© 2003-2005 WIDS-WTCSF Curriculum Alignment Techniques and Tools for Making it Work Innovations...

© 2003-2005 WIDS-WTCSF

Curriculum AlignmentCurriculum AlignmentTechniques and Tools

for Making it Work

Innovations 2005Judy Neill

[email protected] Technical College System Foundation, Inc.

®

Worldwide Instructional Design System

mailto:[email protected]


Curriculum AlignmentCurriculum Alignment

Model

Process

Tools

Products

Reflections


What does learning alignment mean to you?What does learning alignment mean to you?

© 2003-2005 WIDS-WTCSF WIDS 05

Learning-Centered AlignmentLearning-Centered Alignment

• Focuses on learning

• Lays the groundwork for documenting learning results

• Sets the stage for teaching and learning excellence

• Encourages continuous improvement


All Learning ExperiencesCoursesProgramsMajorsDegrees

Aligned Learning ModelAligned Learning Model


Learning Activitie

s

Assessment

Learning Outcome

s

What?

Who?

When?

How?

Identifylearning needs.

Teach the right thing.

Assess what we intended to teach.

Teach what we intend to measure.


Learners


WHO

WHAT

WHEN

HOW

Learning Colleges Align Learning.Learning Colleges Align Learning.


Why Align?Why Align?

Enhance the quality of student learning

Ensure national or professional occupational standards are met.

Infuse program outcomes. Examine the duplication of course

content. Incorporate new content and/or

update existing content. Facilitate collaboration among faculty.


AlignedAligned

What

HowWhen

Competencies

Learning Objectives

Performance Standards

Exit Learning Outcomes

Linked External Standards

Rubrics

Assessment Activities

Assessment Items

Learning Activities

Learning Materials/Objects

Delivery Modes

Courses Workshops

Other Learning

ExperiencesSeminars

Aligned Learning ExperienceAligned Learning Experience


Horizontal AlignmentHorizontal Alignment


College to College(Transfer)


Horizontal AlignmentHorizontal Alignment

Vertical A

lign

men

tV

ertical Alig

nm

ent


Level-to-Level(Articulation)


AlignedAligned

Title


Exit Learning Outcomes

Linked External Standards

Within a College

Within a Program

Across a Department

Across a System

Aligned Course – Aligned Course – Multiple IterationsMultiple Iterations

Competencies

Description

Credit Configuration

Course Number

Grading Rationale


AlignedAligned

Title


Courses•titles• descriptions• credits

Across Colleges

Across Levels

HorizontalVertical

Aligned Program– Aligned Program– Multiple IterationsMultiple Iterations

Competencies

External Standards

Program Number

Program Outcomes

Description Entrance Requirements

Prerequisites


What Isn’t Aligned in Program Alignment – Multiple Iterations?What Isn’t Aligned in Program Alignment – Multiple Iterations?

College Core Abilities Learning objectives Learning activities Assessment activities Delivery mode Course sequence Textbooks Specific General Studies Courses Electives

Decisions made by college, department, or individual faculty members.


Wisconsin Technical College System

Health Occupations Statewide Alignment


Health Occupations Statewide Alignment


All 16 colleges offered Health Occupations programs.

Shortage of healthcare workers led to pressure from industry align programs.

Programs had different entrance requirements.

Programs had different science requirements.

Students couldn’t transfer between programs.

Expanded online offerings increased issues of transfer/articulation among colleges.

Wisconsin Situation

Wisconsin Health Occupations AlignmentWisconsin Health Occupations Alignment


Boost enrollment in health occupations programs.

Ease course transferability among colleges.

Facilitate collaboration among faculty state-wide (make use of best practices.)

Maximize the use of statewide curriculum development dollars.

Facilitate development of online courses.

Align programs but allow individual teaching differences in learning objectives, learning activities, textbooks, etc.

Wisconsin Goals



Same entrance requirements

Same program configuration (courses/credits)

Same course titles and descriptions

Same program outcomes

Same course competencies

Same performance standards for assessment

Solution: Aligned Curriculum



Solution: Aligned Curriculum


Anesthesia Technology

Clinical Laboratory Technician

Cardiovascular Technologist

Dental Assistant

Dental Hygienist

Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Health Unit Coordinator

Medical Assistant

Medical CodingNursing (AD, PN, and Nursing Assistant)

Radiography Technologist

Surgical Technologist


Facilitate alignment process.

Provide a consistent curriculum model, format and terminology.

Define “above the line” and “below the line.”

Allow teacher differences in learning plans and assessment tasks.

Link to Professional Standards, DACUM, and Program Outcomes.

Disseminate and store the curriculum electronically.

