Formulating Curriculum Goals and Outcome Statements for

an Evidence-Informed, Context-Relevant, Unified Curriculum

Taxonomies of Thinking, Feeling, and Performance: Bases for

Describing the Educational Destination
The educational destination of a nursing curriculum is the desired knowledge, skills, values, and
comportment of graduates. These are described in the curriculum goals or in curriculum outcome
statements, sometimes with an indication of the context in which the abilities are enacted. Similarly,
course goals, objectives, and competencies describe the expectations of students completing individual
courses.

A taxonomy is a classification of ideas that specifies the relationships among them. Within each of the
three learning domains, several levels or categories of thinking or performance are defined, with
performance in each level building on success in the previous level(s). Further, there are subcategories
that describe student behaviors reflective of each category or level.

The original taxonomies of cognitive and affective learning were developed by Bloom, Each domain was
categorized into a hierarchical taxonomy, with every level reflecting greater difficulty or complexity than
the preceding level. The aim of Dr. Bloom and his students was not to describe all types of learning that
could occur, but rather to codify the expectations teachers had for students at that time. Thus, the
cognitive and affective taxonomies are named Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, although the
cognitive taxonomy is commonly referred to as Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Although the taxonomies were developed to classify educational objectives, they are understood to be
taxonomies of learning. Hence, they are a basis for describing educational endpoints and students’
achievement.
The Cognitive Domain of Learning
The taxonomy of the cognitive (understanding and thinking) domain, as initially conceived, has six
categories or levels of achievement: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and
evaluation. Apart from the application, each is divided into subcategories. The categories are ordered
from simple to complex and from concrete to abstract. Mastery of each level is assumed to be necessary
for advancement to the next level and mastery at any level subsumes achievement of previous levels.

The original Bloom’s Taxonomy was revised All categories were renamed with a verb to reflect cognitive
processes: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. The order of the original
synthesis and evaluation was reversed. They also identified four types of knowledge and positioned
them on a separate axis. All cognitive processes (remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and
create) can operate with each of the four types of knowledge and thus, a two-way grid of objectives can
be created.

The four types of knowledge are:

Factual: basic elements a student must know to be acquainted with a discipline or solve
problems in it.

Conceptual: interrelationships among the basic elements within a larger structure that enable
them to function together.

Procedural: how to do something, and criteria for using skills, algorithms, techniques, and
methods.

Metacognitive knowledge: knowledge of cognition in genera. awareness and knowledge of one’s

own cognition.

The Affective Domain of Learning

The affective domain relates to the development of values, attitudes, and beliefs.
The levels of the affective taxonomy, as originally conceived by Krathwohl et al are receiving,
responding, valuing, organizing, and characterization by a value set. These level names were
subsequently changed to active verbs like receive, respond, value, organize, and internalize. However, as
with the cognitive domain, Atkinson’s descriptors detail abilities and not actions. Atkinson does not
provide verbs to describe an individual’s activity at each level, but rather verbs that could be used in
statements of expected learning. He views the affective domain as applying both professional and
personal skills.

The Psychomotor Domain of Learning

The psychomotor domain describes behaviors related to physical movement and proficiency in the
execution of manual tasks. Like the cognitive and affective taxonomies, the categories are listed from the
simplest behavior to the most complex. Although other psychomotor taxonomies have been created, a
widely accepted one in nursing education was developed by Dave. The categories of Dave’s taxonomy of
the psychomotor domain, imitation, manipulation, precision, articulation, and naturalization are
observable and amenable to evaluation.
Interrelationships Among the Learning Domains
The existence of three taxonomies (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor) can be interpreted to mean that
learning in each domain is compartmentalized, separate, and unconnected to learning in the other
domains. However, this is not the case. The domains of learning do not operate in three separate vacuums.
For example, the manual execution of a nursing skill requires cognitive processing and a desire to
complete the skill correctly (i.e., it is necessary to understand and apply knowledge of concepts,
principles, and procedures and to value accuracy). In addition, continuous cognitive evaluation of the
precision of performance is an inherent component of providing physical care. Further, all aspects of
nursing care are based on knowledge and judgment and are expressed through a set of values and beliefs,
which themselves first require knowledge and evaluation. Thus, each domain is intimately interconnected
with the others.

