by Jarek Janio, Ph.D.
Inspired by a recent Friday SLO Talk featuring Dr. Leslie Jennings, Missina Minter, Megan Zara, and Dr. Stacy Greathouse from The University of Texas at Arlington.
One of the most powerful lessons from the recent Friday SLO Talk was not about adding complexity to assessment. It was about eliminating confusion.
The team from The University of Texas at Arlington introduced a brilliant, deceptively simple principle: what they call the “Holy Hail” language standard.
The idea is this:
If a student learning outcome (SLO) is important enough to define the course, it is important enough to be echoed, word for word, at every level of the course structure.
From lesson objectives to assignments to rubrics, the language must remain consistent, visible, and reinforced. No translation needed. No guessing required.
It’s a radical act of transparency—and one that could transform how students experience learning across higher education.
Here’s why the “Holy Hail” standard matters—and how you can start applying it right now.
What Is the Holy Hail Standard?
The term “Holy Hail” was coined half in jest by Dr. Stacy Greathouse and her team—but the concept itself is profound.
In short:
- If the SLO says “analyze”, students should encounter the word “analyze” in their lesson outcomes.
- The word “analyze” should appear again in their assignment instructions.
- It should appear again in the rubric criteria.
- And it should be reinforced in the course content itself—whether videos, readings, discussions, or activities.
In other words, the SLO is not just a hidden document for faculty or accreditation reviewers. It is the spine of the student experience.
Wherever a student turns, the connection between what they are doing and what they are learning should be explicit, transparent, and consistently labeled.
Why Consistency Matters
You might think:
“Students don’t care about learning outcomes. They just care about grades.”
But maybe the reason students seem disengaged from learning outcomes is that they can’t see them.
Maybe we’ve hidden the most important goals behind vague instructions, changing terminology, and murky assessment practices.
The Holy Hail model restores the clarity students need.
It treats students with respect—as active participants in their own learning, not passive recipients of disconnected assignments.
Here’s what clear, consistent language accomplishes:
- Alignment becomes visible. Students can connect each task directly to a larger learning goal.
- Motivation increases. When students understand why an assignment matters, they are more likely to invest in it.
- Assessment becomes fairer. Students can predict what success looks like because the rubric speaks the same language as the learning outcome.
- Faculty workload decreases. Transparent courses need fewer emergency emails, clarifications, and assignment rescues.
In short, Holy Hail language doesn’t just help students. It helps instructors, too.
How the Motley Crew Applied It
In the nursing course designed by the Motley Crew at UTA, Holy Hail language wasn’t an afterthought. It was baked into every layer of the course:
- Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs): Defined clear, competency-based goals.
- Lesson Objectives: Directly derived from SLOs using the same Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs (like “analyze,” “evaluate,” “demonstrate”).
- Assignment Instructions: Reused the exact verbs and phrasing from the objectives.
- Rubrics: Matched the verbs in scoring criteria to the learning outcomes.
- Course Content: Videos, readings, and learning activities were labeled with corresponding objectives and outcomes.
Students could see their journey.
They weren’t just told what to do. They were shown how each step moved them closer to mastering the skills that mattered.
Why Many Courses Fail to Apply This
Unfortunately, in many traditional courses, the path from SLOs to assignments feels like wandering through fog.
Why?
- Faculty often write SLOs in formal or technical language but shift into informal speech in assignments.
- Rubrics sometimes assess criteria (“neatness,” “effort”) that don’t clearly map back to any official learning outcome.
- Course content drifts toward what’s convenient or traditional, rather than staying anchored to the learning goals.
The result?
Students experience the course as a series of unrelated tasks, not as a purposeful, skill-building journey.
Holy Hail is not about adding more work for faculty.
It’s about tightening the links that should already exist.
How to Apply the Holy Hail Standard in Your Course
You don’t need to overhaul your entire course overnight.
Here’s how you can start bringing Holy Hail clarity to your SLOs and assessments:
1. Start with your strongest SLOs
Identify 2-3 major student learning outcomes for your course. Focus on making their language visible everywhere.
2. Mirror the verbs
Make sure lesson objectives, assignment instructions, and rubrics use the exact same verbs (analyze, demonstrate, create, compare).
If the SLO says “analyze,” don’t substitute “reflect” or “explore” without a good reason.
3. Highlight the connections
In your assignment descriptions, explicitly state:
“This assignment helps you demonstrate the ability to analyze perioperative nursing procedures as outlined in Course Outcome 2.”
Make the purpose visible.
4. Check your rubrics
Revise rubrics to ensure that each criterion relates clearly to a course or lesson outcome. Avoid adding categories that aren’t connected to learning (like “creativity” if it’s not part of your SLOs).
5. Train students to look for the links
In your first week, explain how your course is structured around clear, transparent goals. Teach students to look for the echoes.
You’ll be surprised how many students will appreciate being treated as partners in the learning journey.
Final Thoughts
The “Holy Hail” standard might sound extreme at first. Repeating the same words? Mirroring the same phrases?
But it’s not about rigidity. It’s about clarity.
Every time students encounter the same phrasing, they receive a message:
“This matters. This is what you’re learning. This is how we will help you get there.”
Learning is hard enough without having to decode a course’s hidden logic.
Holy Hail language tears down the barriers between students and success.
And in doing so, it reaffirms something essential:
Education is not a guessing game. It is a journey with a clear destination—and a map we share openly.