Access to the Future Fund - An Innovation Fund Project

Project Goal: Design, develop, and evaluate a Curriculum Commons Model that will have broad application for the Alberta post-secondary system. Access to the Future Fund - An Innovation Fund Project

Background Brokering presents development cost issues for the host institution and delivery issues for the receiving institution(s). The goal of the project partners, who are presently brokering the Practical Nurse curriculum, is to develop and field test a new co-ownership Curriculum Commons Model and Toolkit. Unnecessary duplication of curriculum development is inefficient.

Curriculum Commons Model in Concept Collaborative process Multiple users of a co-owned common curriculum Increase learner access without limiting institution’s ability to control the delivery and services associated with the program The Curriculum Commons Model can be used with any viable curriculum, and in various academic disciplines and geographic locations.

Curriculum Commons Project Conceptual Framework Common Curriculum Model and Toolkit Lakeland College NorQuest College Keyano College Northern Lakes College

Overall Purpose of the Project To assist Alberta post-secondary institutions in collaborative curriculum development, maintenance and implementation

Goals of the Project Increase program quality Increase learner access Improve program articulation/transfer agreements leading to improved transfer and laddering opportunities, and increased learner satisfaction Reduce negotiation over program credits and brokering Increase cost-effectiveness of curriculum development Provide information to policy-makers and stakeholders Create a sustainable and replicable model that facilitates collaboration and articulation between institutions

Alignment with Alberta Advanced Education and Technology Roles and Mandates Policy Framework for Alberta’s Publicly Funded Advanced Education System (November 2007) Excerpts… …principles for advanced education system partners, who are called upon to be accountable, collaborative, responsive, sustainable, and effective in the use of resources… (p. 2) …collaboration among system partners…curriculum, or delivery opportunities enhanced through the leveraging of technology (p. 6) …and that funding models should provide incentives for collaboration and allow institutions to respond to provincial and regional needs (p. 6) …key considerations…integrated and collaborative approach to delivery (p. 12)

The project meets all the policy outcomes outlined in A Learning Alberta (May 2006): Enables institutions to respond effectively to the choices and aspirations of learners in their communities Provide consistent and high quality programming in diverse communities Provide improved curricula... permitting institutions to adapt high quality programming to diverse needs, despite cultural or geographic limitations Supports institutional autonomy, allowing institutions to modify and redirect services to diverse learners Expands body of knowledge in the areas of curriculum collaboration and sustainability Contributes to development of seamless post-secondary system in Alberta Alignment with Alberta Advanced Education and Technology

Curriculum Commons Model A Two-Year Project Year One (September 2008 to June 2009) Research best practices to inform the subsequent design of a made in Alberta Curriculum Commons Model and Toolkit. Year Two (September 2009 to June 2010) Test and evaluate the model and toolkit with the NorQuest, Lakeland, Keyano, and Northern Lakes Practical Nurse Diploma program curricula. Disseminate the project results.

Six Research Questions 1.How do educational institutions collaborate to achieve cost-effective curriculum development and maintenance? 2.What issues are associated with collaborative curriculum development, maintenance, and usage? 3.What are the limiting factors of a collaborative model? 4. What are the best practices associated with the legal agreements essential to a collaborative model? 5. What models will facilitate the participation of member institutions of the post-secondary system? 6.What are the best practices in terms of implementing a Curriculum Commons Model?

Curriculum Collaboration Defined The process of institutions working together as equal partners with shared vision, goals, and guiding principles towards the development of a sustainable curriculum commons model that can be replicated across the Alberta post- secondary college and technical institute system

Working together… Our Values Equity Fair, impartial, even-handed Reciprocity Give and take, mutual exchange of advantages and privileges Trust Faith and confidence in our collaboration

Organization Governance Team Vice President, Academics Management Team Deans Project Integration Team Commons Project Manager/Researcher Coordinator - Curriculum Control Unit, NorQuest College Project Coordinator - Centre for Innovation and Development, NorQuest College

Overview of Year 2 Activities Model and Toolkit Website Curriculum Review Process Legal Framework Evaluation and Dissemination

Ready access... Model and Toolkit Website Development of a Curriculum Commons Model and Toolkit website Leadership provided by NorQuest College Centre for Innovation and Development Work with Project Manager and Curriculum Commons Steering Committee to develop website

Curriculum Review Process Develop 3-year Curriculum Development and Maintenance Project Charter Leadership provided by NorQuest Curriculum Quality Assurance Department Work with SME’s (subject matter experts) and Program Chairs (Coordinators) to develop Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice… Inter-institutional faculty teams (subject matter experts) working collaboratively to develop and maintain high-quality Practical Nurse curricula

Guiding Principles that enable collaboration (MOU) Shared vision Autonomous, board governed institutions Consensus decision making Pooling of our resources Dialogue and consensus problem solving Congeniality and collegiality Co-equal partners Teamwork Trust and confidence in our collective capacity Transparency, inclusivity, information sharing Transparent funding framework Joint planning for long-term sustainability

Legal Framework Project Memorandum of Understanding approved by Vice Presidents, Academic and Deans to sustain the project Curriculum Collaboration Agreement being developed to sustain the collaboration following the project

Evaluation and Dissemination What we learned… Formative and summative evaluation Leadership provided by Dr. Brian Larson, Project Manager/Researcher Adapt Stufflebeam’s Context Input Process Product (CIPP) model of evaluation to the project Purpose of evaluation is to generate information that can be used for improvement decisions and to enhance replicability of the model and toolkit Final project report prepared by the Project Manager/Researcher

Overview of Project Timelines Model and Toolkit Website November 2009 to June 30, 2010 Curriculum Review Process Life cycle curriculum processes (November 2009 to April 2010) Legal Framework Project MOU complete Collaboration Agreement (December 2009 to March 30, 2010) Evaluation and Dissemination Formative evaluation Feb (COP) and May (website) 2010 Summative evaluation June 2010 Final Report July 2010

Curriculum Commons Project Steering Committee Jason Dunne, Dean, NorQuest College (Chair) Guy Harmer, Dean, Keyano College (Member) Judy Sarsons, Dean, Lakeland College (Member) Julia Melnyk, Dean, Northern Lakes College (Contributing Member) Barbara Armstrong, Keyano College (Non-Voting Member) Brian Larson, Project Manager/Researcher