constructive alignment 2017 - universiti teknologi …teaching-constructing-learning, john biggs...

Constructive Alignment 2017 SPPT-Module 2C

Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Sharifah Hafizah Syed Ariffin

Center of Academic Leadership & Professional Qualification UTMlead /Faculty of Electrical Engineering UTM Johor Bahru

Constructive Alignment 2017 ii

Table of Contents

Constructive Alignment ................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Improving teaching towards learning outcomes ........................................................ 1

1.1.1 Outcome-based Education (OBE) ................................................................................................ 1

1.2 Levels of Thinking about teaching ........................................................................... 4

1.2.1 Surface and deep approaches to learning ...................................................................................... 5

1.2.3 Teaching and approaches to learning ............................................................................................ 6

2.1 Knowledge and understanding ................................................................................ 7

2.1.1 Kinds of knowledge ..................................................................................................................... 7

2.1.2 Threshold concepts ...................................................................................................................... 8

2.2 Constructive Aligned Teaching ................................................................................ 9

2.2.1 An overview ................................................................................................................................ 9

3.1 Training models, strategies and technique .............................................................. 11

3.1.2 Gagné Nine Event of Instruction ................................................................................................ 12

3.1.3 Designing and writing courses ILO ............................................................................................ 13

3.1.3 How People Learn Framework .................................................................................................. 15

3.2 Conducting Constructive Alignment Training ........................................................ 17

Constructive Alignment 2017 1

Constructive Alignment 2017 1.1 Improving teaching towards learning outcomes

To meet demands in improving teaching for a broader range

of students, many universities are funding staff development

centers, or centers for teaching and learning, on a larger

scale than previously done. The most important ways of

improving teaching are:

• Recognizing that good teaching is as much a function

of institution—wide infrastructure as it is a gift with which some lucky academics are

born. Thus policies and procedures that encourage good teaching and assessment

across the whole institution need to be put in place.

• Shifting the focus from the teacher to the learner and specifically to define what

learning outcome students are meant to achieve when teachers address the topic that

are meant to teach.

1.1.1 Outcome-based Education (OBE)

In outcome-based education (OBE) states what are the intended general outcomes of a

graduate of a university should achieve. It is also derive the content based programme and

specific course level outcome. Graduate outcomes recall the older notion of teaching goals

but placing them in a more systematic context. The identified six goal clusters that teachers

might address:

The concept of constructive alignment


1. higher order thinking skills

2. basic academic success skills

3. discipline knowledge and skills

4. liberal arts and academic values

5. personal development.

Graduate outcomes are also called graduate attributes which are outcome of the total

university experience such as creativity, independent problem solving, professional skills,

critical thinking, communication skull, teamwork, as well as lifelong learning. Graduate

outcomes are conceived in mainly two different ways

• as generic-comprising context free qualities or attributes of individuals as if

graduates would be creative whatever they do

• as embedded- comprising abilities or ways of handling issues that are context

dependent, hence the creativity in only intended to apply in a graduate

context area.

OBE is aims to improve and enhance student learning and teaching quality. Graduate

outcomes guide the design of the intended learning outcome for the programme and its

constitute courses. In this way, both higher order thinking and basic academic skills are

written into the intended learning programme, rather than leaving it to the individual

teacher to decide. A course outcome statement tells us how we would recognize if or how

well students have learned what it is intended they should learn and be able to do. This is

different from the usual teacher-based curriculum, which simply lists the topics for teachers

to cover. That is, an outcome statement tells us what students should be able to do after

teaching and how well they should do it, when they were unable or only partially able to do

it before teaching. In outcome based teaching and learning, we are simply making that as

explicit as we can; always allowing unintended but desirable outcome. Teachers and critics

often overlook that students may also learn outcomes that had not been foreseen but which

are eminently desirable.


In OBE, assessment is carry out by seeing how well a student’s performance is, compares to

the criteria in the outcome statement; that is, assessment is criterion referenced. Students are

not assessed according to how their performance compare with each other and then graded

according to a predetermined distribution. Ideally in OBE, an assessment task requires the

student to perform the intended outcome itself, which is often not easily achieved by giving

students questions to which they write answers in an invigilated exam room. Constructive

alignment differs from other forms of outcome-based teaching and learning in that teaching

is also addressed, in order to increase the likelihood of most students achieving those

outcomes. In constructive alignment it is systematically align the teaching/learning

activities as well as the assessment tasks, to the intended learning outcome. Thus, this is

done by requiring the students to engage the learning activities, that is align towards the

outcomes.

