Evidencing learning outcomes: a multi-level, multi-dimensional course alignment model
31 July 2017
To cite this article: Bhavani Sridharan, Shona Leitch & Kim Watty (2015) Evidencing learning outcomes: a multi-level, multi-dimensional course alignment model, Quality in Higher Education, 21:2, 171-188, DOI: 10.1080/13538322.2015.1051796
This paper is a result of my (and co-authors) involvement with a number of course renewal initiatives in our faculty (Faculty of Business and Law) under the umbrella of “enhancing the quality of higher education” to prepare the learners for the uncertain and dynamic job-market demands of the future. Additionally, as part of my role of educating educators, I was trying to see how best the story could be told as the teaching community’s understanding of this process is vital to truly execute the vision of fulfilling the needs of the 21st-century learners.
What struck me was the lack of pragmatic, comprehensive and lucid approach to bring forth fundamental changes at grass root level (teaching community). It dawned on to me that one of the effective ways to help educators understand this complex process is to use some visualization techniques. This triggered my memory on the management concept of six sigma methodology of logical and structured approach to problem-solving and continuous process improvement. The result is this paper, which provides a mechanism for understanding of the process of explicitly integrating and constructively aligning the learning outcomes. This blog is an extension of the paper with some key questions and answers in implementing the constructive alignment process.
Overview
Evidencing learning outcomes is about the approaches that provide opportunities for students to evidence aspects of their learning that reflect the knowledge and skills for employability. This paper develops a conceptual framework facilitating the understanding of the constructive alignment and evidencing process by scaffolding learning outcomes at multiple levels (course, unit, assessment, rubric level) and considering multiple dimensions (graduate learning outcome (GLO); AQF level, taxonomy level; weight assigned to each GLO; and minimum standards). One of the key instruments for evidencing learning outcome is authentic assessment. This shows whether the students have achieved the intended learning outcome. The key elements for authentic assessment are: development of specific, measurable learning outcome; aligning and contextualizing assessment tasks; and development of effective rubric design to measure whether majority of the students have achieved the ‘minimum standards’.
The Big Picture
The diagram below gives a holistic approach to curriculum design by contextualising and aligning all aspects of evidencing learning outcomes. This helps us to visualise the entire process from teaching staff side (top-down) and student side (Bottom-up) and implementation side (any approach including middle-out). The alignment and contextualising covered at multiple levels include University level agenda (GLO), course level (CLO), Unit level (ULO), assessment level (assessment tasks), and rubric level (criteria). In short, the objective is GLO-CLO-ULO-Assessment-RUBRICS CRITERIA alignment (see figure below). Within each level, the dimensions considered are: qualification level, coverage, significance, threshold standards, etc. to achieve staff objective of fulfilling the learning outcomes. The learning and teaching strategies are the backbone that glues all the key aspects of the curriculum design.
Key questions for developing contextualized authentic assessment
- What do you want students to learn? (Course and Unit Learning Outcomes)
- How do you make sure students achieve ‘minimum standards’ in those learning outcomes? (Teaching and Learning Strategies)
- How do we know whether students have learnt the intended learning outcome? (Assessment – Method and Tasks)
- How do you measure and discriminate among student performance? (Rubric Design -Criteria, level, descriptors and standards)
- How well should most students perform? (Minimum Acceptable Standard – Benchmark)
- How can students improve their learning? (Feedback)
- How can we use the ‘data’ to enhance student learning? (Assessment Analytics – Evaluation)
FAQs and Answers
The following are some of the Frequently asked questions by teaching communities and some answers to those questions.
