool, click on Find button in the upper right corner of the screen. Next, click on Account Standards to expand the list of Outcome Groups.
Step 3. Review and select outcomes to add to the course
Click on the applicable outcome group to expand the list of specific colleges, program, and/or accrediting body outcomes.
To add an outcome to the course, click on an outcome to select it. The performance indicators associated with the outcome will be displayed in a separate frame on the right. Click the Add All Outcomes button to add all performance indicators to the course or select each performance indicator individually by clicking on the Add button next to the individual performance indicator.
Note: It may be necessary to click on the divider and drag it to expand the Outcome Groups section in order to view the full text of the Outcome Groups.
Aligning Learning Outcomes to an Assignment
Step 1: Add Outcomes to Assignment Rubric
Navigate to an Assignment, click on the assignment, and then choose Rubric at the bottom of the assignment page.
Step 2: Find the Outcomes
Click on Find Outcome and choose the performance indicators to add to the assignment.
Note: You have the option of using the performance indicator for scoring, but it is recommended that you do not to not confuse students by including them in the grade. Un-check the box on the import page prior to importation.
Step 3: Create Rubric
Once imported, be sure to check the box “Use this rubric for assignment grading.” Then, click on Create Rubric to attach the rubric to the assignment.
Aligning Learning Outcomes to a Quiz
Outcomes can be aligned with a quiz for three different scenarios:
- Alignment of the rubric to a quiz
- Alignment to question bank
- Alignment to individual questions
Note: The outcomes must be added prior to students taking the exam.
Align Rubric to a Quiz
Step 1: Finding the Rubric Option
After building and selecting the quiz you want to add performance indicators to, navigate to the quiz’s main screen. Click on the three-dot menu and choose Show Rubric.
Step 2: Add Rubric to Quiz
Note: It is recommended to remove or edit the default criterion from the rubric.
Click the Add Rubric to add the rubric to the quiz. Use the Find Outcomes to search for the performance indicator(s) to add to the quiz (for more detailed information on finding the outcomes see Align Outcomes with an Assignment)
Align Outcomes to a Question Bank
Align outcomes to a question bank allows for question groups to be assessed against a particular performance indicator(s).
Step 1: Managing Question Banks
Click on quizzes in the course navigation menu then click on the three-dot menu to access Manage Question Banks.
Step 2: Aligning Outcomes to the Question Bank
On the Course Question Banks main page, choose the bank you want to align. Click on Align Outcomes on the right-hand side to find the outcome performance indicator(s) available in your course.
Note: Unlike the rubric, aligning the outcomes to a question bank asks for you to decide where the level of mastery is at. It would be useful to create multiple question banks for the exam to give an accurate representation of the mastery.
Align Outcomes to Individual Quiz Questions
Note: This is only available in New Quizzes.
Step 1: Add Outcomes to Questions
In the question that you are building, navigate to the Align to Outcomes. Click on Browse and add outcomes by clicking here to find the outcomes to add. Choose what outcomes to add to your quiz individually or select all.
Accessing Outcomes Report for Individual Courses
As an instructor, you can view and download how your students are meeting the outcomes with the Learning Mastery report available in the grade book.
Accessing Outcome Reports for New Quizzes
Step 1: View the student mastery by using reports
Once students have taken the quiz, instructors can view their mastery by accessing Reports. In the Build page of New Quizzes, click on the Reports tab.
Step 2: Access the outcomes analysis
Inside of reports click on Outcomes Anaylsis.
Step 3: View the mastery of the outcomes
The Outcomes Analysis includes each student who has completed a quiz and their mastery of the performance indicators.
Student View of Rubrics
The below images show what students will see when they view the assignment or quiz after the submission. Students are able to view the rubric and how they were assessed for mastery on the performance indicators.