Activity 1.1 – The changing scene of your own faculty

a) Discuss how OBE reflects the 21st century teaching and learning.

b) Did you experience any problems in implementing changes in your faculty? Discuss

with your group member on how you have conducted your course and how OBE

had help you in your class.

c) Some of you will be selected to share the experience. Do you think that you have

implemented constructive alignment?

Activity 1.2 – Read and Share

• CA1: Aligning teaching for constructing learning, https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/aligning-teaching-constructing-learning, John Biggs 2003.

• CA2: Constructive Alignment in University teaching, John Bigg, Herdsa Review of Higher Education Vol 1.

Read the article given and share with your group members.


1.2 Levels of Thinking about teaching

Task 1.1- Characteristics of Constructive Alignment

In the previous activity and the experience that you have shared, list the characteristics of

constructive alignment based on you understanding. Name this list as List A. Exchange

your list with your partner. Compare your list A with you partner and identify differences

and similarities.

All teachers have some theory of what teaching is, even if they are not explicitly aware of

that theory. Teachers’ theories deeply affect the kind of learning environment they create in

their classroom. The level of learning approach can be divided as shown in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1: Levels of teaching and learning

teachers do their responsibility; knowing their content and

expounding clearly

up to students to attend lectures, listen,

take notes read recommended

readings

The resposibility of getting the

information acrros depends on what the

teachers does.

Learning is more a function of what the teacher is doing than what sort of student

has to deal with

student centered model teaching

what the student does and how well the

intended outcomes are achieved.


1.2.1 Surface and deep approaches to learning

The surface approach arises from an intention to get the task out in the way with minimum

trouble, while appearing to meet course requirements. Low cognitive level activities are

therefore used, when higher level activities are required to do task properly. The concept of

the surface approach may be applied to any area, not only to learning. Applied to academic

learning, examples include rote learning1 selected content instead of understanding it,

padding an essay, listing points instead of addressing an argument, quoting secondary

references as if they were primary ones etc. However verbatim recall2 is sometimes entire

appropriate, such as learning lines for a play, acquiring vocabulary or learning formula. An

example of memorizing playing a part in a deep approach occurs in examinations context,

in what called deep memorizing. The student intends to understand depth but also need to

be able to recall details on cue, but those details are interconnected so that correct recall of

the part can give access the whole. Memorization become surface approach when it is used

to replace understanding, to give the impression that an appropriate level of understanding

has occurred when it has not.

The deep approach arises from the need to engage the task appropriately and meaningfully,

so the student tries to use the most appropriate cognitive activities to handle it. When the

students feel this need-to-know, they automatically try to focus on underlying meanings, on

main ideas, themes principles or successful application. This requires a sound foundation of

relevant prior knowledge, thus the feeling of the students needing to know will naturally try

to learn the details, as well as making sure they understand the big picture. When using deep

approach in handling a task, students have positive feelings: interest, a sense of importance,

challenge, exhilaration. Students come with questions they want answered, and when the

answers are unexpected, that is even better.

1 Rote learning -Is a memorization technique based on repetition. The idea is that one will be able to quickly recall the meaning of the material the more one repeats it. Some of the alternatives to rote learning include meaningful learning, associative learning, and active learning 2 Verbatim recall -Remembering of the precise wording of verbal substances.


1.2.3 Teaching and approaches to learning

To achieve most intended learning outcomes a range of verbs, from high to low cognitive

level, needs to be activated. The highest would refer to such activities as reflecting and

theorizing, the lowest to memorizing and recalling while in between are various level of

activity. When using a deep approach, students use the full range of desired learning

activities; they learn terminology, they memorize formulae, but move from there to applying

these formulae to new examples. When using a surface approach, there is a short fall where

students handle all tasks, low and high with low level verbs. The teaching challenge is to

prevent this shortfall from occurring or to correct it where it has occurred, see Figure 1.2

Figure 1.2 Cognitive level of learning activities

!Stated&in&intended&learning&outcome& Used&in&learning& Deep& & Surface& & Teaching&

challenges&! ! ! ! ! ! !Reflect! Reflect! ! ! ! ! !Apply:!far!problems! Apply:!far!problems! ! ! ! ! !Hypothesize! Hypothesize! ! ! ! ! !Relate!to!principle! Relate!to!principle! ! ! ! ! !Apply:!near!problems! Apply:!near!problems! ! ! ! ! !Explain! Explain! ! ! ! ! !Argue! Argue! ! ! ! ! !Relate! Relate! ! ! ! ! !Comprehend:!main!ideas! Comprehend:!main!ideas! ! ! ! ! !Describe! Describe! ! ! ! ! !Paraphrase! Paraphrase! ! ! ! ! !Comprehend!sentence! Comprehend!sentence! ! ! ! ! !Identify,!name! Identify,!name! ! ! ! ! !Memorize! Memorize! ! ! ! ! !!