Clarification of Terms

Learning Objectives
Learning objectives are descriptions of what students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes should be like
after the successful completion of a learning experience.

The objectives should state the behavior and criteria for successful achievement, be attainable within a
specified timeframe and/or context, and be measurable. As conceived, behavioral objectives are far too
specific to describe the endpoint of a curriculum. Moreover, the complexities of integrated thinking and
acting would not likely be evident.

Learning Goals
Learning goals are student-focused, broad statements that describe the educational destination to be
reached by students. A goal can encompass several objectives and domains of learning, or it can stand
alone if objectives are not specified. Goals can incorporate cognitive, affective, interpersonal, ethical,
and/or psychomotor dimensions; that is, they can integrate multidomain behaviors.

Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes are written statements of the abilities students are projected to attain at the completion
of an educational program. The outcome statements focus on students and what they should be able to
demonstrate at the completion of a process of learning including knowledge, attitudes, and skills. More
specifically, within nursing curricula, they are practice-oriented statements, integrating several domains
of knowledge so that higher-level functions, such as nursing care, can be carried out.

Competencies
Competencies are the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students need to develop in order to accomplish
the intended learning outcomes. They are behaviorally based, although not limited to one behavior or one
learning domain. The competency statements are student-focused, specify the type and level of behavior,
and include the context in which the behavior is to occur. The competencies are the prerequisites to
achieving the outcomes.

Comparison of Goals and Outcomes

Learning goals, outcomes, objectives, and competencies are all intended to describe an endpoint of a
temporal period of learning, are focused on the student, and describe integration of knowledge, attitude,
and skills.

Outcome statements are derived largely from the practice context, whereas goals are derived from a
broader assessment of the total environment of the school of nursing, of which the healthcare
environment is an important component.

Evident in the goals are the philosophical and educational approaches, the core curriculum concepts,
and key professional abilities in a comprehensive, holistic fashion. whereas outcome statements, the
philosophical approaches may not be evident, and unless the curriculum is concept-based, significant
curriculum concepts may not be strongly apparent.

Outcomes are practice-oriented and should make sense to practicing professionals, as well as academic
professionals. This practice orientation makes the statements understandable and appealing to
students. In contrast, as traditionally written, goals may not be as directly connected to practice.
However, in the model proposed in this text, curriculum goals are generally practice-oriented.

The term outcomes is confident, definite, and firm. Therefore, outcome statements are a declarative
description of achievement. In contrast, the term goals convey a tone of hope and aspiration, something to
strive for, but not necessarily to achieve.

Examples of curriculum goal is: Graduates will be able to practice ethical, evidence-informed nursing
from a health promotion and caring perspective in a variety of settings and contexts with diverse client
groups across the lifespan.
Evident in this goal are:
Key professional abilities: practice ethical, evidence-informed nursing-
Aspects of the philosophical approach: caring, clients as partners
Curriculum concepts: evidence-informed, health promotion, caring, culture, and context
The context where behavior will be demonstrated: a variety of settings and contexts, with
diverse clients across the lifespan.
Tone: aspirational (graduates will be able to)

An example of a curriculum outcome statement is: Graduates will plan and deliver care based on
integration and judicious application of knowledge from nursing, biological, and human sciences;
healthcare systems; and client priorities to individuals, families, and communities of diverse cultures.
This statement incorporates:
Action verbs specifying what graduates will do: plan and deliver care based on synthesis
and application of knowledge.
The context: to individuals, families, and communities of diverse cultures
• Tone: confident (graduates will)
Alternately, outcome statements can be written to describe the attributes of graduates. The above example
could be presented in this way: The graduate is an analytical and integrative thinker who applies
knowledge from nursing, biological and human sciences, healthcare systems, and client priorities, to plan
and deliver care to individuals, families, and communities of diverse cultures. This outcome includes:
Attributes of the graduate: analytical and integrative thinker
Action verbs: applies knowledge
The context: to plan and deliver care to individuals, families, and communities of diverse cultures
Tone: confident (graduate is)