Partnership with WIDS



AlignedAligned

Core Skills

Assessment Approach

Professional Development

Across Colleges

Across Levels

HorizontalRelated Occupations

Aligned Core Curriculum– Aligned Core Curriculum– Multiple ProgramsMultiple Programs

Performance Indicators

External Standards

“Plug and Play” Learning Activities

Implementation Strategies



Critical Core Manufacturing SkillsStatewide Alignment


Critical Core Manufacturing SkillsStatewide Alignment


WI manufacturers face cost and competition challenges that call for the implementation of new production efficiency measures along with automation and technology strategies.

Growing sense of concern about availability of skilled workers.

Concerned that manufacturing industry image is making it difficult to recruit and maintain the right workers.

Industry called on WI Technical Colleges to help position manufacturing as a continuously vital part of Wisconsin’s economy.

Wisconsin’s Manufacturing Situation

Wisconsin Critical Core Manufacturing Skills AlignmentWisconsin Critical Core Manufacturing Skills Alignment


Identify high level, critical core skills that are needed by all manufacturing graduates and incumbent workers.

Infuse the critical core skills into all Wisconsin Technical College manufacturing programs.

Develop strategies for assessing the critical core skills.

Provide resources for teaching the critical core skills across the curriculum of all manufacturing programs.


WTCS Critical Core Skills Project Goals


Industry focus groups to identify the critical core skills.

Twelve critical core skills and performance indicators designed to infuse across all manufacturing programs.

Portfolio template with plans to go to electronic portfolios.

“Plug ‘n Play” LAP’s (Learning Activity Packets).


Solution: WTCS Critical Core Skills


Provide a consistent curriculum model, format and terminology.

Facilitate development of performance indicators.

Assist in linking Critical Core Manufacturing Skills to national standards.

Assist faculty writers in the development of LAP’s.

Develop the portfolio template and research the use of electronic portfolio’s.

Provide tools and model for designing professional development.


Partnership with WIDS


The ProcessThe Process

Define high performance.

CompetencyCompetency

Establish WHAT learners will learn.

Design learning and assessment.

WIDS Learning Design ProcessWIDS Learning Design Process

Deliver learning and evaluate effectiveness for continual improvement.

Exit learning Exit learning OutcomesOutcomesCore Abilities

Gen EducationProgram

External

Standard

sExternal

Standard

s

Mission

Mission

DA

CU

MD

AC

UM

Performance AssessmentsPerformance Assessments

AssessmentAssessment

Assessment Objects/Items

Assessment ActivitiesCriteria

Scoring Guide/Rubrics

Learning PlansLearning Plans

LearningLearning

Learning Activity

Learning Activity

Learning Activity

Learning Objective

Learning Objective

Learning Objective

Learning Objects/Materials

Program LevelProgram Level

Course LevelCourse Level

All LevelsAll Levels


How Long Does It Take?

1 planning day with deans and other decision-makers

3-4 days pre-work by WIDS consultant

3 two-day collaborative faculty sessions (6 days)

3-4 one-hour conference calls with deans/program managers

WIDS consultant work before, after, and between sessions

The Alignment ProcessThe Alignment Process



1. Establish criteria for the finished product.


2. Identify External Standards and Exit Learning Outcomes [Program, General Education, and Core Abilities].


Note:Use accreditation requirements and

standards to guide the processLink external standards to

competencies and course to lay the groundwork for standards matrices reports.


3. Brainstorm general areas of content or skill.

4. Write competencies for each area.

5. Perform final review of competencies.



6. Divide competencies into logical segments of learning, determining sequence and scope of competencies.

7. Create courses – competencies, title, descriptions.

8. Assign credits (3-6 competencies per credit).



9. Determine course prerequisites and sequence.

10. Configure into semesters if applicable.

11. Develop performance standards for each competency (criteria and conditions for assessment).



The ToolsThe Tools


WIDS Software: Supports the design of WIDS Software: Supports the design of learning and assessment.learning and assessment.WIDS Software: Supports the design of WIDS Software: Supports the design of learning and assessment.learning and assessment.


Use only the modules that relate to your project

Follow color and icon coded flowcharts as you work


Describe programDesignate external standards

• NLN Standards• MN Nursing Abilities• NCLEX Content

Establish exit learning outcomes• Program Outcomes (discipline specific) • Core Abilities (Critical Life Skills)• General Education Outcomes (degree/program level)

Configure coursesLink outcomes to courses

WIDS Program Design ModuleWIDS Program Design Module


Identify General Course InformationDevelop Course Level Outcomes

• Competencies and Performance Standards• Learning Objectives

Link Competencies to Exit Learning Outcomes• Program External Standards• Certification Exam Content (As needed)• Program Outcomes• Core Abilities

Build SyllabiPlan LearningPlan Assessment

WIDS Learning Design ModuleWIDS Learning Design Module


Use libraries for helpful references


A verb library for writing competencies and other outcomes(Select by Bloom’s domain and level)


A health care library with sample competencies(Includes sample performance standards for assessment)


A performance assessment task library


Pre-designed performance assessment tasks--use “as is” or adapt to your needs


Link program and other outcomes to competencies to infuse them through the learning

Dissemination

Dissemination


What Is Posted?What Is Posted?What Is Posted?What Is Posted?

