Outcome-based Curriculum Development

1. Outcome-based Curriculum Development Maiki Udam maiki.udam@archimedes.ee

2. Aim of the workshop • To introduce the participants to the key concepts associated with the development of an outcome-based curriculum • Develop an ability to write learning outcomes, linking them with qualifications and assessment criteria

3. Learningoutcomesoftheworkshop On successfulcompletionofthisworkshop, participantsshould: • be familiar with the basic principles how to develop an outcome-based curriculum/program; • be able to write learning outcomes for a specific subject/module; • be able to link assessment methods and assessment criteria with learning outcomes.

4. Definitions • The aim – a broad general statement of the teaching intention, e.g. “to introduce students to the basic principles of atomic structure” • Learning outcomes – statements of what a student is expected to know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate after completion of a process of learning.

5. Definitions • “A curriculum is a plan for learning; therefore, what is known about the learning process and the development of the individual has bearing on the shaping of a curriculum. Such knowledge should determine which objectives are achievable under which conditions, and what variations and flexibilities in content and its organization are needed to provide for optimum effectiveness of learning.” (Taba, 1962)

6. Lehrplan vs Curriculum • Lehrplan = input → outcome • Curriculum = intendedoutcome → input

7. The contribution of learning outcomes to the Bologna action lines • Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees • Promotion of mobility • Establishment of a system of credits • Promotion of co-operation in quality assurance • Promotion of the European dimension in HE • Lifelong learning

8. Advantages of learning outcomes • Help teachers to tell students more precisely what is expected of them. • Help students to learn more effectively: students know where they stand. • Help teachers select the appropriate teaching strategy matched to the intended learning outcomes (lectures, seminars etc). • Help teachers to tell their colleagues more precisely what a particular activity is designed to achieve.

9. Before writing ... • ECTS Handbook • NQF, EQF, QF-EHEA • Higher education standards, state curricula • The mission/vision of the university • Feedback from employers/alumni/students • Suggestions of accreditation teams

10. „Backward design“

11. Writing learning outcomes (LO) • Each LO should contain an active verb, an object, and a phrase that gives the context, e.g. Operate the range of instrumentation specified in the module safely and efficiently in the chemistry laboratory. • Use only one verb per LO. • Try to avoid vague terms like know, understand etc... • Avoid complicated sentences. • Ensure that the LO of the subject relate to the overall outcomes of the programme.

12. ... to be continued ... • The LO must be observable and mesurable. • Ensure that the LO-s are capable of being assessed. • Bear in mind the timescale within which the outcomes are to be achieved. • Use more the top categories of Bloom’s Taxonomy. • Include generic competences • Avoid writing more than 8 LO-s per subject! • Ask your colleagues and former students if the LO-s make sense to them.

13. Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)

14. 1. Knowledge • Arrange, collect, define, describe, duplicate, enumerate, examine, find, identify, label, list, memorise, name, order, outline, present, quote, recall, recognise, recollect, record, recount, relate, repeat, reproduce, show, state, tabulate, tell.

15. 2. Comprehension • Associate, change, clarify, classify, construct, contrast, convert, decode, defend, describe, differentiate, discriminate, discuss, distinguish, estimate, explain, express, extend, generalise, identify, illustrate, indicate, infer, interpret, locate, paraphrase, predict, recognise, report, restate, rewrite, review, select, solve, translate.

16. 3. Application • Apply, assess, calculate, change, choose, complete, compute, construct, demonstrate, develop, discover, dramatise, employ, examine, experiment, find, illustrate, interpret, manipulate, modify, operate, organise, practice, predict, prepare, produce, relate, schedule, select, show, sketch, solve, transfer, use.

17. 4. Analysis • Analyse, appraise, arrange, break down, calculate, categorise, classify, compare, connect, contrast, criticise, debate, deduce, determine, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, divide, examine, experiment, identify, illustrate, infer, inspect, investigate, order, outline, point out, question, relate, separate, sub-divide, test.

