Aligning higher education learning

Thomas Gulløv LonghiAssociate Professor, Ph.D.

Educational Developer - SUEFaculty of Business and Social Sciences

University of Southern Denmark

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Challenges

Higher education has changed during the last 10 years:

New insights and research has been accepted as important and contributing to practice

Biggs, J and Tang C. (2011): Teaching for Quality Learning at University, (McGraw-Hill and Open University Press, Maidenhead)

Increased international and national focus on education, relevance and quality of education Bologna process (from Humboldt to vocational

perspectives) Major changes in student intake, student

background and the funding of higher education

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Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning

Knowledge• ”I know”

Skills• ”I can”

Competences• ”I do”

SOLO taxonomy(Structure of Observed Learning Outcome)

Biggs and Tang (2007) p. 79

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Challenges

Universities, Colleges, Faculties, Head of studies, IT departments and Educational developers have focus on educational development Constructive alignment, solo taxonomy,

activating teaching and learning, ICT integration

Faculty members are driven by research interest (content) and legitimacy Education has legitimacy through history and

standards Traditions are celebrated Normative isomorphism

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Legitimacy of the professor?

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WHAT CAN BE DONE TO OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES?

Discuss in pairs

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Incentive structure

Students

Department

Professor

Formulated in the legal document ”course description”

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The purpose of a course description?

Legal insurance? Securing the professor in case of student

complaints? Necessary bureaucracy?

Something ”the system” requires Coordination document between the course

responsible and the professor teaching? ”Work package”

Contract with the student? ”This is what you get, these are the terms,…”

Marketing? Attract students

…

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Content instead of context

Example ”Strategy” The course covers topics of mission, goal,

strategy formulation, strategy implementation and strategy evaluation. Strategic techniques include Industry: Analysis, Analysis of the Competitive Environment, Key Success Factors, Strategic Scenario Analysis and SWOT Analysis. Additional topics covered include strategic thinking, competitive advantage, vertical and horizontal integration, and planning horizon.

…and students, departments and professors are all happy!

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Constructive Alignment- Aligning the course description?

Learning Design

Learning Outcome

Teaching MethodAssessment

Adjustment

Present Future Prerequisites

Purpose

Learning aim

Content

Teaching form Eventually ECTS-allocation

Exam

Prerequisites Courses, professional skills, study skills

Purpose and learning aim (goal) Progression in the education

Builds on, leads to Professional function, skills

Content/theme, Learning aim and learning activity (The correlation is described)

Allocation of different learning activities according to ECTS

Evaluation/assessment Formative Summative (exam activities)

Internal consistency

Content/theme Learning aim/SOLO Learning activity

Formative evaluation / Summative evaluation (exam activities)

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From legal documents to learning activities

An example of a study plan based on a new course description!

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5 ECTS course corresponding to 135 student work hours These 135 hours are allocated in the following way

Workload on group level

Workload on group level

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Changing the nature of education

Incentive structures and learning aims (goals) must be clear What is the purpose of higher education and

courses? Formal and legal documents must have point of

origin in learning aims and learning design instead of bureaucracy That goes for IT and ICT as well

Clear contracts can help overcome the resistance-to-change that students and faculty members have

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Questions and discussion