The signing of the Bologna Agreement in 1999 has major implications for all involved in third level education throughout the world. Since 2010 in the 45 countries that have signed up to the Bologna process, it is a requirement that all modules and programmes in third level institutions must be described in terms of learning outcomes. The effect of the Bologna Process is also being felt at high school level with new curricula being re-written in terms of learning outcomes.
This chapter covers the background to the concept of Learning Outcomes, the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy to write learning outcomes in science education and the linking of learning outcomes to both teaching and learning activities as well as to assessment. In addition, the author discusses the effects of the introduction of learning outcomes into the teacher-training programme for student science teachers in his own university.