18. 5. Synthesis • Argue, arrange, assemble, categorise, collect, combine, compile, compose, construct, create, design, develop, devise, establish, explain, formulate, generalise, generate, integrate, invent, make, manage, modify, organise, originate, plan, prepare, propose, rearrange, reconstruct, relate, reorganise, revise, rewrite, set up, summarise.

19. 6. Evaluation • Appraise, ascertain, argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, conclude, contrast, convince, criticise, decide, defend, discriminate, explain, evaluate, grade, interpret, judge, justify, measure, predict, rate, recommend, relate, resolve, revise, score, summarise, support, validate, value.

20. Levels of defining the outcomes • Minimum /threshold • Medium • Maximum

21. Breath and depthofdefiningtheoutcomes

22. Excercise • Write aims and learning outcomes for the subject “Academic writing” • 3 ECTS (appr 80 hrs) • Target group: 1st year BA students

23. Why to assess students’ work? • Necessity for students: • Necessity for teachers: • Necessity for institution:

24. Assessment The biggest impact for student’s learning has assessment!

25. Meaning of Assessment Teaching Teacher’s perspective: objectives Assessment Learning Learner’s perspective: assessment Learning Outcomes

26. Options for Assessment • Assessment of learner’s development • Normative assessment (“ECTS assessment”) • Assessment against fixed standards – outcome-based assessment

27. Summative assessment • Summative assessment is used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period. • Summative-assessment results are often recorded as scores or grades.

28. Formative assessment • The general goal of formative assessment is to collect detailed information that can be used to improve instruction and student learning while it’s happening to inform in-process teaching and learning modifications. • Grading should always be more about what’s ahead than what’s behind!

29. Summative vs formative • Formative assessments are for learning, while summative assessments are of learning

30. Assessment Methods • Essay • Open-book examination • Multiple choice test • Presentation • Case study • Project • Practicum • Portfolio • …

31. Assessment Criteria • Threshold assessment criterion – a standard of performance that a learner must reach in order to demonstrate the achievemnt of a specified element of learning. • Grade assessment criterion – a specified standard of performance that the learner must reach in order to be allocated a particular grade. In this case there is likely to be a series of grade assessment criteria related to the different grades. (Moon, 2002)

32. Threshold criterion (TC) - Example • LO: At the end of this module, the student will be expected to be able to explain and demonstrate the main features of effective academic essay at level 1. • TC: The essay will be word processed and between 1500 and 2000 words on a given topic. The essay will relate to its title, will be clearly written and structured, will demonstrate the contribution of further reading, and thinking. The student will be able to explain how the essay demonstrates these features and how they contribute to its overall effectiveness. (Moon, 2006)

33. Grade assessment criteria • Start from threshold • Leave space for unexpected/extraordinary results

34. Excercise • Choose methods and write grade assessment criteria for one method for the subject “Academic writing”

35. Planning a module

36. Checklist Study programme Learning outcomes A B C D E F • Subject 1 X X • Subject 2 X X X • Subject 3 X X • Subject 4 X X X

37. References • Bechtel, L. J. et al.(2005). An Objectives-Based Approach to Assessment of General Education. Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. • Biggs, J.B. (1995). Assessing for learning: some dimensions underlying new aproaches to eduvational assessment. Alberta Journal of Educational Research. 41, 1-17 • Biggs, J. (1999). Teaching for quality learning at university. Society for Reasearch into Higher Education & Open University Press. • Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: Handbook I – Cognitive domain. New York: McKay. • ECTS Users’ Guide (2015). http://ec.europa.eu/education/library/publications/2015/ects-users-guide_en.pdf • Kenndey, D. (2007). Writing and Using Learning Outcomes. A Practical Guide. University College Cork, Ireland.

38. Moon, J. (2002). The Module and Programme Development Handbook. Routledge Falmer, London. • Moon, J. (2006). Linking levels, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria – EHEA version. • Stiehl, R, & Lewchuk, L. (2008). The Assessment Primer. OR: The Learning Organization. • The Glossary for Education Reform (2014). edglossary.org • Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design (expanded 2nd ed.). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, Virginia USA.