Curriculum Design.

A Learner Centered Approach

May , 2007

By. Rhys Andrews

 Curriculum Design and Reform – A Process of
Transition

Institutions in higher education are currently undergoing

significant curricular reform, not just in Georgia

Reasons?

Social and economic challenges, shift from teacher centered

to learner centered approach, external reviews, government
pressure, educational technologies, internationalization,
others?
 Learner-Centered Approach to Curriculum
Design

Curriculum that gives learners:

Knowledge, skills and attitudes that are assessable, transferable

and relevant to their lives as workers and citizens

A Learner-Centered Approach places emphasis on:

Learning communities, curriculum integration and clearly

defined learning outcomes
 Benefits of a Learner-Centered Approach to
Curriculum Design

1. Informed learners - what they can expect to achieve from

a program – so they can organize time and efforts.
2. Helps to determine the extent to which learning has been
accomplished.
3. Helps Curriculum committees determine programs of
study and course offerings within resource constraints.
4. Communicates curriculum/program goals to a broader
community.
5. Informs faculty when they are designing objectives,
content, delivery and assessment strategies.
Central Concepts Needs Assessment Other Considerations
• Outcomes based • Advisory Committee • Existing course
• Current, relevant • Employment Trends material?
• Employability • Data • Time allotment (hours
• Variety of teaching • Job Descriptions per week)
techniques • National Standards • Defining the Learner
• Student-centred • Focus of Assessment • Faculty expertise
• Team & individual • Curriculum committee
learning
• Learning
communities

Program Learning Outcomes with Indicators of Learning

Knowledge and Skill Profile Strategy of Teaching Process

“DACUM” and Who is the learner?

Learning Strategies (Teaching)

Who is the learner?

Community
Maturity
Family

The Learner

Supports Culture

History Socio-economics
Gender
Describing the Learner

Before completing learning outcomes for a program or

course, a description of learners helps to place a
context for development of the learning outcome.

Eg. “Effective Communication” would be a different

outcome for a university program than it would be for a
technical program.
 What are Learning Outcomes?

They are a statement of what the student should know

and be able to do when they complete a program or
course

•Knowledge
•Skills
•Attitudes

Learning outcomes are related to the needs analysis of

the student (for employment) rather than the needs of
the instructor
A focus on learning outcomes suggests that
faculty focus first on what is essential that
students know or be able to do following
completion of a program.

A simple question for faculty to ask is: How will

students use or apply this knowledge and these
skills in the workplace?
 Defining a Learning Outcome

3 main questions to answer:

• What would be required of a student in a

employment situation?
• What teaching methods/strategies would be effective?
• How will the learner be evaluated? (Evaluation methods
should be similar to what would be encountered in the
workforce)
 Learning Outcomes have:

Learning Indicators Learning/Teaching Strategies

(Measures of success) To provide students with
To determine whether knowledge and abilities to
students are meeting the meet the outcome
outcome
 Which comes first: learning outcomes for a
whole program or learning outcomes for an
Individual course?

Program

Course
Module
 Learning Outcome: At the end of this unit the
student will be able to...

Performance Indicators, or
Indicators of Learning

Knowledge Skills Affective, Social

“Learning Strategies”
Teaching Methods
 Example:

Learning Outcome: At the end of this unit the

student will be able to complete a planting
prescription

Indicators of Learning

Knowledge Skills Affective, Social

• species selection • sampling • teamwork
• limiting factors • site assessment • self direction
• stocking • data compilation • analysis of options
• sampling • contract develop. • defense development

Learning and Teaching Strategy

 Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes
Example model is the “Develop A Curriculum
(DACUM)” model

Increasing Complexity

Skills

Knowledge

Attitudes
When designing a curriculum it is also helpful
to think about teaching.

Process

Teaching ? Content
 Process

Teaching Content

Teaching the imparting of knowledge/skill

 Process

Teaching Content

Teaching is also the helping students learn thinking

processes
Learning Processes….

Knowledge

Evaluation Comprehension
Assessment

Learning Cycle:
Knowledge
Synthesis Application

Tacit Knowledge
Analysis
Learning Processes….

Learning Cycle:
Knowledge

Also include “Thinking Skills”

Factual: seeking and recording facts, research

Rational: organization, forming rules, justification

Insightful: alternative perspectives, innovation, ideas

Evaluative: stating preference with argument/justification

Critical: similar to Rational and Evaluative, ability to critique

a process or determine appropriateness of a result.
Learning Processes….
Relevance:
Demonstrate

Apply Imitate

Learning Cycle:
Skills
Perform Practice
Automatically

Increase Efficiency
Learning Processes….
Learning that simulates what will be encountered in the workforce….

Relevance to a job: an
individual learning activity
Students and Faculty:
Faculty Evaluate Define the problem

Students modify
And carry out Problem-Based
Learning Students:
Explore
Faculty evaluate
the plan
Students:
Students: Additional
Plan the Solution Information needs?
Faculty provide
Theory/Practice
Curriculum Concepts

•Collaboration: Learners work on projects together to

develop team, group, social skills AND faculty work
together to ensure curriculum overlap is intentional

•Relationship: Learning enhanced when the

relationship of on outcome to another is demonstrated

•Integration: Curriculum design can accommodate

opportunities for learners to integrate outcomes
Integration can occur throughout the term or as a planned event/project

Times when faculty combine to show how course outcomes fit together

Example:
September
December

Course 1
Course 2
Course 3

Course 4

Integrated Activity
 Other Critical Elements:

• Existing course
material?
• Time allotment (hours per week)
• Defining the Learner
• Faculty expertise

How do institutions build capacity and support

for faculty to develop expertise in curriculum
design?
How are gaps identified?