Higher!level!

activities!missing!

Supply!activities!to!support!missing!activities!

Discourage!inappropriate!lower!verbs!


Activity 1.3 -

a) Based on the material in section 1.2 relate the cognitive learning activities and

approaches to learning to constructive alignment.

b) Now refine your understanding of the underlying of constructive alignment.

c) You will then require discussing your findings with the class. Now what do you

think cognitive level and learning approaches involve in constructive alignment?

2.1 Knowledge and understanding

Constructive alignment is design for teaching. There are two obvious kinds of knowledge,

declarative and functioning. Declarative knowledge is knowledge about things, expressed in

verbal or other symbolic form. Functioning knowledge is knowledge that informs action by

learner.

2.1.1 Kinds of knowledge

knowledge refers to knowing about things, but because it is expressed in

symbols systems, usually verbal, it is also called propositional knowledge or content

knowledge. Declarative knowledge is public knowledge, subject to rules of evidence that

make it verifiable. Replicable and logically consistent; it is in libraries and textbook and on

the Internet. The learner’s role is to internalize that pre-existing knowledge, meaningfully.

Students’ understanding of it is usually tested declaratively, by getting them to declare it

back in their own words and using their own examples.

knowledge is knowledge that informs actions, where the performance in

underpinned by understanding. The learner does not only receive pre-existing knowledge

but is actively involved in putting knowledge to work. If declarative knowledge is steered

internally to the learner, functioning knowledge travels externally. Functioning knowledge

require a solid foundation of declarative knowledge.


2.1.2 Threshold concepts

A threshold concept is like a portal, opening up a new and previously inaccessible way of

thinking about something. When the student goes through the gateway, a perspective of the

subject is opened up that illuminates a new landscape, a level of understanding that had not

been there previously. The problem is that such concepts are often troublesome to learn: the

gateway is too narrow for some. It is important that teachers identify those threshold

concepts and address them, which is excellent collegial exercise for the programme

committee. It is these threshold concepts that when grasped, lead students into deep

approaches to learn the subject. Figure 2.1 shows the SOLO taxonomy with sample verbs

indicating levels of understanding.

Figure 2.1: A hierarchy of verbs that may be used to form intended learning outcomes.

We need to distinguish threshold concepts from core concepts, which are also necessary to

understand a subject. Core concepts do not however lead to a dramatic shift to a new level

of understanding. For example, the concept of heat, which is apply to a homely subject like

Quantitative phase Qualitative phase


cooking, which is fundamentally a process of using heat. Understanding the implications of

the threshold concepts of heat transfer and temperature gradient can transform both the

cook’s understanding and basic procedures.

2.2 Constructive Aligned Teaching

2.2.1 An overview

The intended learning outcomes (ILOs) which is also known as course learning outcomes

(CLOs) are central to the whole system, which by referring to Figure 2.2 can be used as a

general framework for teaching. Get them right and the decision as to how they are to be

taught and how they may be assessed follows. The ILOs are expressed in term of what

constructive activities are most likely to achieve them. Activities are verbs, so, practically

speaking, we specify the verbs we want the students to enact in the context of the content

discipline taught. Some students tend to use high level outcome verbs such as theorize,

reflect, generate, apply whereas some others used lower level outcome verbs such as

recognize, memorize, describe. Their level of engagement is expressed in the cognitive level

of the verbs used: reflection is high level, memorizing low level. Note that these verbs are

examples only. Those verbs take objects, the content topic taught. We discourage the one-

dimensional notion of ‘covering’ the topics in the curriculum and rather need to specify the

levels of understanding or of performance.

In constructive alignment system of teaching, the teacher’s task is to see that the appropriate

learning activities, conveniently expressed as verbs, are:

• Nominated in the intended learning outcome statements;

• Embedded in the chosen teaching/ learning activities so that performing them brings

the student closer to achieving the ILOs;


• Embedded in the assessment tasks enabling judgments as to how well a given

student’s level performance meets the ILOs.

Figure 2.2: Aligning intended learning outcomes, teaching and assessment tasks.


