“Department Seminar on Teaching & Learning”

“Department Seminar on Teaching & Learning” IT University of Copenhagen ((( May 28, 2008 )))

“Intro to Constructive Alignment& The SOLO Taxonomy” – Theory & Practice – IT University of Copenhagen ((( May 28, 2008 )))

Agenda (Morning) • Welcome & Presentation of Programme: • by Mads Tofte & Claus Brabrand 09:00 • Introduction to Teaching & Learning: • “Constructive Alignment & The SOLO Taxonomy” 09:15 --- 15’ break --- 10:10 • From Theory to Practice: • “From Content to Competence” --- 15’ break --- 11:05 • Group Exercise(“heterogeneous groups”): • “Discussion of Theory in Practice” 12:00 • Lunch: • “One hour lunch break”

Agenda (Afternoon) • Course Descriptions: • “Good advice on how to write course descriptions” 13:00 • Main Group Exercise (“homogeneous groups”): • “Application of Theory in Practice” 13:30 + short breaks 16:10 Short presentations of Good Examples --- short (10’) break --- 16:40 Poster Session (Tour I + Tour II) + short break --- short (10’) break --- • End Note: • by Mads Tofte & Claus Brabrand 18:20 18:30 • Dinner + Bar: • “Dinner + Bar”

T First: Exercise • Before we start; “Focus exercise”: • Write down answer to: • "what is good teaching?" • 2) Swap Post-Its...

Teaching & Learning (theory) • Constructive Alignment & SOLO Taxonomy: John Biggs’ world famous ”Bible of Teaching & Learning”: “Teaching for Quality Learning at University - What the student does” (see compendium in your ”registration bag” + paper) “Teaching Teaching & Understanding Understanding” 19 minute short-film on Teaching & Learning (available on DVD in 7 languages, epilogue by John Biggs)

T Exercise • Buzz Session: 1) Discuss w/ neighbour: "which of the messages of the film did you find particularly relevant ?" 2) Write it on a Post-It 3) Swap Post-Its…

Alignment • Make explicit ILO’s (Intended Learning Outcomes): • (…and tell this to students) Exam =ILO’s= Teaching

Student Motivation • Susan: (”intrinsic motivation”) - wants to…: learn ! • Robert: (”extrinsic motivation”) - to…: pass exams!

Constructivism • ”Transmission is Dead…” : (lectures = ) • Knowledge is…Actively Constructed! ! active teacher & passive students risk

SOLO Taxonomy • Hierarchy for Competences: • Deep learning (not surface) ! 5: generalize, theorize, predict, … 4: explain, analyze, compare, … 3: describe, combine, classify, … 2: recite, identify, calculate, …

Stud Learning Focus • Focus on Student Learning ! (instead of ”what teacher does” & labelling students: ’good/bad’) • Studentactivitation  learning

Break (until 10:10) Please put the Post-Its on the wall “Film message(s)?" "What is good teaching?"

1 2 3 From Theory to Practice… From Content to Competence: ”advocate a shift in perspective” Elaborate on SOLO (for Competences): ”advocate SOLO for competences” New Danish Grade Scale: ”show relation to new grade scale” --- After lunch: --- How to write Course Descriptions: ”concrete advice” AFTER LUNCH

From Content to Competence • “Old way”: my ‘2004 Concurrency’ course descr: • Given in terms of a 'content description': • Essentially: • Goal is...: • To understand: • deadlock • interference • synchronization • ... This is a bad idea for 2 reasons...!

1) Problem with 'content' as aim • Problem with 'content‘ as learning goals ?!? analyze ... theorize ... analyze systems explain causes define deadlock describe solutions Stud. C • Goal is…: • To understand: • deadlock • interference • synchronization • ... agreement tacit knowledge from research-based tradition (not known by stud.)  name solutions recite conditons Teacher analyze systems explain causes Stud. B BUT, even if it were possible to agree, we know that the exam will dictate the learning anyways. Stud. A Censor

2) Problem with 'understanding' • Problem with 'understanding'as learning goal ?!? • Goal is…: • To understand: • deadlock • interference • synchronization • ... concept of deadlock ?!  The answer is simple: It cannot be measured (!)

