Teaching Commons Brown Bag Lunch Series: Holistic Course Design Teaching Commons November 13, 2012

Teaching Commons Facilitators Ellen Sims – Educational Developer – Yelin Su– Educational Developer –

Teaching Commons Session Learning Outcomes By the end of the session, the participants should be able to: 1.Differentiate learning outcomes from learning objectives and course objectives. 2.Write observable and measureable learning outcomes consistent with learning/course objectives.

Teaching Commons Course Design What does it mean to you when we talk about course design? What is your approach?

Teaching Commons Learning Objectives What are learning objectives? Please turn to your neighbor, collaboratively write and/or share one learning objective based on your course.

Teaching Commons How do we know if students have mastered the learning? What kind of evidence do students have to produce to demonstrate their learning?

Teaching Commons Let’s take a look at our learning objectives - can you refine your objectives?

Teaching Commons What are learning outcomes Learning outcomes are what a student can do as a result of a learning experience (course/program). (What a student will learn as opposed to what a teacher wants to teach.) To do what? To perform a specific task at a given level of competence under a certain situation. Learning Outcomes are designed from the student’s perspective.

Teaching Commons Learning and Teaching How do instructors support/facilitate their learning? What do students have to do to get there? What materials, resources, media are required? How do students know all these?

Teaching Commons Align your course components Go back to your learning outcomes Suggest some teaching and learning activities and assessment tasks consistent with the learning outcomes.

Teaching Commons Constructive Alignment Constructivism Constructivist theory – learners use their own activity to construct their knowledge or other outcome. Alignment Reflects the fact that the learning activity in the intended learning outcomes needs to be activated in the teaching if the outcome is to be achieved and in the assessment method to verify that the outcome has in fact been achieved.

Teaching Commons Aligned Curriculum

Teaching Commons Two examples Learning Outcomes Teaching and learning activities Assessment Tasks Students will be able to bake a pizza Read the recipe and watch the demonstration List the key ingredient of the pizza Students will be able to convincingly argue a case for Lady Gaga to change her hair color Research the issues Classroom mock debate An argumentative essay

Teaching Commons Further considerations Universal design and AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act). How do students learn(collaboration and social learning)? Levels of cognitive skills involved and instructional strategies/activities

Teaching Commons Resources Sample syllabi Open educational practice (OEP) Open educational practice Teaching Commons’ website,

Teaching Commons Comments and Questions Please complete the evaluation form. Thanks a lot!