Sue Drew Learning and Teaching Institute Sheffield Hallam University

What will I cover?  What is constructive alignment?  What students say help them learn  Supporting staff in developing aligned courses

What is constructive alignment?  Constructivism "They (forms of constructivism) have in common the idea that what the learner has to do to create knowledge is the important thing" (Biggs 2003 P12) "....education is about conceptual change, not just the acquisition of information" (Biggs 2003 P13)

Therefore: what you ask students to do must align with what you want them to learn

Biggs: a system where components need to be in balance  curriculum  teaching methods  assessment procedures  climate of interactions with students  institutional climate (Biggs 2003 P26)

What students say help them learn My research. Method:  structured group sessions  up to 25 students  worked in small groups on a question, review in large group, repeat.

3 Questions  What are the main LOs from your course?  What has helped you achieve them?  What has hindered you in achieving them?

Findings Mix of student and contextual factors StudentContext Self management Course organisation/ resources/facilities Motivational needs Assessment Understanding SupportLearning activities and teaching

Context impacts on student factors StudentContext Self management Course organisation/ resources/facilities Motivational needs Assessment Understanding SupportLearning activities and teaching

Supporting staff in developing aligned courses In the LTI, I work:  with course planning teams  with Registry on course planning/validation templates, guidance etc.

Strategy  Module description to encourage good design  Examples and guidance  Support for course planning teams  Review by validation panels

Joined up approach Module description, examples and guidance reflect eg Key Skills policy Learning from Work policy Assessment policy LTA strategy QAA Codes of Practice

Aims Learning Outcomes What should the students be able to know, understand, do? Standards Learning and Teaching Strategy What methods will help students achieve the learning outcomes? Assessment Criteria On what basis will you judge if students have met the learning outcomes and how well? Assessment Strategy How will you assess if students have met the learning outcomes? Rosie Bingham 2001

3 Key Shifts Shift 1 - Learning Outcomes Verbs Biggs (2003) - very important - delineate levels - can suggest surface or deep approach

Example Student will be able to understand how a car works ????

What does it mean? Students will be able to: - describe how a car works - explain how a car works - discuss the critical aspects of how a car works - drive a car ???

Other Problem Verbs  Be aware of  Know  Develop an ability to  Demonstrate the ability to

Issues Staff I think I don't care about understanding! Implicit LO's – you can spot them in:  learning and teaching methods  assessment methods

Support for LO Development  Booklet for writing LO's – lists of verbs  SHU generic LO's by level  Workshops with course teams  Feedback on module descriptions & programme specs

SHU Generic LOs Based on:Framework for HE qualifications QCA Key Skill specifications Common items in benchmark statements + a bit of Bloom's taxonomy (Bloom 1956)

SHU Generic LOs. Example Describe the essential facts principles concepts theories values/beliefs/ethics/ aesthetics Identify and explain the essential facts principles concepts theories values/beliefs/ ethics/aesthetics Identify and explain, in sufficient detail for the purpose, essential and other important facts principles concepts theories values/beliefs/ ethics/aesthetics Select and explain those appropriate from the range of facts principles concepts theories values/beliefs/ethics/a esthetics current problems/issues current research and advanced scholarship new insights

Shift 2 – Assessment criteria  Require pass descriptors in module descriptions  Staff find this very hard

Pass descriptors linked to the LOs Start with the verb eg describe Criteria might be - range of features covered; level of detail; accuracy Pass level - what range will be covered? in how much detail? how accurate?

Problems Instead of pass descriptors: -repeat LOs -write tasks

Writing pass descriptors means: You clarify what the LO means  Need to write them together  Leads to rethinking assessment

Support  Booklet on writing criteria  Exemplars of criteria against SHU LOs  Workshops with course planning teams  Feedback on planning documents

Exemplar LOPass descriptor describe the essentialdescriptions cover  principlesthe main, essential  conceptsaspects and are  theoriesmostly accurate  values/beliefs/ethics/ aesthetics  facts

Shift 3 - Format of the module description Wording it for students

Old Headings  Rationale  Aims  Anticipated Learning Outcomes  Indicative content  Teaching and Learning Strategy and Methods  Assessment Strategy  Criteria for Assessment  Indicative Reading

New Headings These are the aims of this module... The reason for having this module and for having it at this level or point in the course is... By the end of the module you will be able to... These are the main ways of learning and teaching which will help you to achieve the learning outcomes... This is how the learning outcomes will be assessed... This is how and at what points you will be given feedback on your performance... To achieve a pass.. These are examples of the content of the module... These are examples of the main learning resources you will use...

Support  Guidelines are within the template  Workshops with course planning teams  Feedback on draft module descriptions

Summary:  Module description to encourage good design  Examples and guidance  Support for course planning teams  Review by validation panels

Aims Learning Outcomes What should the students be able to know, understand, do? Standards Learning and Teaching Strategy What methods will help students achieve the learning outcomes? Assessment Criteria On what basis will you judge if students have met the learning outcomes and how well? Assessment Strategy How will you assess if students have met the learning outcomes? Rosie Bingham 2001

References Biggs J (2003, 2nd ed.) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Buckingham, SRHE and OU Press Bloom B S (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York, David McKay Co, Inc. Drew S (2001) 'Student perceptions of what helps them learn and develop in Higher Education' IN Teaching in Higher Education 6, No 3, 2001 pp