Planning a module a focus on learning outcomes

PREDAC 2013Cecilia Jacobs and Brenda Leibowitz

SESSION OVERVIEW• Why a focus on outcomes?• Outcomes and the process of instructional

design• Some theoretical perspectives• Activity 1• Outcomes within the SU context• Activities 2 & 3• Outcomes: the good, the bad and the ugly

Why a focus on outcomes?

• International shifts towards outcomes based education: Europe (Bologna declaration of 1999); Australia, NZ.

• SA uptake of OBE – basic and HE sectors• HE sector regulatory framework: SAQA, CHE, HEQC• Professional bodies: ECSA, HPCSA …• Programme/qualification level outcomes (ELOs)• Module outcomes• Critical cross-field outcomes

Shifts in the field of HE

• Lecturer-centred (passive, dependent … )

• Student-centred (active, independent … )

• Learning-centred (increasing interest in outcomes)

• Knowledge-centred (current development)

What are learning outcomes?

• A core component in any curriculum at both programme and module level

• Popular definition of the purpose of learning outcomes:“Learning outcomes are used to express what learners are expected

to achieve and how they are expected to demonstrate that achievement.” Kennedy, Hyland & Ryan (2006).

• Different to aims and objectives:– The aim of a module/programme is a broad general statement

of teaching intention– The objective is a specific statement of teaching intention

Outcomes and the process of instructional design

Situational analysis

Writing outcomes

Assessment Facilitating learning

Evaluation(feedback) Planning a

module

Situation analysis

• Macro level – Industry/ Employers– Other universities (benchmarking)– SU: Your teaching partner

• Meso level– The programme– The department

• Micro level– The lecturer (Do your own SWOT analysis)– The students / Target group– Infrastructure

Situational analysis

Writing outcomes

AssessmentFacilitating learning

Evaluation Planning a module

Assessment

Assessment of students is directly related to and aligned with the outcomes of the module.

First session tomorrow morning focuses on this.

Situational analysis

Writing outcomes

AssessmentFacilitating learning

Evaluation Planning a module

Facilitating learning

The what (content):• In relation to outcomes and assessment• Relevant and recent • Consider time, workload and availability of resourcesThe how (methods/aids):• Group work, self study• Lectures• Field work / Excursions• Practical sessions / Clinical / Laboratory• Technology: PPT; media; moodle , mobile learning …

Situational analysis

Writing outcomes

AssessmentFacilitating learning

Evaluation Planning a module

Evaluation

• Peer evaluation• Student feedback• Professional bodies• Employers• Community

This can then be used again for the situation analysis of the next round

Situational analysis

Writing outcomes

AssessmentFacilitating learning

Evaluation Planning a module

Some theoretical perspectives

• Bloom’s taxonomies – cognitive, affective, psychomotor domains (head/heart/hand)

• Bloom’s revised taxonomy – cognitive domain (Anderson & Krathwohl)

• Biggs’ SOLO taxonomy (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes)

• Fink’s taxonomy of significant learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy (Cognitive)ORIGINAL - 1956 REVISED - 2000

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Activity 1 (in pairs)• Look at the examples of

outcomes in the envelope

• Decide on which cognitive level you would place each outcome.

This is simply an awareness- raising exercise. The focus is not primarily to see who is right and who is wrong!

1. Remembering

• Students should be able to:

– define “iambic pentameter”

– state Newton’s Laws of Motion

– identify the major impressionist painters

2. Understanding

• Students should be able to:

– describe data indicated by a graph

– summarize passages from Huckleberry Finn

– translate paragraphs from Voltaire’s Candide into English

3. Applying• Students should be able to:

– describe an experiment to test the influence of light and light quality on the Hill reaction of photosynthesis

– scan a poem for metric foot and rhyme scheme

– use the Archimedes Principle to determine the volume of an irregularly shaped object

4. Analysing• Students should be able to:

– list arguments for and against gun control

– determine the necessary controls for an experiment

– discuss the rationale and efficacy of isolationism in the global economy

5. Evaluating• Students should be able to:

– assess the validity of the conclusions based on the data and statistical analysis

– give a critical analysis of a novel with evidence to support the analysis

– suggest stock market investments based on company performance and projected value

6. Creating• Students should be able to:

– write a short story in Hemingway’s style

– compose a logical argument on assisted suicide in opposition to their personal opinion

– construct a helium-neon laser

What have we learnt?

Outcomes comprise different elements

• Other issues? Clarity, time …

The level is not only determined by the action verb, but also by the material

that is used

What does a learning outcome look like?Upon successful completion of the degree, graduates will be able to formulate, analyse, evaluate and solve convergent and divergent engineering problems using the first principles of maths and other sciences in an innovative way:• Describe the course of the learning opportunity• Define the subject• State action verbs• Define the object• Describe the specific framework (context) or specific

circumstances• State a specific set of values and norms and/or

attitudes which direct thought and action

SMART outcomes

• Specific• Measureable• Attainable• Results-Focused• Time-Focused

Activity 2: Exploring Form B• Route:

– Faculty programme committees – Committee for Learning and Teaching (CLT/KLO)– Programme Advice Committee (PAC/PAK) – Academic Planning Committee (APC/ABK)– Senate– HEQC

• Some recurring problem areas:– Lengthy outcomes statements (e.g. 20 lines)– Outcomes at too low a level (e.g. describe)– Outcomes too generic (not contextualised in the field)– Cut and paste from one form B to another (generic)

Activity 3: Outcomes

Use the handouts as resources and formulate three outcomes for your own module:

1. An outcome on the level of remembering2. An outcome on the level of applying3. An outcome on one of the highest 3 levels –

analysing/evaluating/creating

Activity 3: Outcomes (continued)

• Share your outcomes with the other participants around the table.

• Together list:– Critical success factors of outcomes– Possible benefits of outcomes– Possible disadvantages of outcomes

Critical success factors

Learning outcomes should:• …• Be clearly written and easily understandable• Focus on what students will have to demonstrate• Avoid complicated sentences• Comprise 5-8 per module• Use active verbs • Be observable and measurable• Be aligned with the aims, content and assessment of

the module

Potential benefits

• …•Students know what is expected of them•Helps lecturers focus on what they want students to achieve

•Helps lecturers define assessment criteria•Provides guidance to employers about graduate attributes

•Encourages discussion on teaching and learning more generally

Possible pitfalls

• …•Could limit learning if written in a narrow fashion

•Can be reductionist if not focusing on higher order thinking skills

•Could result in assessment-driven curricula

Meta-reflection on process and methods used

Learning technique: Academic function:

Concept development and reflection, information-sharing, active listening

Brainstorming, generating ideas, gathering information, categorising and sharing information

Think-Pair-Share

Visual gathering

Day 2 – Feedback using Google Forms

Steps:1. Use any device that is connected to the

internet … 2. Go to web address:

http://bit.ly/prontak2013-2 3. Complete the feedback in the boxes

provided.4. Click on the Submit button…