Purposes of Curriculum Goals and Curriculum Outcome Statements

for Various Audiences

Curriculum Developers
Curriculum developers use either the goals or the outcome statements as a source of direction for
all subsequent aspects of curriculum planning, implementation, and evaluation. This means that
the curriculum design, level, and course goals, level outcomes and level competencies, and
course objectives, learning activities, course requirements, assessment of learning, and
curriculum evaluation all derive their focus and intent from the curriculum goal or outcome
statements.
Curriculum developers are obligated to create and sequence learning experiences that will allow
motivated and capable students to achieve the intended educational endpoint.
Faculty members designing individual courses turn to the educational endpoint and the level expectations
as their points of reference for course development, including course goals/objectives or course
outcomes/competencies, strategies to ignite learning, and assessments of student learning. The curriculum
and level expectations specify what students are to achieve and are the touchstone against which faculty
members assess the suitability of their course development and implementation.

Current Students
Students enrolled in a school of nursing look to the curriculum goals or the curriculum outcome
statements as the target they should reach by graduation and to course goals or course competencies as
targets for smaller units of learning. To make the destination statements meaningful to students, faculty
should refer to them frequently, identifying how particular learning activities contribute to the
achievement of either the goals or outcomes. In this way, the statements have an educational value to
students.
Prospective Students
Potential applicants can review the curriculum goals or the curriculum outcome statements to determine if
the curriculum will match their view of nursing, personal expectations, and philosophical orientation. The
statements can attract applicants whose interests are aligned with the curriculum purposes and processes.

Clinicians and Potential Employers

These groups can use the published statements to understand what students are expected to accomplish
and what professional abilities they will have at graduation. Reference to the curriculum goals or the
curriculum outcome statements by faculty can be effective in helping clinicians appreciate why the
nursing curriculum is organized as it is.

Members of the Parent Institution

Faculty members teaching required non-nursing support courses, chairs of institution-wide committees
concerned with curricula and standards, and administrators are interested in whether the nursing
curriculum goals or curriculum outcome statements are congruent with the mission and values of the
parent institution. If institution-wide educational expectations have been delineated for programs, these
should be apparent in the nursing curriculum goals or the curriculum outcome statements, although
presented within the context of nursing.
The curriculum goals or curriculum outcome statements provide a structure from which courses and
programs can be evaluated in response to requirements for accountability by provincial or state higher
education boards. They may also assist in identifying gaps or overlap in program offerings, and in
clarifying instructional, programmatic, and institutional priorities.

Accrediting Organizations, State Boards of Nursing, and Provincial Nursing

Licensing Bodies
Representatives of organizations concerned with nursing education and nursing practice standards also
have a legitimate interest in the curriculum goals or the curriculum outcome statements. They want to be
assured that graduates’ abilities match the expectations for the program level (practical nursing, associate
degree, baccalaureate, or graduate) and are congruent with established standards. The statements are
assessed carefully when programs are reviewed for approval or accreditation. Additionally, curriculum
goals or curriculum outcome statements, among other information, are evaluated when graduates seek
licensure in jurisdictions other than the one in which they were originally licensed.

Members of Professional Nursing Organizations

Members of professional nursing organizations review nursing curriculum goals and curriculum outcome
statements to keep abreast of educational expectations and the professional abilities of new graduates. The
statements could also signal the type of student placement experiences that the school of nursing might
request within professional organizations. Further, the statements may contribute to the rationale used to
substantiate recommendations to legislators about standards for entry to nursing practice and healthcare
policy.

Members of the Public

Members of the public generally read the curriculum goals or curriculum outcomes statements only when
they encounter a problem in nursing practice. In those instances, if a complaint to a licensing body or a
lawsuit is considered, healthcare recipients and/or their legal representatives may want to determine the
abilities graduates should have achieved and use that information as part of a claim against a nurse.