Activity 2.1 Read and Share

• CA3: Reflection on Appying Consructive Alignment with Formative Feedback for teaching

Introductory Programming & Software Architecture, IEEE ACM 2016

• CA4: Implementing Constructive Alignment Theory in a Power System Analysis Course using

a Consensus Model, IEEE ICELIE 2012.

• CA5:Towards Constructive Alignment with Portfolio Assessmenrt for Introductory

Programming, IEEE TALE 2012

Based on the reading materials from the examples given, discuss and identify the

characteristics of good constructive alignment course design.

Discuss within the group members. Present/ share and compare your findings with the rest

of the participants

3.1 Training models, strategies and technique

In general, the delivery of a training program is conducted in a series of sessions. Typically

each session is made up of presentation on a single topic. The length of the session can vary

from several hours to sometimes to an entire day. However, the session should link together

or fit into a logical pattern within the training schedule. One important thing to consider is

the instructional design used in consulting the training session.

Here, the use of a learner centred approach is recommended. The purpose of the training is

to develop learners’ abilities. Therefore, the participants will be the center of the activity and

will be asked to take a more active role in the learning process. They will be required to

reflect on their own performance and to work closely with the trainer and the other

participants to meet the training objectives. The learner centred approach used will ensure

that the learner is thoroughly engage in demonstrations, interactions with the trainer or


other learners and other kinds of physical and mental activities. Consider how the steps in

section 3.1.2 can be used as guidelines in conducting a training session to support learner

center approach.

3.1.2 Gagné Nine Event of Instruction

Figure 3.1: Robert Gagné Nine steps of instruction

Level 1: Gaining Attention (Reception)

Start the learning experience by gaining the attention of your audience. This change in stimulus alerts the learners that learning will soon take place.

Level 2: Informing Learners of the Objective (Expectancy)

Next, you must ensure that the learner knows what they need to learn, and that they understand why they’re about to learn this new information.

Level 3: Stimulating Recall of Prior Learning (Retrieval)

When people learn something new, they match the new information with related information or topics they’ve learned in the past.

Level 4: Presenting the stimulus (Selective Perception)

!

Gain!Attention!

Inform!

Learner!of!

Objective!

Stimulate!Recall!

of!Prior!

Information!

Present!

information!

Provide!

Guidance!

Elicit!

Performance!

Provide!

Feedback!

Assess!

performance!

Enhance!

Retention!and!

Transfer!

Hey!

You!!!

Today!

we!are!

going!

to….!

Yesterday!

we!learn!

how!to..!

This!is!a!

demonstration!

of…!

This!is!a!guide!

for!

performing..!

Now,!you!

try!it.!

You!need!to..!

Now,!we!will!

have!a!

performance!

test!

We!will!now!

do!it!on!the!

job..!


Present the new information in an effective manner.

Level 5: Providing Learning Guidance (Semantic Encoding)

To help learners learn and retain the information, provide alternative approaches that illustrate the information that you’re trying to convey.

Level 6: Eliciting Performance (Responding)

At this stage, you need to ensure that he learner can demonstrate their knowledge of what you’ve taught them. The way that they show this depends on what they’ve learning.

Level 7: Providing Feedback (Reinforcement)

After they demonstrate their knowledge, provide feedback and reinforce any points as necessary.

Level 8: Assessing Performance (Retrieval)

The learner should be able to complete a test, or other measurement tool, to show that they’ve learned the material or skill effectively. They should complete this test independently, without any help or coaching from you.

Level 9: Enhancing Retention and transfer (generalization)

In this last stage, your team members show that they’ve retained information by transferring their new knowledge or skill to situations that are different from the one you’ve trained them on.

3.1.3 Designing and writing courses ILO In designing outcomes, there are several points to consider such as

• The kind of knowledge to be involved • The topic to teach • Level of understanding intended

The verb in the ILO has two main functions. It says what the student is to be able to do with the topic and at what level. There are some typical verbs for each SOLO level see table 3.1. For another set of verbs, based on Bloom’s revised taxanomy see Table 3.2


Table 3.1: some verbs for ILO from the SOLO taxonomy

Unistructural Memorize, identify, recognize, count, define, draw, find, label,

match, name, quote, recall, recite, order, order, tell, write, imitate.

Multistructural Classify, describe, list report, discuss, illustrate, select, narrate,

compute, sequence, outline, separate.

Relational

Apply, integrate, analyse, explain, predict, conclude, summarize,

review, argue, transfer, make plan, characterize, compare, contrast,

examine, translate and solve a problem.

Extended Abstract Theorize, hypothesize, generalize, reflect, generate, create, compose,

invent, originate, prove from first principles,

Table 3.2: some more ILO verbs from Bloom’s revised taxonomy.

