Introduction to Curriculum Issues-2: Implementation & Reforms.

1. Introduction to Curriculum Issues-2: Implementation & Reforms. Dr.Ashok Rao, Former Head, Network Project, CEDT, IISc, Bangalore- 560 012 < ashokrao.mys@gmail.com >

2. Curriculum Development Process • CURRICULUM PLANNING • CURRICULUM FORMATION • CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION • CURRICULUM COMPONENTS • CURRICULUM EVALUATION • CURRICULUM VALIDATION Based on Context, This cycle will loop back at each stage and final stage for continuous refinement. Academic Staff College, Mysore

3. Context for curriculum design • End of cold war, collapse of Eastern block. • Rise of Asia, In particular India-China. • Economic “saturation” of West and Japan. • Global Climate Issues: its Implications & Consequences. • Growth of Market: its Trends and Influences (BPO & Service Sector). • Future Employability Globally (or in Rural areas). • National and Regional priorities (Equity, Imbalance, Development). • Learning environment / resources / staffing. • State of Knowledge / Technologies of concern to the UG programme. • National, University and Institutional requirements. • Attributes of a Graduate: National and International survey’s. • NBA, NAAC, ISO, Accreditation and Quality (TQM) Standards. • Capstone Project OR other Benchmark Processes. Offers tremendous Customization / Flexibility if used (with Clarity).

4. Accreditation and its Limitations • Accreditation is a Necessary Label. • It is a poor measure of Quality., WHY? • All current Accreditation Process are either: - Only Input Driven (Spend Money) and /or - Process Driven (Consistency is Virtue). • It is only in recent times that Output Driven Accreditation is available (even IIT’s would find it difficult to get Accredited by this Now) • By 2015, Individuals can be Accredited. Academic Staff College, Mysore

5. Curriculum Planning • What requirements we want to meet / satisfy ? • What markets to address predominantly? • What are the Input’s?, Constraints (3 Yr, 6 Sem ) • What are the minimum Expectations? • Institutional Vision and Mission? • Some Global implication (like English) • Some Universal skill (Eg. Computer Literacy) • Customization (Honr’s, Special Flavor (Foreign Language) • Degree of Flexibility (dual degree), Foreign Students, etc. • What mix of subjects, disciplines, Lab-Theory, etc • How much and what of Extra / co-curricular components Academic Staff College, Mysore

6. Curriculum Formation • Re look at what we are doing? Practically?? • We are “Doing Business” / Service Industry • “Business” of Knowledge, Skill & Information. • Mainly Knowledge Transfer over 3 years. • This is Difficult because, we do not know: What, How, When, Which, Why. • Worse we cannot measure if we have done it. • What do we mean by a BA, BSc or BCom ? ( Can we survive by stating Ohm’s law, OR Stating Castes in India ?). Academic Staff College, Mysore

7. Curriculum Formation (Bloom’s Taxonomy of Knowledge.) • Cognitive (Application, Comprehension) • Affective (learning, co-ordination) • Psychomotor (lowest, mostly in childhood). COGNITIVE • LOTS (Lower Order Thinking Skills) • HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) We focus on Cognitive knowledge in Higher Education Academic Staff College, Mysore

8. Curriculum Formation (contd.) HOTS • SYNTHESIS: Builds a structure or pattern from diverse elements. Put parts together to form a whole, with emphasis on creating a new meaning or structure (Create, Design, Synthesize) • EVALUATION: Make judgments about the , value of ideas or materials (Evaluate, Simulate, Experiment). • ANALYSIS: Separates material or concepts into component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood (Analyze). LOTS • APPLICATION: Use a concept in a new situation. Applies what was learned in the classroom into novel situations in the workplace (Apply) • COMPREHENSION: Understand the meaning, State a problem in one's own words (Understand). • KNOWLEDGE : Recall of data(Remember) Curriculum to be designed to Move from LOTS to HOTS.

9. Curriculum Implementation • Dominant (Objective), Linked Learning Objectives • Measurable Learning Objectives (subset of LO’s) • Culture of Learning in Target group (Tutored ?) • Methods of Teaching -Learning (Rote?) • Degree of Flexibility (Curriculum), Broad / Narrow. • Depth and Diversity of Knowledge levels needed and to be Imparted. • Degree of Flexibility (Structure / Admin aspects) • Schedule, Past Models, Constraints (BoS, BoE..) Academic Staff College, Mysore

10. Curriculum Implementation (contd) • “Average” caliber & Experience (type) of Teachers. • Bulk components of Curriculum (lectures, Lab’s, Tutorials, etc) • Accreditation and other Quality Norms. • Clarity about mix of Skill, Information, knowledge. • Tools of Evaluation and Validation (If Hammer is the …) • Gap between: Mission, Vision, Genuine Need of.. • Resources Available: Critical, Essential or Liberal. • Quality & Style of Admin. & Mgmt. (Democracy) (TCE, Kongu, PSG, NIE, JSS, NITK, IIT’s, IIM’s / Better: Tilonia, Ladhak, ) Academic Staff College, Mysore

