Transcript Ensuring alignment in the curriculum: Aligning policies, processes

Sue Drew
Learning and Teaching Institute
Sheffield Hallam University
[email protected]
What will I cover?

What is constructive
alignment?

What students say help them
learn

Supporting staff in developing
aligned courses
What is constructive alignment?
 Constructivism
"They (forms of constructivism) have in
common the idea that what the learner
has to do to create knowledge is the
important thing"
(Biggs 2003 P12)
"....education is about conceptual
change, not just the acquisition of
information"
(Biggs 2003 P13)
Therefore:
what you ask students to do
must align with what you want them
to learn
Biggs: a system where
components need to be in balance





curriculum
teaching methods
assessment procedures
climate of interactions with students
institutional climate
(Biggs 2003 P26)
What students say help them learn
My research. Method:

structured group sessions

up to 25 students

worked in small groups on a question,
review in large group, repeat.
3 Questions

What are the main LOs from your
course?

What has helped you achieve them?

What has hindered you in achieving
them?
Findings
Mix of student and contextual factors
Student
Context
Self management
Course organisation/
resources/facilities
Motivational needs
Assessment
Understanding
Support
Learning activities and
teaching
Context impacts on student factors
Student
Context
Self management
Course organisation/
resources/facilities
Motivational needs
Assessment
Understanding
Support
Learning activities and
teaching
Supporting staff in developing
aligned courses
In the LTI, I work:

with course planning teams

with Registry on course planning/validation
templates, guidance etc.
Strategy

Module description to encourage good
design

Examples and guidance

Support for course planning teams

Review by validation panels
Joined up approach
Module description, examples and
guidance reflect
eg
Key Skills policy
Learning from Work policy
Assessment policy
LTA strategy
QAA Codes of Practice
Aims
Learning Outcomes
What should the students be
able to know, understand, do?
Learning and Teaching
Strategy
What methods will help
students achieve the
learning outcomes?
Standards
Assessment Strategy
How will you assess if
students have met the
learning outcomes?
Assessment Criteria
On what basis will you
judge if students have
met the learning
outcomes and how well?
Rosie Bingham 2001
3 Key Shifts
Shift 1 - Learning Outcomes
Verbs
Biggs (2003) - very important
- delineate levels
- can suggest surface or deep
approach
Example
Student will be able to understand how a
car works
????
What does it mean?
Students will be able to:
- describe how a car works
- explain how a car works
- discuss the critical aspects of how
a car works
- drive a car
???
Other Problem Verbs




Be aware of
Know
Develop an ability to
Demonstrate the ability to
Issues
Staff I think I don't care about understanding!
Implicit LO's – you can spot them in:


learning and teaching methods
assessment methods
Support for LO Development
 Booklet for writing LO's – lists of verbs
 SHU generic LO's by level
 Workshops with course teams
 Feedback on module descriptions &
programme specs
SHU Generic LOs
Based on: Framework for HE
qualifications
QCA Key Skill specifications
Common items in benchmark
statements
+ a bit of Bloom's taxonomy
(Bloom 1956)
SHU Generic LOs. Example
Describe the essential
facts
principles
concepts
theories
values/beliefs/ethics/
aesthetics
Identify and explain
the essential
facts
principles
concepts
theories
values/beliefs/
ethics/aesthetics
Identify and explain,
in sufficient detail
for the purpose,
essential and other
important
facts
principles
concepts
theories
values/beliefs/
ethics/aesthetics
Select and explain
those appropriate
from the range of
facts
principles
concepts
theories
values/beliefs/ethics/a
esthetics
current
problems/issues
current research and
advanced scholarship
new insights
Shift 2 – Assessment criteria

Require pass descriptors in module
descriptions

Staff find this very hard
Pass descriptors linked to the LOs
Start with the verb eg describe
Criteria might be - range of features
covered; level of detail;
accuracy
Pass level
- what range will be
covered?
in how much detail?
how accurate?
Problems
Instead of pass descriptors:
- repeat LOs
- write tasks
Writing pass descriptors means:
You clarify what the LO means
 Need to write them together
 Leads to rethinking assessment
Support
 Booklet on writing criteria
 Exemplars of criteria against SHU LOs
 Workshops with course planning teams
 Feedback on planning documents
Exemplar
LO
Pass descriptor
describe the essential
 principles
 concepts
 theories
 values/beliefs/ethics/
aesthetics
 facts
descriptions cover
the main, essential
aspects and are
mostly accurate
Shift 3 - Format of the module
description
Wording it for students
Old Headings
 Rationale
 Aims
 Anticipated Learning Outcomes
 Indicative content
 Teaching and Learning Strategy and
Methods
 Assessment Strategy
 Criteria for Assessment
 Indicative Reading
New Headings
These are the aims of this module...
The reason for having this module and for having it at this
level or point in the course is...
By the end of the module you will be able to...
These are the main ways of learning and teaching which will
help you to achieve the learning outcomes...
This is how the learning outcomes will be assessed...
This is how and at what points you will be given feedback
on your performance...
To achieve a pass..
These are examples of the content of the module...
These are examples of the main learning resources you will use...
Support
 Guidelines are within the template
 Workshops with course planning teams
 Feedback on draft module descriptions
Summary:

Module description to encourage good
design

Examples and guidance

Support for course planning teams

Review by validation panels
Aims
Learning Outcomes
What should the students be
able to know, understand, do?
Learning and Teaching
Strategy
What methods will help
students achieve the
learning outcomes?
Standards
Assessment Strategy
How will you assess if
students have met the
learning outcomes?
Assessment Criteria
On what basis will you
judge if students have
met the learning
outcomes and how well?
Rosie Bingham 2001
References
Biggs J (2003, 2nd ed.) Teaching for Quality Learning at
University. Buckingham, SRHE and OU Press
Bloom B S (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New
York, David McKay Co, Inc.
Drew S (2001) 'Student perceptions of what helps them learn
and develop in Higher Education' IN Teaching in Higher
Education 6, No 3, 2001 pp309-331