Teaching & Learning

How to write ILOs

5 Steps to writing ILOs

It can be useful to consider using the following 5-step process in designing ILOs:

  1. Decide on the Purpose
  2. Identify the Content
  3. Select the Appropriate Verb
  4. Add the Context (when necessary)
  5. Ensure Clarity

Below is more information about each of these steps, with reference to the examples on the Components of an ILO page.

Previous
1 2 3 4 5
Next

Step 2: Content

A diagram depicting four components of an ILO: Content, Verb, Content, and clarity. Content is emphasised in blue. 

In developing each intended learning outcome for a unit, it is recommended that you start by defining the content that the student will learn within the unit, and which is defined within the purposes previously identified. When more than one of the identified purposes contain the same content, it is appropriate to merge these into a single ILO.
Looking at the given examples of a purpose for each unit, the content within each could be defined as:

ILO Example 1, content:

Newton's 3 laws of motion – what they are, impact they had, the concept of objects in linear and in rotational motion, the relationships between motion, force and energy

ILO Example 2, content:

Anatomy, basic functions, clinical scenarios

ILO Example 3, content:

Critical reflection, four lenses of teaching evaluation