11. Curriculum Components What Skill, Information & Knowledge needs to “transferred” to students? (LO’s and T-L process) • In this , what Levels (Lot’s-Hot’s) and its Mix. • Traditional: Lectures, Lab’s / Practical's. • Improved: Tutorials, Integrated Labs, Seminars. • Innovation: Internship, Fieldwork, Self study, Cross cultural credits, Intense Project work. • Creative: Cross disciplinary work, Team Work, Research Based, Quality parameters. • Revolutionary: Design QoL.- Finished Products. Academic Staff College, Mysore

12. Curriculum Components (Mundane Aspects) • Break of HSS, B S & M, Discipline, Co-Curricular • Break and Sequence of Theory & Lab • Core and Elective subjects. • Departmental core and Institute Core • Departmental Electives and Institute Electives • Extra curricular weightage (NCC, NSS, Sports) • Structure of Navigation in-amongst Dept / Prog. • “Free” Electives, Industrial Internship, Field work. • Assessment: Grades, Marks, Credits, QP Pattern. Academic Staff College, Mysore

13. Sample breakup for a 3 yr (6 Sem) UG course

14. Curriculum Evaluation • Tail wagging the Dog. It is unfortunate but true. • Give me Pivot and I will move the Earth. • Measurement eventually determines: What is done is Correct, How much Correct or Not. • Measuring Human “Learning” is difficult. • Not one person in a Evaluation system is happy. • Failure to do “proper” and timely evaluation has cost the nation a lot, also the Academics. • If you ask a stupid Question? ……. • Rote Learning (LOT’s) results in Memory culture. Academic Staff College, Mysore

15. Curriculum Evaluation (formal) • What to Evaluate? (Teaching, Learning, T-L, or Calendar?) • What Assessment methods? (Questions? Problems?) • Does it match T-L Parameters? Are there Objective Metrics? • What frequency of Evaluation?. Who should Evaluate? • Do we need External Entities in this? Why? • Are Evaluation methods & tools used Compatible with Knowledge, Skills and Information taught? (Swimming) • Are we falling into one Ruler fits all measurement syndrome. • Exams (Unfortunately) are Extended “Class Tests”. • Schedule of Exams, Correction, Result, consequences,…. • What is Objectively the meaning of: Pass ,Fail, Distinction? Academic Staff College, Mysore

16. Curriculum Evaluation (Qualitative) • Finest opportunity to Improve. (Europe, Oxford) • This will Influence to teach better. Also QP Pattern. • Minimum 70% problems, No choice.(what happens?) • Distributed Evaluation, every class? (50:50, 75:25) • Open Ended Questions, Thinking Questions (HOT’s)? • Integrated Questions, Integrated course (Cambridge) • Co-faculty for each course, Integrated Lab (medical) • Progressively Challenging QP (Lot’s to Hot’s) • Highly Thinking oriented QP (50 Marks two Questions) • On Line (moodle) available now, Challenge is on Teachers. • Open book, take home, Customized QP, Seminar based. Academic Staff College, Mysore

17. Curriculum Validation (Why?) • Why to Validate? (Are we sure we are sure?) • Who should Validate? (Entire cross section of Stake Holders, Relatively high those in T-L process) • How should we Validate? (choose Diverse co-related aspects, weighted average) This is sometimes Embarrassing but Useful. Academic Staff College, Mysore

18. Curriculum Validation (How) • Students Feedback (they must be mature). • Peer Group Feedback (Co-faculty, a Asset). • Analysis of Results and Grades (In /De -flation). • External (academicians) Audit in great detail. • External Heterogeneous group Audit for each Discipline. • Feedback from Employers of recent (2-4 yr) pass out. • Other stake holders if possible, Entrepreneurs. • Established benchmarks ( GATE, IES, UGC, NET, CSIR), Publications, Placement (non IT, IT during tough times), Academic Staff College, Mysore

19. Course Design Process • Identify the context of the course • Select a subset of the programme outcomes • Identify the capabilities the students are expected to acquire at the end of the course • Determine the assessment pattern • Write the learning objectives • Prepare concept and relationship map • Prepare course contents and lecture plan • Write the syllabus with learning resources (in Africa, NG and Discovery Channel), now with ICT possible. Academic Staff College, Mysore

20. Discussion and Questions • Any Points? • Any Clarifications • Any Oversight, Observations? • Any things else • We will now move to a Sample Case of Curriculum and Academic Reforms, well Implemented and Reviewed. Academic Staff College, Mysore

21. Thank you • Dr.Andre Pittet, SDC /CEDT, IISc (for Initiating this in India) • SDC, Berne / New Delhi for Sponsoring, Two -2 day Workshop on Curriculum (at CEDT IISc & NITK Surathkal) • Dr. N.J.Rao, CEDT, IISc, for some slides also. • All Network Project Institutions (NITK, PSG, CoET, CoEOU) • Dr C.S.Jha, IIT Delhi, Dir. IITKgp, Dir.BHU-IT, TEQIP Lead. • UGC , for Supporting ICT4D program under Novel Scheme • NAAC, Re-Accreditation Team to visit Mysore, Sept 2008 • Staff and Students of ICT4D program in Mysore. Academic Staff College, Mysore