Formulating Curriculum Goals and Curriculum Outcome Statements

Curriculum Goal Statements

In the Model for Evidence-Informed, Context-Relevant, Unified Curriculum Development, goal
statements are developed from the agreed-upon philosophical and educational approaches, core
curriculum concepts, and key professional abilities. It is recognized that congruence of the goal
statements with the mission, vision, and goals of the school of nursing and educational institution
is essential.
The language and format of the curriculum goal statements must be consistent with the philosophical and
educational approaches and incorporate the key professional abilities and core curriculum concepts. The
statements are future-oriented and say what a person ought to do (i.e., students will). The goals are a
balance between comprehensiveness and concreteness, that is, they can encompass a combination of
knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and yet are concrete enough to be meaningful. They should be
sufficiently broad to allow for ongoing curriculum refinement.
It is advisable that those preparing the goal statements be immersed in the philosophical approaches, core
curriculum concepts, key professional abilities, nursing education standards, entry to practice
requirements, and other relevant information assembled as part of the contextual data. A synthesis of this
information is necessary when writing the goals.
Goal statements are composed of four parts:
Key professional abilities, expressed in an action verb that incorporates a constellation of
achievements from more than one learning domain
Aspects of the philosophical approach
Major curriculum concepts
Context in which the action will be demonstrated

Curriculum Outcome Statements

Curriculum outcome statements describe the actions or characteristics of graduates within the context of
nursing practice. They are succinct, declarative statements of what graduates can do, or their attributes,
and are not time-based. In a competency-based curriculum, with rigorous and authentic assessments, it is
possible for educators to assure the parent institution and the public that graduates can demonstrate the
described actions. Outcome statements are based on an understanding of current and anticipated realities
of nursing practice.
When written as declarations of what graduates can do, the outcome statements are comprised of 2
components:
Practice-oriented actions that incorporate integration and synthesis of a range of knowledge,
cognitive skills, behaviors, values, and attitudes
The context in which the actions will be performed and/or a description of care recipients

When written to describe the characteristics of graduates, the outcome statements are made up of three
parts:
An attribute (or attributes)
An action verb that reflects a synthesis of several behaviors, usually from more than one learning
domain
The context in which the behavior will be demonstrated

Confirming Curriculum Goals or Outcome Statements and Level Expectations

Faculty members are rightfully concerned about accuracy, reasonableness, and comprehensiveness in the
goal or outcome statements and, therefore, discussion about both the substance and phraseology can be
anticipated before approval by the total faculty group is achieved. It is prudent to allow sufficient time for
review and discussion of the curriculum and level expectations before proceeding with other aspects of
curriculum development. The statements of what students should have achieved at graduation constitute a
public promise of what successful students will be like. Therefore, faculty members need to feel satisfied
with these statements before they can commit to further curriculum development and subsequent
adherence to the curriculum intent during implementation.

an Evidence-Informed, Context-Relevant, Unified Curriculum

In the Model of Evidence-Informed, Context-Relevant, Unified Curriculum Development, goals embody
the educational destination, and this destination includes the key professional abilities that graduates will
demonstrate, the major concepts that will influence their nursing practice, and the philosophical
foundations of the practice. The concepts and professional abilities are derived from the analysis of
contextual data; therefore, the goals are evidence-informed. Furthermore, their relevance to the context in
which graduates will practice nursing is ensured.
The philosophical approaches are developed with a view to what is relevant in the current and anticipated
healthcare and social contexts and permeate the curriculum. The inclusion of some elements of the
philosophical approaches in the goals creates a foundation for ongoing attention to the philosophy
throughout the curriculum.
The presence of the key abilities, major concepts, and philosophical approaches within the goals
reinforces the unity of the curriculum. From the curriculum goals, the level goals are derived, and from
the level goals, the course goals. In this way, elements of the overall curriculum goals are present in goals
throughout the curriculum, contributing to conceptual, visual, and operational unity.
The curriculum goal statements arise from the context and lead to the next phases of curriculum
development. They embody the essence of the curriculum’s purpose. Ongoing reference to the goals as
the curriculum is developed signals the relevance and unity of the curriculum.
In contrast, the evidentiary basis of curriculum outcomes may not be as extensive as that of curriculum
goals. Accordingly, it cannot be assured that the outcomes are related to the complete context, although
they are strongly related to the nursing practice context. The lesser emphasis on core concepts and
philosophical approaches in the outcome statements may diminish the visual unity of the curriculum.
Therefore, outcomes statements may not strongly reflect the foundations of an evidence-informed,
context-relevant, unified curriculum.