The Unhappiness Principle (T.H.E.)

“The narrative through which learning outcomes are framed, however, seeks to distil a complex and necessarily open-ended dynamic into phrases that, even with the best will in the world, can never be more than platitudes.”

Learning outcomes are frequently dismissed as a nuisance to be dutifully completed and swiftly put aside, but Frank Furedi believes their prescriptive nature and underlying utilitarian ethos make them an altogether more corrosive influence on higher education.

Isn’t it possible, and helpful, to think about what students are learning – even if it’s a frustrating or unsatisfying project some of the time?