Remembering Define, describe, draw, find, identity, label, list, match, name, quote,

recall, recite, tell, write.

Understanding Classify, compare, conclude, demonstrate, discuss, exemplify,

explain, identify, predict.

Applying Apply, change, choose, compute, dramatize, implement, interview

prepare.

Analyzing Analyze, characterize, classify, compare, contrast,

Evaluating Appraise, argue, assess, choose, conclude, critique, decide,

Creating Compose, construct, create design, develop, generate, hypothesize,

invent, make, perform.


3.1.3 How People Learn Framework The how people learn (HPL) framework can be utilized for analyzing and designing

learning environment or TLAs in constructive alignment. Through four overlapping lenses.

The four lenses are knowledge centered, learned centered, assessment centered and

community centered. As shown in Figure 3.1

Figure 3.2: The how the people learn (HPL) framework

Knowledge centered basically refers to what would we intend students to know and do after

going through a lesson and finally a whole course. While this may simply sound like

definition of course outcomes in the outcomes based approach, knowledge centered refers to

more than just having a list of disjoined outcomes. What is important is to organize

knowledge that is interconnected around the fundamentals of a discipline. Taking this

approach requires a thorough reflection on the part of educators to determine the enduring

ideas of the discipline that takes into account the interconnections of key concepts that can

facilitate future learning.

!

Community Centered

Learned Centered

Assessment Centered

Knowledge Centered


Learner centered refers to framing the delivery of the knowledge in learning environment

that takes into account the background, preconceptions (which often misconception),

connections to prior learning or existing knowledge of students, as well as difficulties that

they go thorough in learning the new knowledge and how to help them understand and

develop mastery. Acknowledging the students’ background and prior knowledge is critical

in assisting them make connections with what is learned in classroom. To assist in the

progression of the students’ ability, instructor must also help students to understand

themselves as a learned.

Community centered refers to students being part of a learning community consisting of

their peers. As part of the community, they support each other in a positive manner, develop

a sense of belonging and bonding amongst classmates. Consequently, students feel safe to

participate and ask questions in class, not afraid to venture into new learning. They are

encouraged to work together in pairs or in small groups and share their thoughts with the

whole class as a community. Studies show that students learning in such a positive

environment feel that their learning as well as social needs are met, leading to higher level of

interest and self-efficacy. Cooperative learning activities, which encourage and guide

students to learn in a team fits in the community centered lens as well.

Assessment centered refers to the kind of assessment that helps students to obtain feedback

about their current performance level and provides a chance for them to improve

themselves. Assessment should be for learning and not just to assess learning, it should be

formative, rather than just summative. In addition to get feedback from others, developing

meta-cognitive skills will enable students to self-assess their own learning process, rather

than relying on others. Allowing students to discuss, receive feedback from peers and listen


to other students explanations in class is also a form of formative assessment that had been

shown to help students to learns and develop their self –confidence in learning. Summative

assessment should be indicative of students ability to perform a task, rather than to just

answer written examinations. It should reflect the degree to which a student can transfer

what they learn in class to real world setting. This idea is an agreement with constructive

alignment that recommends that the teaching and learning activities (TLA) be the same as

the assessment task (TA).

3.2 Conducting Constructive Alignment Training

Task 3.1: Writing course ILOs

Consider the course aims and write the course ILO by identifying:

a) The kind of knowledge to be learned (declarative or functioning)

b) The content or topic to be learned.

c) The level of understanding or performance to be achieved.

d) Any particular context in which the outcome verb is to be enacted.

The following grid may be useful fr amework to help you think.


Kind of knowledge

declaration/function

Level of

understanding

Content Topic Context

Students should be able to:

ILO1:

ILO2:

ILO3:

ILO4:

Task 3.2: Design a course using CA

a) Define learning outcome: consists of content to be learned AND what is to be done

with that content and to what standard.

b) Create learning environment that is likely to engage the student in learning activities

that will bring about the intended outcome

c) Assess task


Additional Reading & References

1. Biggs, J and Tang C. (2011). Teaching For Quality Learning at University, McGraw Hill.

2. http//www.mindtools.com/pages/article/gagne.htm

3. Toohey, S (2002) Designing Courses for University, Bungkingham

4. J. D. Bransford et al. editors, National Academy Press, Washington DC, 2001, expanded edition.

How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. (HPL)

constructive alignment 2017 - universiti teknologi …teaching-constructing-learning, john biggs...

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