Planning Teaching & Learning - Constructive Alignment, Practice & Variation, & Feedback

1. Planning Teaching & Learning - Constructive Alignment, Practice & Variation, & Feedback Romy Lawson Research Institute for Enhancing Learning 3589

2. Learning Outcomes • Participants will be able to: • Show an understanding of designing and planning teaching & learning • Apply the theoretical underpinnings of designing into planning teaching & learning • Review/Evaluate plans for teaching & learning

3. Teaching Methodology • Short Lecture • Questions/Discussion • Small Group Planning - Presentation • Individual Planning • Panel Reviews

4. Assessment • Level of questions/discussion • Small Group Presentation • Module Validation Documents • Review Panel

5. Criteria for Assessment • Show a level of questioning/discussion that shows understanding/application/ relating to other theories • A sound constructive alignment in both the small group & individual planning • Thorough exploration of module plans asking questions that show understanding of constructive alignment

6. Theory of Constructive Alignment • If students are to learn desired outcomes in a reasonably effective manner, then the teachers fundamental task is to get students to engage in learning activities that are likely to result in achieving those outcomes (Shuell, 1986). • A design for teaching to encourage deep engagement • Combination of constructivist theory and aligned instruction • 3P model

7. 3P Model Presage Process Product Student Factors Learning Focused Activity Learning Outcomes Teaching Context

8. Teaching Context • A balanced system including: • curriculum • teaching methods • assessment procedures • teacher student climate • institutional climate

9. Model MO Teaching Method I n t e n t I o n Assessment APL Outcome Learning Outcomes PC

10. Encouraging a Deep Approach • Bring out the structure of the topic • Get response from students by questioning and posing problems • Build on what students know • Assess for structure • Let students take risks/make mistakes • Encourage depth/understanding rather than breadth of a topic

11. Learning Outcomes/Content • Decide what kind/level of knowledge is involved • Select topics - be aware of the enemy … coverage • Decide the method for teaching • Put the objectives together and relate them to the assessment

12. MIT Data • If you give 100% content • Students leave with 25% and remember 15% in the long term • If you give 50 % content and allow interaction • Students leave with 70% and remember 60% • (which means 35% & 30% of possible 100%)

13. Teaching • Most people learn: • 10% of what they read • 20% of what they hear • 30% of what they see • 50% of what they see and hear • 70% of what they talk over with others • 80% of what they use and do in real life • 95% of what they teach someone else

14. Assessment “Students can escape bad teaching: they can’t avoid bad assessment” “Assessment methods and requirements probably have a greater influence on how and what students learn than any other single factor”

15. Model MO Teaching Method I n t e n t I o n Assessment APL Outcome Curriculum PC

16. Practice & Variation How much deliberate practice will there be ? How much variation will there be?

17. Assessment & Feedback • From 11 criteria (Gibbs & Simpson, 2004): • Tasks distribute student effort and ability evenly across topics and weeks • Tasks engage students in productive learning activity • Feedback is both often and in enough detail • Feedback is provided quickly • Feedback focuses on learning not the marks – feedforward • Feedback is acted upon

18. Things to Consider • Be fair – tell the students what is expected • Amount of Content – MIT, junior school • 20 mins concentration time • Checking understanding – throughout • Different types of learners – variation & practice • Learning climate – comfort, motivation

19. Task 1 – Choose one scenario • 100+ 3rd year students, heavily theory based subject, including academic writing skills • 55 1st year students, application of basic theory, including key skills in working with others • Work in 2/3s to design – l.o., teaching & assessment for a 2 hr session • Present to other groups on acetate • Feedback

20. Task 2 • Module Validation Form • Align l.o./k.s., teaching & assessment • Complete sections: 6, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 • Submit to review panel for feedback

21. References • Biggs, J. (1999). Teaching for Quality Learning at University, SRHE, OU Press • Biggs, J (2005). Aligning Teaching for Constructing Learning, HE Academy Website • Fazey & Marton (2002). Understanding the Space of Experiential Variation, Active Learning in HE, 3, 234-250 • Gibbs & Simpson (2004). Conditions under which Assessment Supports Student Learning, Learning & Teaching in HE, 1 • Fazey D.M.A & Lawson R.J. (2000). Promoting a deep approach to study in undergraduate modules, ISL Conference Proceedings