Strategies to Design Intentional Curriculum

A Diversity of LearnersINCLUSIVE TEACHING AT RMIT

Page 1 of 4www.rmit.edu.au/teaching/inclusive

Anticipate your likely audience Consider the diversity of the student cohort in the design of your course:

• Ifyouarenewtothiscourseconsultcolleagueswhohavetaughtthecoursepreviouslytoaskaboutthestudentcohortoraccessiexplore(https://iexplore.rmit.edu.au/iexplore/)forinformation.

• ConsultyourprogrammanageraboutthepreviousProgramAnnualReview(PAR)dataonthestudentcohort.

• Considerhowyouwillcatertotheneedsofdifferentgroupsinyourcohort.

• Determineothercoursesstudentsmighthavedonepriortoyoursanddesignthecoursewiththewholeprograminmind.

• Usereal-worldexamplesfromdiverse,globalperspectivestoillustratekeyideasandproblems.

Consider the diversity of the student cohort in the design of your assessments:

• Usearangeofassessmentsmethodstocaterfordifferenttypesoflearners.

• Designyourassessmentsusingascaffoldedapproachtoassistinstudentsuccess.

• Treatassessmentasanintegralpartofyourcoursedesign.

• Providechoicetostudentsinassessmenttaskstocaterfordifferentlearningstyles

“When someone with the authority of a teacher, say, describes the world and you are not in it, there is a moment of psychic disequilibrium, as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing.”AdrienneRich,Invisibility in the Academe.

Strategies to Design Intentional Curriculum

I can see my world

Strategies to Design Intentional Curriculum

A Diversity of LearnersINCLUSIVE TEACHING AT RMIT

Page 2 of 4www.rmit.edu.au/teaching/inclusive

Adopt a flexible curriculum to respond to a diverse student cohort

Consider the diverse needs of your students in the design of the course curriculum:

Includeinyourcurriculumdesign:

• Activitiesthatencouragestudentstodrawonpriorknowledgeandexperience.

• Opportunitiesthatencouragestudentstomakeconnectionsbetweenknowledgeandapplication.

• Differentmodesoflearninginyourdesign(facetoface,flippedclassroomsandblendedlearning).

• Learningandassessmentactivitiesrelevanttostudentlivesandcareeraspirations.

• Learningactivitiesforvisual,auditoryandkinaestheticlearners

• Reflectcurrentindustrypracticeandaccreditation(AQFandprofessionalbody)standards.

• Opportunitiesforstudentstoexplorespecifictopicssothattheycancreateunderstandingandexperiencedeeperlearning.

• AvarietyoflearningactivitiestoaccommodatedifferentTeachingSpaces(www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=1opmzu7tunng1)

FormoreinformationondeliveryrefertoStrategiestoteachexplicitly.

Access a range of methodologies to deliver activities that support different learning needs and styles:

Therearemanytheories,pedagogiesandprinciplesthatsupportaninclusiveteachingpractice;helpustounderstandmoreclearlyhowandwhystudentslearn;andassistustodesigneffectivelearningexperiences,tasksandassessments.SeeStrategiesforTeachingExplicitlyforfurtherdetails

Use technology to facilitate a more inclusive curriculum:

• Usetechnologytomakelearningmoreaccessibleforallstudents.

• Usebothsynchronousandasynchronouscommunicationchannels.

• Uploadalllearningmaterialsintothecourseonlinespace.

• Ensureallonlinelearningmaterialsareaccessible,wellorganized,easilyidentifiedandfoundbystudents.

Design curriculum to be responsive to changes in circumstance:

• Designyourcurriculumsoitcanbeeasilychangedtocaterforoff-campusstudentsorblendedlearningdeliveryifneedbe.

• Annuallycheckyouronlinematerialstoensuretheyreflectthetimeandcircumstanceofdelivery.

Ensure your curriculum design is accountable

Design curriculum to comply with the regulatory requirements:

• DesignlearningactivitiesandassessmentsatthecorrectAQFlevel.

• Designcourselearningandassessmentactivitiestoreflectthelearningoutcomesofyourprogram.

• Ensurethevolumeoflearningisappropriatewhencoursesaredeliveredindifferentmodes.

