Curriculum Design. A Learner Centered Approach May, 2007 By. Rhys Andrews.
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Transcript of 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 Processand Who is the learner?
Learning Strategies (Teaching)
The Learner
FamilyCommunity
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 StrategiesTo provide students with knowledge and abilities to meet the outcome
Which comes first: learning outcomes for a whole program or learning outcomes for anIndividual course?
Program
Course
Module
Learning Outcome: At the end of this unit the student will be able to...
Knowledge
Performance Indicators, orIndicators 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 AttitudesExample model is the “Develop A Curriculum
(DACUM)” model
Skills
Knowledge
Attitudes
Increasing Complexity
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
PerformAutomatically
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 provideTheory/Practice
Faculty evaluatethe 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