Course Development Principles

This session is in three sections… Introduction Aim of this session Why do we need the principles now? What are the principles? What do they mean? How do we use them? Activity Feedback and questions

Where can we find help? Teacher Fellows Course leaders in your own and other Faculties PLs with a specific responsibility for Learning and Teaching, Associate Deans for Learning and Teaching, Learning Resources The Centre for Learning and Teaching website + documents Students and alumni Student services The Equality and Diversity team Academic librarians Repositories such as Merlot and Open Learn

Here are the 9 principles… Key concepts Strong course identity Depth of learning Inclusive environment Personalised student support A course level assessment strategy Challenging and authentic tasks Activities linked to student experience Vertical and horizontal integration of learning

Key concepts What does this mean? Certain ideas are held to be central to the mastery of a subject’ (Meyer and Land 2003) This is obviously different for each ‘subject’/discipline

Key concepts Why are key concepts important? Using ‘key concepts’ can help course designers decide what is important to the subject/discipline Using key concepts can help avoid an ‘overstuffed curriculum’ which focuses on content (Cousin, 2006)

Key concepts: examples Ask what the key concepts are for a course Ask why these concepts are key Ask if our curricula are ‘overstuffed with content’ Ask how these key concepts relate to Benchmark statements

Strong course identity What does this mean? This should be a clear and distinctive message about what it means to be a student on this course This message should begin before the student embarks on the course and it should be present throughout the entire student experience on the course

Strong course identity Why is this important? A strong course identity should enhance a student’s sense of belonging A strong course identity should improve a student’s enjoyment of the course

Strong course identity: examples Ask if the course and module titles support the course identity Ask if the course looks and feels coordinated and professional Ask if there are opportunities for students to develop supportive networks with others on the course before the course begins/during the course and after the course has ended

Depth of learning What does this mean? This is where students are able to engage with the learning acquired Deep learning relates to the level of intellectual demand The level of intellectual demand should increase through the levels of a course

Depth of learning Why is this important? It is obvious- isn’t it? examples could be… Create a learning environment which goes beyond passivity and reiteration Ask if content should be slimmed down to achieve greater depth Check that learning deepens over the levels of the course

An inclusive environment What Does This Mean? An Inclusive Environment is: Non-discriminatory, appropriate and transparent Respectful of the perspectives and experiences of individuals Promotes inclusive attitudes and behaviours in others

An inclusive environment Why is this important? There are legal obligations (The Equality Act 2010)against discrimination An inclusive environment goes beyond being non-discriminatory Seeks to create a community of individuals each respected for their own unique contribution

An inclusive environment: examples Go beyond the familiar canon and consider other cultures and perspectives Try to ensure that our courses, and our students, are welcoming to others Take account of the needs of others, e.g. disability, caring responsibilities, when planning activities, group work, visits

Personalised student support What does this mean? Ensuring that students feel they are regarded as individuals on the course Students know to whom they can turn for help

Personalised student support Why is this important? Becoming a University student can be a lonely and challenging experience Individual students may become isolated, less confident and their work and their experience may suffer

Personalised student support: examples Try to get to know students by name Make sure that students know where to get help; technical, academic, personal A student may feel uncomfortable about approaching their personal tutor. Make sure that they know to whom else they can turn

Course level assessment strategy What does this mean? Considering how all assessments across the course and in all modules, relate to: One another Course outcomes Level outcomes Our Graduate Attributes

Course level assessment strategy Why is this important? Different assessment practices have significant impact on students’ approaches to learning (Rust 2002) Assessment is perhaps the most important driver of student learning A co-ordinated assessment strategy builds the course identity Exposing students to a variety of assessment methods broadens the student experience

Course level assessment strategy: examples Map and consider the students’ assessment experience through the whole of the course Create a rounded and integrated scheme of assessments. e.g. if using a scenario in one module, could we use the same scenario in another module with different learning outcomes and a different type of assessment?

Challenging and authentic tasks What does this mean? For learning and assessment tasks to be ‘authentic’ students should be able to appreciate the relevance to real-world and work-based environments Tasks should be differentiated to provide levels of challenge and to encourage students to value others’ contributions Challenging and authentic tasks are often complex and / or sustained involving applying theory to explore real world contexts

Challenging and authentic tasks Why are these important? When tasks are appropriately challenging and authentic students find them meaningful and purposeful and there are clear, shared expectations about learning which foster the sense of a learning community A key predictor of student academic success is the involvement which comes from interaction between staff and students (Astin, 1997)

Challenging and authentic tasks: examples Consider the range of ways in which your course actively engages students in their learning Consult with employers/ professional bodies over the authenticity of the tasks you set. Check students have sufficient opportunity to be challenged in the variety of ways in which they will be assessed Assess whether students are able to select tasks/ assessments that are most authentic for them in terms of their postgraduate aspirations. Check that marking criteria and conventions encourage students to actively and creatively apply skills and knowledge

Activities linked to the student experience What does this mean? Learning teaching and assessment needs to take account of students’ diverse backgrounds, experiences and intentions Activities should allow students to draw on, value and share their extra curricular experiences

Activities linked to the student experience Why is this important? Not only do we have students from diverse backgrounds but they have diverse intentions post graduation and are unlikely to remain in one career Students need to feel empowered to participate in the learning experience Valuing experience is not only key to student engagement it is central to their employability

Activities linked to the student experience: examples Map where and how students are encouraged to record, evaluate and develop their own experiences Check with module staff how students are enabled to learn from their peers’ experiences Skills associated with reflection are a key component of personal, professional and academic development- check how are they taught on your course Identify which modules allow students to draw on and develop more experience outside their course

Vertical and horizontal integration of learning What does this mean? This means working to minimise the potential disadvantages of a modularised curriculum We must ensure that students and staff can clearly map the learning outcomes at each level ( horizontally) and from level to level (vertically) to the course learning outcomes

Vertical and horizontal integration of learning Why is this important? A cohesive learning experience allows for students and staff to build on prior learning and synthesise ( make connections between) learning in different modules Such an experience is likely to lead to higher student satisfaction ( see deeper learning)

Vertical and horizontal integration of learning: examples Ensure module learning outcomes (LOs) are aligned to level outcomes and to the course LOs Identify clear opportunities to deepen learning e.g. by revisiting key themes/ concepts/ skills but avoid duplication of content/ assessment Ensure that module staff draw on these alignments e.g. making reference to learning from other modules in their teaching Check that option modules are equally well aligned

Questions?

References Astin, A. (1997) What matters in college. Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey Bass. Cousin, G., (2006) An introduction to threshold concepts, Planet, No.17, December Meyer, J.H.F. and Land, R. (2003), ‘Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge (1): Linkages to ways of thinking and practicing’, in Rust, C. (ed.), Improving Student Learning – ten years on. Oxford: OCSLD