Competence:=knowledge + capacity to actupon it 'Competence' as objectives ! • 'Competence' as learning objectives ! • Evaluation = Have the student dosomething, and then measure product and/or process • Objective ! • To learn to: • analyze systems for... • explain cause/effects... • prove properties of... • compare methods of... • ... Note:'understanding' is (of course)pre-requisitional (!)  Note': inherently operational (~ verbs) 'SOLO' = Structure of the ObservedLearning Outcome

T Neighbour Discussion Discuss with neighbour: "does this make sense ?!?" (content  competence)

1 2 3 From Theory to Practice… From Content to Competence: ”advocate a shift in perspective” Elaborate on SOLO (for Competences): ”advocate SOLO for competences” New Danish Grade Scale: ”relation to new grade scale” --- After lunch: --- How to write Course Descriptions: ”concrete advice” AFTER LUNCH

SOLO 5  to generalize  to hypothesize to theorize  ... "extended abstract" to relate  to compare  to analyze  ... SOLO 4 "relational" to classify  to combine  to enumerate  ... SOLO 3 "multi-structural" to identify  to do procedure  to recite  ... SOLO 2 "uni-structural" no understanding  irrelevant information misses point  ... SOLO 1 "pre-structural" Advantages of 'SOLO' • Advantages of 'SOLO': • Constructed for research-based university teaching • Converges on research (at SOLO 5) Production of new knowledge

Note: the list is non-exhaustive Graphic Legend problem / question / cue known related issue - given! hypothetical related issue - not given! student response Q R R Q R Q R Q Q R R' R1 Q R2 R3 SOLO (elaborated) QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE SOLO 2 ”uni-structural” SOLO 3 “multi-structural” SOLO 4 “relational” SOLO 5 “extended abstract” • define • identify • count • name • recite • paraphrase • follow (simple)instructions • … • combine • structure • describe • classify • enumerate • list • do algorithm • apply method • … • analyze • compare • contrast • integrate • relate • explain causes • apply theory (to its domain) • … • theorize • generalize • hypothesize • predict • judge • reflect • transfer theory (to new domain) • …

Concurrency: analyze for deadlock compare models T Post-It exercise Write down 1-2 key competences (i.e., verbs) (for your course)

1 2 3 From Theory to Practice… From Content to Competence: ”advocate a shift in perspective” Elaborate on SOLO (for Competences): ”advocate SOLO for competences” New Danish Grade Scale: ”relation to new grade scale” --- After lunch: --- How to write Course Descriptions: ”concrete advice” AFTER LUNCH

“The Danish 7 Step Scale” For an excellent performance which completelymeets the course objectives, with no or only a few insignificant weaknesses. 12 A Excellent For a very good performance which meets the course objectives, with only minor weaknesses 10 B Very good Grade := Degree of realizationof course objectives! For a good performance which meets the course objectives but also displays some weaknesses 7 C Good For a fair performance which adequately meets the course objectivesbut also displays several major weaknesses 4 D Fair 02 E Adequate For a sufficient performance which barely meets the course objectives 00 Fx Inadequate For an insufficient performance which does not meet the course objectives -3 F For a performance which is unacceptablein all respects Unacceptable

Intended Learning Outcomes ! • Consequence: • Every course has to explicitly define…: Intended Learning Outcomes (!)

Concurrency: analyze for deadlock compare models Break (until 11:05) Please put the Post-Its on the wall After break: Heterogeneous group exercise (meet here for instructions) “Key competences for your course”?