Project reports/issues Discussions Alignment Documents

• WIDS Program Files

• Program File Reports

• Sample Program Configuration

• WIDS Course Files

• Course Outcome Summary Reports

• WIDS Analyzer Reports

• Zip Files

Model Learning Materials (when available)


The ProductsThe Products


Alignment DocumentsAlignment Documents Program Outcome Matrices

Program Profile

Course Outcome Summary (Syllabus)

All aligned programs

Developed through

eTech for selected

programs. Developed by

individual colleges for

others.

Learning Plans

Assessment Tasks

Learning Materials/Objects

Above-the-LineAbove-the-Line

Below-the-LineBelow-the-Line


WHAT IF SOMETHING CHANGES?

WHAT IF SOMETHING CHANGES?


Help!Help!

1. Our standards have changed!

2. We forgot something!3. We need more time!4. We have too much

time in this class!5. I can’t figure out how

to teach this!


Review ProcessReview Process

1. Conference call with deans annually

2. Conference calls with teachers of individual courses (professional development) at the conclusion of each semester

3. Face-to-face meetings as needed

Facilitate:


ReflectionsReflections


ChallengesChallenges

Achieve consensus among multiple stakeholders with diverse needs and interests

Move forward in the face of overt and hidden complexities and risks

Produce high quality products (curriculum) that can be deployed on the frontlines of learning

Coordinate a process that is effective, affordable, manageable, timely and flexible


Keys to SuccessKeys to Success

Partnership Informed Commitment Instructional Design System Defined Deliverables Process: Effective, Efficient, Flexible Easy Dissemination


PartnershipPartnership

WTC SystemLeadershipFunding

16 Wisconsin Technical Colleges

LeadershipResourcesDeployment

WIDS

FacilitationID Expertise and Tools


Informed CommitmentInformed Commitment Enhancement of learning and increased access for learners will

drive the design process.

The aligned program will be different from existing programs.

The program at each college will change, causing each college to do things differently

Faculty members will be likely to teach different courses – perhaps in different ways.

The process will be collaborative, focusing on best practices leading to measurable results that can be benchmarked to standards for excellence in learning and teaching.


WIDSInstructional Design SystemWIDSInstructional Design System

Centers on learning. Based on performance of learning outcomes Incorporates external standards. Links exit learning outcomes (program, general

education, and core abilities) to course outcomes and performance standards.

Connects learning outcomes to learning and assessment strategies.

Provides software tools to support the process.


Defined DeliverablesDefined Deliverables

Program Sum m aryprogram profile

program level learn ing outcom esprogram configuration

M odel Learn ing P lanslesson-level outcom es

learn ing activ itiesassessm ent activ ities

M odel Assessm entstargeted outcom es

assessm ent stra teg iesscoring guides/rubrics

M odel Learn ing M aterialsin teractive learn ing objectshandouts, practice guides

presentation m ateria ls, text

Deployment DeliverablesO nline: eTech

Face-to-Face: W TC S

Course Outcom e Sum m ariescourse profile

com petencies/perform ance standardslinked program level outcom es

Pro ject Docum entspro ject criteria

w ork session sum m ariesplan for developm ent of deploym ent de liverable s

Alignment DeliverablesW TC S A lignm ent P ro ject


Process: Effective, Efficient, FlexibleProcess: Effective, Efficient, Flexible

Build buy-in Clarify expectations Align curriculum Monitor and review


Easy DisseminationEasy DisseminationCurriculumBank

Central source for most current alignment products

Easy to access

Provides discussion/review forum

Easy to update

Cost effective


Benefits of AlignmentBenefits of Alignment

“This is better than the curriculum we had before. Our old curriculum reflected the biases and preferences of our own faculty. This one is based on the best thinking of teachers from 16 colleges!”

Nursing Instructor, Western Wisconsin Technical College


“Curriculum used statewide is more cost-effective than developing individual programs at each college. An aligned program is easier to evaluate. Competencies are linked to standards. The colleges now submit one curriculum the accrediting agency, jointly.”Kay Tupala, Associate Dean of Health and Public Safety, Northeast

Wisconsin Technical College

Financial Return?Financial Return?

http://wids.org

© 2003-2005 WIDS-WTCSF Curriculum Alignment Techniques and Tools for Making it Work Innovations...

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