Curriculum Design. A Learner Centered Approach May, 2007 By. Rhys Andrews

Curriculum Design and Reform – A Process of Transition Institutions in higher education are currently undergoing significant curricular reform, not just in Georgia Reasons? Social and economic challenges, shift from teacher centered to learner centered approach, external reviews, government pressure, educational technologies, internationalization, others?

Learner-Centered Approach to Curriculum Design Curriculum that gives learners: Knowledge, skills and attitudes that are assessable, transferable and relevant to their lives as workers and citizens A Learner-Centered Approach places emphasis on: Learning communities, curriculum integration and clearly defined learning outcomes

Benefits of a Learner-Centered Approach to Curriculum Design 1.Informed learners - what they can expect to achieve from a program – so they can organize time and efforts. 2.Helps to determine the extent to which learning has been accomplished. 3.Helps Curriculum committees determine programs of study and course offerings within resource constraints. 4.Communicates curriculum/program goals to a broader community. 5.Informs faculty when they are designing objectives, content, delivery and assessment strategies.

Central Concepts Outcomes based Current, relevant Employability Variety of teaching techniques Student-centred Team & individual learning Learning communities Needs Assessment Advisory Committee Employment Trends Data Job Descriptions National Standards Focus of Assessment Other Considerations Existing course material? Time allotment (hours per week) Defining the Learner Faculty expertise Curriculum committee Program Learning Outcomes with Indicators of Learning Knowledge and Skill Profile “DACUM” Strategy of Teaching Process and Who is the learner? Learning Strategies (Teaching)

The Learner Family Community Maturity Culture Gender History Supports Socio-economics Who is the learner ?

Describing the Learner Before completing learning outcomes for a program or course, a description of learners helps to place a context for development of the learning outcome. Eg. “Effective Communication” would be a different outcome for a university program than it would be for a technical program.

What are Learning Outcomes? They are a statement of what the student should know and be able to do when they complete a program or course Knowledge Skills Attitudes Learning outcomes are related to the needs analysis of the student (for employment) rather than the needs of the instructor

A focus on learning outcomes suggests that faculty focus first on what is essential that students know or be able to do following completion of a program. A simple question for faculty to ask is: How will students use or apply this knowledge and these skills in the workplace?

Defining a Learning Outcome 3 main questions to answer: What would be required of a student in a employment situation? What teaching methods/strategies would be effective? How will the learner be evaluated? (Evaluation methods should be similar to what would be encountered in the workforce)

Learning Outcomes have: Learning Indicators (Measures of success) To determine whether students are meeting the outcome Learning/Teaching Strategies To provide students with knowledge and abilities to meet the outcome

Which comes first: learning outcomes for a whole program or learning outcomes for an Individual course? Program Course Module

Learning Outcome: At the end of this unit the student will be able to... Knowledge Performance Indicators, or Indicators of Learning Skills Affective, Social “Learning Strategies” Teaching Methods

Learning Outcome: At the end of this unit the student will be able to complete a planting prescription Knowledge species selection limiting factors stocking sampling Skills sampling site assessment data compilation contract develop. Affective, Social teamwork self direction analysis of options defense development Learning and Teaching Strategy Example: Indicators of Learning

Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Example model is the “Develop A Curriculum (DACUM)” model Skills Knowledge Attitudes Increasing Complexity

Content Teaching Process ? When designing a curriculum it is also helpful to think about teaching.

Content Teaching Process Teaching the imparting of knowledge/skill

Content Teaching Process Teaching is also the helping students learn thinking processes

Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Assessment Learning Cycle: Knowledge Tacit Knowledge Learning Processes….

Learning Cycle: Knowledge Also include “Thinking Skills” Factual: seeking and recording facts, research Rational: organization, forming rules, justification Insightful: alternative perspectives, innovation, ideas Evaluative: stating preference with argument/justification Critical: similar to Rational and Evaluative, ability to critique a process or determine appropriateness of a result. Learning Processes….

Relevance: Demonstrate Imitate Practice Increase Efficiency Perform Automatically Apply Learning Cycle: Skills Learning Processes….

Relevance to a job: an individual learning activity Faculty: Define the problem Students: Explore Students: Plan the Solution Students modify And carry out Students and Faculty Evaluate Problem-Based Learning Students: Additional Information needs? Learning that simulates what will be encountered in the workforce …. Faculty provide Theory/Practice Faculty evaluate the plan Learning Processes….

Curriculum Concepts Collaboration: Learners work on projects together to develop team, group, social skills AND faculty work together to ensure curriculum overlap is intentional Relationship: Learning enhanced when the relationship of on outcome to another is demonstrated Integration: Curriculum design can accommodate opportunities for learners to integrate outcomes

Course 1 Course 2 Course 3 Course 4 Integrated Activity Example: September December Integration can occur throughout the term or as a planned event/project Times when faculty combine to show how course outcomes fit together

Other Critical Elements: Existing course material? Time allotment (hours per week) Defining the Learner Faculty expertise How do institutions build capacity and support for faculty to develop expertise in curriculum design? How are gaps identified?