• Familiariseyourself,andcomplywith,RMITpolicyinyourassessmentdesign.RMITAssessmentPolicies.

Strategies to Design Intentional Curriculum

A Diversity of LearnersINCLUSIVE TEACHING AT RMIT

Page 3 of 4www.rmit.edu.au/teaching/inclusive

Use a collaborative approach to the design of curriculum

Liaise with industry to ensure industry focused outcomes:

• Obtainfeedbackfromindustryonthetypesoflearningactivitiesandassessmentsyouhavedesignedtoensuretheyarecurrentandrelevant.

• Ensureyourcoursedesignandassessmentsworktogethertoassiststudentsintheirpreparationforindustry.

Integrate the development of graduate attributes, Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and English Language Proficiency Skills into your course:

• Designassessmentstoassistinbuildingthegraduateattributesexpectedfromyourprogram.

• Reflectindustrypracticesinthedesignofyourlearningactivitiesandassessments.

• FamiliariseyourselfwithRMIT’sGraduateAttributes.

• AccessWILforguidelinesonWILandpracticalplacementguides.

• AccessTheStudyandLearningCentre(SLC)forinformationonhowtoembedEnglishlanguageproficiencyandacademicskillsintoyourprogram.

Build collaborative opportunities for students:

• Designactivitiesthatpromoteinteraction,collaborationandsharedreflectionamongstudents.

Make your design decisions transparent

Ensure design decisions are clear:

• Createassessmentswithaclearalignmenttothecourselearningoutcomesandexplaintheselinkstostudents.

• Explaintoyourstudentswhyyouhavechosenlearningmaterials,activitiesandassessmentmethods.

• Makeexpectedoutcomescleartostudents.

• Giveclearinstructionstostudentsonwhatyouwantthemtodoandpreparethemexplicitlyforassessments.

• Buildfeedbackprocessesintotheassessmentdesignandexplainhowtheseshouldbeusedforbetterperfomance.

Align learning outcomes with learning activities and assessment:

• Specifytheknowledge,values,andskillsthatstudentsareexpectedtoachieveattheendofthecourse.

• Clearlyarticulateyourexpectationsandthecoursegoals,learningoutcomesandrequirementsinyourCourseGuidePartBandinyourfirstsession.Reiteratetheseduringthecourseateachnewtopic.

• Followlogicalstepstoleadtothepreparationforassessmenttasksandskill/knowledge/capabilitydevelopment.

• Preparethecoursesothatcontinuityismaintainedi.e.sessionsleadonfromthepreviousclassandconnecttothenextwithmatchingreadingsandresources.

Strategies to Design Intentional Curriculum

A Diversity of LearnersINCLUSIVE TEACHING AT RMIT

Page 4 of 4www.rmit.edu.au/teaching/inclusive

Ensure your curriculum design is equitable

Avoid bias and stereotypes: Ensure there are no inherent biases that disadvantage some students in your chosen assessments.

• Ensuretherearenoinherentbiasesthatdisadvantagesomestudentsinyourchosenassessments.

• Usearangeofexamplestoensureallstudentscanrelate.

Provide students with transparent guidelines for their assessment:

• Makeassessmentrubricsavailabletostudentsearlysotheyhaveasolidunderstandingofrequirements.

• Provideclearwritteninstructionstostudentsonhowtocompleteassessmentsandallowclasstimetoanswerquestionsonimpendingassessments.

• Providestudentswithexemplarsonwhichtheymaymodeltheirperformance.

Use technology to broaden access to learning:

• Provideonlineaccesstolearningmaterialsforstudentsunabletoattendclasses.

• Provideflexibleoptionsforassessmentifrequired.

Ensure curriculum content does not perpetuate stereotypes:

• Ensureyoudonotusematerialsthatcouldbedeemeddiscriminatorybyanygroupsinyourcourse.

• Providearangeofnon-biasedscenariosforlearningactivities.

• Createculturallyneutraland/orbalancedactivities.

Design learning and assessment activities to reduce the need for reasonable adjustment:

• Provideacomfortableenvironmentandavailabletimessoyouareapproachableifstudentsneedtodiscussassessments.

• Engagestudentsindiscussionsaboutassessmentandcoursedesigntoalleviatetheneedforreasonableadjustment.

• Makereasonableadjustmentsifrequired.