course design strategies: constructive alignment · course design strategies: constructive...

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C E N T E R F O R E X C E L L E N C E I N T E A C H I N G A N D L E A R N I N G

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Course design strategies:Constructive alignment

David Green, PhDC E N T E R F O R E X C E L L E N C E I N T E A C H I N G A N D L E A R N I N G I N T E R N A T I O N A L S T U D I E S

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Working from the presumption that we want

to learnto be intellectually challenged

to enjoy their teachingto have better work/life balance

to feel manageable and usefulto save faculty time in the long run

to have enough information to approve courses swiftly

to have better work/life balance

students

faculty

the course design process

the Core Curriculum Committee

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John Biggs and Catherine Tang

Teaching for Quality Learning at University: What the Student Does

Third edition, 2007.

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Constructive alignment

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Constructive alignmentin the research

(BIGGS & TANG, 2007)IMAGE: atheistfoundation.org.au

LEARNINGOUTCOMES

LEARNING & TEACHING ACTIV IT IES

ASSESSMENT

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Constructive alignmentin SU terminology

(BIGGS & TANG, 2007)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING & TEACHING ACTIV IT IES

GRADEDWORK

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MODULE III SOCIAL SCIENCE EXAMPLE:

“Humanitarian crises in Southeast Asia”

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING & TEACHING ACTIV IT IES

GRADEDWORK

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MODULE III SOCIAL SCIENCE EXAMPLE:

“Humanitarian crises in Southeast Asia”

engaged in persuasive communication in appropriate civic spheres

On successful completion of this course, you will have:

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

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communicate persuasively

MODULE III SOCIAL SCIENCE EXAMPLE:

“Humanitarian crises in Southeast Asia”

(BIGGS & TANG, 2007)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING & TEACHING ACTIV IT IES

GRADEDWORK

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MODULE III SOCIAL SCIENCE EXAMPLE:

“Humanitarian crises in Southeast Asia”

(BIGGS & TANG, 2007)

Write a lobbying document designed to garner bi-partisan support

for a Southeast Asian humanitarian project

of your choosing(3,000 words) GRADED

WORK

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bi-partisan lobbying document

communicate persuasively

MODULE III SOCIAL SCIENCE EXAMPLE:

“Humanitarian crises in Southeast Asia”

(BIGGS & TANG, 2007)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING & TEACHING ACTIV IT IES

GRADEDWORK

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MODULE III SOCIAL SCIENCE EXAMPLE:

“Humanitarian crises in Southeast Asia”

(BIGGS & TANG, 2007)

LEARNING & TEACHING ACTIV IT IES

ReadingsStudent-led discussions of four humanitarian crisesIn-class debates, taking a different perspective from your ownExercises in reframing messages for specific audiences

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readingsin-class debatesre-framing exercisesstudent-led discussions

bi-partisan lobbying document

communicate persuasively

MODULE III SOCIAL SCIENCE EXAMPLE:

“Humanitarian crises in Southeast Asia”

(BIGGS & TANG, 2007)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING & TEACHING ACTIV IT IES

GRADEDWORK

A L I G N E D

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Why bother?Education is about conceptual change

Conceptual change is more likely if:

students and faculty are clear about where they’re going in a course (objectives)

students experience the need to get there, and faculty can communicate that need

students feel they can focus on the task, rather than worrying they might be caught out

students enter dialogue with faculty and peers to “shape, elaborate, and deepen understanding.”

(BIGGS & TANG, 2007, p.21)

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Questions? Contact CETL at cetl@seattleu.edu

Key reference:Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for quality learning at university: What the student does. (3rd ed.)

Maidenhead, UK: Society for Research into Higher Education/Open University Press.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING & TEACHING ACTIV IT IES

GRADEDWORK