T Group Exercise Note: Groups are in the programme • Group Exercise (in ”heterogeneous groups”): Discuss how ‘main messages’of the film relate to your ownteaching (either given/received)

LUNCH! We resume here at 13:00

Agenda (Afternoon) • Course Descriptions: • “Good advice” & “How to…” 13:00 • Main Group Exercise (“homogeneous groups”): • “Application of Theory in Practice” 13:30 + short breaks 16:10 Short presentations of Good Examples --- short (10’) break --- 16:40 Poster Session (Tour I + Tour II) + short break --- short (10’) break --- • End Note: • by Mads Tofte & Claus Brabrand 18:20 18:30 • Dinner + Bar: • “Dinner + Bar”

Example: Genetics 101 (at AU) • Old course description: • New course description: Purpose: To give the students a basic understanding of the fundamental laws of genetics and populational genetics and elementary knowledge of…: Content: - evolution, selection, mutation,variation, in-breeding, equibrilia, recombinations, … After the course, the students are expected to be able to: locategenes on chromosomes dosimple calculations: (eg, recombination frequencies, evolutionary equilibria, ..) describe and performconnexion-analysis describe fundamental genetic concepts: (e.g., mutation, variation, selection, …) describeand analyzesimple inheritancies analyzeinheritance of multiple genes simultaneously

Concrete Recommendations (4x) 1) Use 'standard formulation': a) puts learning focus on the student b) competence formulation: "to be able to" Intended Learning Outcomes [Genetics 101] After the course, the students are expected to be able to: locategenes on chromosomes dosimple calculations : (e.g., recombination frequencies, in-breeding coefficients, Hardy-Weinberg, evolutionary equilibria). describe and performconnexion-analysis describe fundamental genetic concepts : (e.g., mutation variation, in-breeding, natural selection). describeand analyzesimple inheritancies analyzeinheritance of multiple genes simultaneously 4)Avoid 'understanding-goals': "Tounderstand X", "Befamiliar with Y", "Have a notion of Z", ...! V N N V N V V N V N V V N V 3) Use 'Verb + Noun' formulation: What the student is expected to dowith a given matter . 2) List sub-goals as 'bullets': Clearer than text N V

Another Example: Semantics • Applicable to all courses: • ”Quantum Mechanics 101” • ”Aesthetics & History of Dancing” • ”Migration Patterns of Flock Birds” • Old course description: • New course description: Purpose: To give the students an understanding of : - transition systems, big-step vs. small-step semantics, side-effects, laziness, termination, types, static semantics, dynamic semantics, equivalence, bisimulation, environment-store-model, and structural induction. • After the course, the students are expected to be able to: • describe the meaning of a wide range of programming constructs • explainfundamental concepts, techniques, and results within semantics (…) • analyzethe meaning of a wide range of programming constructs • comparesemantic descriptions • reason aboutsemantic descriptions • proveconsequences of semantic descriptions • implementsemantic descriptions (in familiar programming languages)

Alignment Implementation Process • Process(course specific): 1) Think carefully about: overall goal of course (what are the stud. to learn?) 2)Operationalize these goals: and express them as intended learning outcomes alignment learning incentive learning support 3)Choosecarefully the form(s) of examination (~ intended learning outcomes) 4)Choosecarefully the form(s) of teaching (~ intended learning outcomes)

Starting Point • Content description (Concurrency '04+'05): What is the overall goal of the course...? (what are the students to learn) “think big picture”

Overall Course Philosophy • Example: ‘Concurrency’ • Philosophy: “Model-Based Designfor Concurrency”:

Implementation Process • Process(course specific): 1) Think carefully about: overall goal of course (what are the stud. to learn?) 2)Operationalize these goals: and express them as intended learning outcomes alignment 3)Choosecarefully the form(s) of examination (~ intended learning outcomes) 4)Choosecarefully the form(s) of teaching (~ intended learning outcomes)

#2 #1 . #3 . S M . I Model-based design for Concurrency Learning Goals • Intended Learning Outcomes(based on The SOLO Taxonomy): Note:explicitly included as a non-goal 

