Introduction to constructive alignment, learning outcomes, Bloom's taxonomy and other ideas that influence curriculum design in Higher Education

1. Designing PGCAP Programme Team

2. Intended learning outcomes By the end of the session, participants attending and engaging in the session will have had the opportunity to: discuss and critically evaluate own design process and approaches used explore innovative student-centred methods and active learning approaches when planning lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials to maximise engagement develop a better understanding of technology-enhanced curriculum design processes and explore applications in own context

3. purpose of HE disseminate knowledge develop the capacity to use ideas and information develop the ability to test ideas and evidence develop the ability to generate ideas and evidence personal development develop the capacity to plan and manage one’s own learning source Bourner and Flowers (1998)

4. helping students learn experiential and collaborative learning guidance processing and application activities structure feedback on learning resources support (Butcher et. al, 2006, p. 71-72)

5. McKimm, J. et al. BMJ 2003;326:870-873 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/326/7394/870/Fu7

6. What is a good aim? “A teaching aim is couched in terms of what the teaching is trying to do, grounded in what the subject demands” Laurillard (1993:184) "...expressed in terms of what you, the teacher, will be presenting to the learner.“ Rowntree (1990:44)

7. Intended Learning Outcomes Describe what learners will know and be able to do when they have completed a session, module or programme. “What a learner knows or can do as a result of learning” Otter (1992:i) “Descriptors of the ways that students will be expected to demonstrate the results of their learning.” Race (2000:10)

8. A well-written learning outcome statement: Active verbs Identify important learning requirements: knowledge, skills, attitudes. Be achievable and measurable. Use clear language. Explicit statements of achievement.

9. Content & Intended learning outcomes: minimum requirements Butcher et al (2006) Designing Learning. From Module outline to effective teaching, Oxon: Routledge. p. 59

10. The 4 domains

11. The Cognitive Domain and Bloom’s Taxonomy Video – Bloom’s Taxonomy via Pirates of the Caribbean http://bit.ly/9lmm4C Bloom’s Taxonomoy (1956) Educational Psychology Interactive: The Cognitive Domain

12. Bloom’s Taxonomy and verb list

13. avoid/use

14. Bloom reconfigured (slightly) Anderson and Krathwohl Revision (2001)

17. Planning – Things to consider Your learners Group size Title Time/duration Day/date, location Aims and Learning Outcomes Structure and Content Methods/Activities Aids and Resources Assessment Differentiation Reflection/Evaluation “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!”

18. Modes of delivery - traditionally Lectures Seminars Tutorials What do these mean? Do we deliver these and plan these differently? How do these labels affect how we plan and deliver these modes of delivery? What can we do about it?

19. How to deliver From transmission to reception. What is more important: That we transmit content? Or That students receive content? Should we be focussing on how to get our students receive (and process) content and how we facilitate this? NB: “receive” in this context is 'decoding' (reconstructing) the message / content transmitted.

20. Moving away from the didactic / transmissive mode – different approaches Problem Based Learning Individualised Instruction (not to be confused with one to one tutoring) Podcasts with tutorials … Key message: Students are actively involved in learning the content based on tasks we provide to help them do that.

21. What to deliver What Content? Essential, Should, Could. Threshold Concepts? What Skills?

22. Threshold Concepts? Certain concepts are held to be central to the mastery of a subject They have the following features: Transformative: Once understood, a threshold concept changes the way in which the student views the discipline. Troublesome: Threshold concepts are likely to be troublesome for the student. e.g when it is counter−intuitive. Irreversible: They are difficult to unlearn. Integrative: Threshold concepts, once learned, are likely to bring together different aspects of the subject that previously did not appear, to the student, to be related. Bounded: A threshold concept will probably delineate a particular conceptual space, serving a specific and limited purpose. Discursive: Crossing of a threshold will incorporate an enhanced and extended use of language.

23. Curriculum Design

25. core knowledge of discipline

26. assessment

27. orientation internally and externally

28. informal adjustments ongoing

30. core knowledge of discipline

31. assessment

32. orientation internally and externally

33. informal adjustments ongoing

35. flexibility

36. originality

37. personalisation

38. collaborationKey factor: Is creativity valued by students, the department, influential academics?

39. JISC

41. Influences Institutional & Beyond Professional Bodies Resourcing Skills Agenda Employability Students Widening Participation Technology Research Learning Theory Student Experience

42. Curriculum design models modular approach Lego (scaffolded modules) Satellite (free standing modules) Jigsaw (connected modules) fitting it all together, approaches pyramid spiral satellite image missing!!!

43. Module Specifications Aims Intended Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding, Skills Assessment Learning & Teaching Strategies Syllabus Outline Resources Information Literacy e-submission where applicable …

44. References Anderson, L.W. & Krathwohl, D.R. (2001) A Taxonomy of Learning, Teaching and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Longman: New York Biggs, J. (1999) Teaching for Quality Learning at University SRHE/OUP Bloom, B.S. et al, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain New York: McKay Bourner, T & Flowers, S (1998) Teaching and Learning Methods in Higher Education: A Glimpse of the Future. Reflections on HE, pp. 77-102. Butcher, Davies & Highton (2006) Designing Learning: From Module Outline to Effective Teaching, Abingdon: Routledge Laurillard, D. (2002) Rethinking University Teaching: A Framework for the Effective Use of Educational Technology London: Routledge Meyer JHF and Land R (2003) Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge (1) Linkages to Ways of Thinking and Practising in Improving Student Learning Ten Years On. Rust, C (ed), OCSLD, Oxford Otter, S. (1992) Learning Outcomes in Higher Education London:UDACE Rowntree, D. (1990) Teaching Through Self-Instruction Abingdon: Routledge

45. Resources: Guide for Busy Academics: Using Learning Outcomes to Design a Course and Assess Learning http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files/CPLHE/Learnng%20outcomes%20for%20busy%20academics.rtf