Help with Learning Outcomes
Help with Learning Outcomes (Hjálp með hæfniviðmiðin) is a customized AI chat in ChatGPT designed to support teachers in creating, reviewing, and refining learning outcomes, and in linking them to assessment. The chat is specifically designed to answer questions about teaching, learning, learning outcomes, and assessment.
Reviews at the University of Iceland have highlighted the need to strengthen the quality of learning outcomes across the university, improve consistency in how they are written, and make their links to assessment more visible. Learning outcomes are a cornerstone of course design, but creating them can be challenging.
Conversation starters
Users can choose to begin the chat with a conversation starter. Three starters are available:
- Create learning outcomes for a course
- Get feedback on learning outcomes
- Link assessment to learning outcomes
After a starter is selected, the chat provides guidance on the next steps, along with a brief overview of the theoretical foundations on which it is based. The user is then asked to provide information that enables, for example, the generation of learning outcomes for a course.
The more detailed the information the teacher provides, such as the course, assignments, assessments, teaching priorities, type of competence, or anything else relevant, the more realistic and targeted the responses will be.
Examples of use
Help with Learning Outcomes can also be used for other topics related to teaching and learning, for example, to speed up teachers’ work and as a source of ideas. Some examples include:
- Get suggestions for assignments, teaching methods, and assessment based on given criteria.
- Create a rubric for a specific assignment or learning outcome.
- Prepare the rubric for Canvas as a CSV file that can be uploaded.
- Get ideas for assessment methods that align with a learning outcome.
- Get explanations of specific teaching methods, and more.
Theoretical foundations
This AI chat is built on Bloom’s taxonomy, measurable action verbs, the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable/Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound), and constructive alignment (Biggs). It may also draw on information beyond this built-in framework. You do not need to know the theory behind it to use the chat.
The responses and suggestions provided by Help with Learning Outcomes are intended as guidance. Teachers should review and adapt them to fit their own course. The teacher always retains professional responsibility for what is ultimately published.
Privacy
Never enter sensitive personal data (such as national ID numbers or health information), unpublished research data, or confidential material into an AI chat. Conversations may be stored temporarily within OpenAI’s service environment.
The chat uses only the information provided in the current conversation. If a user starts a new chat, it does not have access to earlier conversations.
The creator of the chat cannot see conversations and does not receive information about how teachers use it.
Limitations and ongoing development
Help with Learning Outcomes is still under development, so feedback and short comments are very welcome. Please send them to kriol@hi.is.