Constructive Alignment 2017 - Universiti Teknologi …teaching-constructing-learning, John Biggs...
Transcript of 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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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
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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;
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• 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.
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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
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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..!
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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)