Theoretical Concepts of Constructive Alignment 

From the early days of higher education management, researchers have drawn agreat deal of attention to the importance of constructive alignment between instruction,learning and assessment (ILA). Y

 

et still, in this advanced technological age, the

 

problem is still one of the top concerns of educators. Theconcepts of constructivealignment emerged early in 1950¶s (Biggs 1996, 1999). Since that time then?,researchers have struggled to tackle the i

 

ssue through aligning the curriculumobjectives, ILA and assessment tasks. In early approaches, aligning practice is given onthe basis of what educators do rather than focusing on what students should do. Theseapproaches have expanded over time and nowadays, researchers have pointed outmany issues and challenges, and developed different suitable alignment techniques andmodels.

Constructive alignment in online education can be defined as the degree of fit

 

and integration between instruction, learning and assessment in information andtechnologies communications (ICT) (Biggs 2003).According to Biggs, who introducedthis theory, alignment can be measured in various directions. These directions arecharacterized with respect to a higher institution¶s strategy, structure, culture and socialdirection. In regard tof  higher institution¶s strategic directions, researchers normallyconsider a quality assurance in order to measure alignment. On the structural side,researchers focused on course leaders or coordinators who lead the whole coursecurriculum design and academicians who developed their knowledge and skills aboutcurriculum design. On the higher institution¶s cultural side, researchers investigatedthelack of student¶s ability to deal with ICT andthe weak relationship between students andinstructors. Finally, in relation to the social direction of the higher institution, factors suchas l

 

ack of reflective practice in students?, lack of maintaining standards of qualitylearning and lack of student motivation are considered.Moreover, constructive alignmentcan be divided into two aspects where each aspect representsing a specific part in

 

learning. For example, the constructive aspect refers to what the student does throughrelevant learning activities. Whereas, alignment aspect refers to what the instructor does that support the appropriate learning activities to achieve intended learningoutcome. In the teaching system, the key is the teaching method used and theassessment tasks could be aligned to the learning activities in order to aim the desiredoutcomes.This kind of alignment could be the higher institution¶s? curriculum alignment,instruction and learning activities alignment, instruction and student¶s attributesalignment, learning activities and student¶s alignment, etc (Biggs 2003).

 

Comment [F1]: Redundant

Comment [F2]: What problem?

Comment [F3]: What issue?

Comment [F4]: Sense

Comment [F5]: Sense

Comment [F6]: Relation

Comment [F7]: Wordy