ILO’s: • construct models • apply methods • relate specsmodels • test models • define properties • verify models~props • analyze models • compare models • implement models • relate models~impl Alignment Impl. • Process(course specific): 1) Think carefully about: overall goal of course (what are the stud. to learn?) 2)Operationalize these goals: and express them as intended learning outcomes alignment learning incentive 3)Choosecarefully the form(s) of examination (~ intended learning outcomes) 4)Choosecarefully the form(s) of teaching (~ intended learning outcomes)

On the Role of the Exam "To the teacher, assessment is at the end of the teaching-learning sequence of events, but to the student it is at the beginning" -- John Biggs (2003) Exam is a "necessary evil" From: “Conceptual change” Exam is a powerful motivational & learning- guiding pedagogical tool (for the teacher)!!! To:

ILO’s: • construct models • apply methods • relate specsmodels • test models • define properties • verify models~props • analyze models • compare models • implement models • relate models~impl Alignment Impl. • Process(course specific): 1) Think carefully about: overall goal of course (what are the stud. to learn?) 2)Operationalize these goals: and express them as intended learning outcomes alignment learning support 3)Choosecarefully the form(s) of examination (~ intended learning outcomes) 4)Choosecarefully the form(s) of teaching (~ intended learning outcomes)

x R x R’ R’’ . . . Questions? My research and teaching Cognition structures SOLO Analyses Intended learning outcomes (ILO) Association new ~ old "understanding" content  competence The SOLO Taxonomy 'TLA' Teaching/Learning Activities Teacher models levels 1 - 2 - 3 Student models Susan & Robert M S The Short-Film I 'The Book' Model-based design for Concurrency Experiences Pre vs. Post Student activation Satisfaction analyze explain Students at Uni ? "What is good teaching?" Exam Tips'n'Tricks ??? Constructive Alignment John Biggs

Tips'n'Tricks (activation) • Neighbour discussions: • Post-It exercise: • Form variation: • focus: zoom in • anonymous (!) • swap'able • everyone will engage • empathetic control • shared knowledge pool • more questions(students dare ask them) • better questions(students had a chance to discuss) [Phil Race] 1-2 min timeout • Frequent breaks: pulse reader measurements: lecturing blended with in-class activation exercises

NEW OLD Tips'n'Tricks (cont'd) • Use many examples:(build on student pre-knowledge) • Explicit structure: • Student 'recap' at end: 1. xxxxxxxxxx 2. yyyyyyyyyy 3. zzzzzzzzzz 4. wwwwwww 1. xxxxxxxxxx 2. yyyyyyyyyy 3. zzzzzzzzzz 4. wwwwwww 1. xxxxxxxxxx 2. yyyyyyyyyy 3. zzzzzzzzzz 4. wwwwwww 1. xxxxxxxxxx 2. yyyyyyyyyy 3. zzzzzzzzzz 4. wwwwwww  • self evident to you [ teacher ] • not to a learner [ student ] (esp. during learning process) • "Less-is-more": • analyze • compare • relate common deadlock, uncommon deadlock, A-synchronization, B-synchronization, hand-shake, multi-party synchronization, multi-party hand-shake, binary semaphores, generalized semaphores, blocking semaphores, recursive locks, ... vs. now after 1 day after 1 week after 2 weeks after 3 weeks Emphasize depth over breadth (coverage)

Now, please: "3-minute recap" • Please spend 3' on thinking about and writing down the most important points from the talk – now!: Immediately After 1 day After 1 week After 2 weeks After 3 weeks

Agenda (Afternoon) • Course Descriptions: • “Good advice” & “How to…” 13:00 • Main Group Exercise (“homogeneous groups”): • “Application of Theory in Practice” 13:30 + short breaks 16:10 Short presentations of Good Examples --- short (10’) break --- 16:40 Poster Session (Tour I + Tour II) + short break --- short (10’) break --- • End Note: • by Mads Tofte & Claus Brabrand 18:20 18:30 • Dinner + Bar: • “Dinner + Bar”

Common SOLO Competences From a study of 632x courses at NAT/(AU+SDU)

“Department Seminar on Teaching & Learning”