Biggs (2003b) HEA Aligning teaching for constructing learning. Webpage
Accessed 10/02/2025
Constructive Alignment
It has two parts. Constructive is the idea that students create meaning through the doing of certain learning tasks. This is not the relay of information from teachers to students but something that students learn for themselves. “Teachers is simply a catalyst for learning”
“It is helpful to remember that what the student does is actually more important in determining what is learned than what the teacher does.' (Shuell, 1986: 429)”
(This is a quote from the resource, referencing another scholar)
The alignment part refers to how the teacher accommodates the students learning outcomes. How does the learning environment ensure that the students achieve the desired aims?
Defining ILOs (Intended Learning Outcomes
How will topics be understood. We need a clear understanding what the outcomes will be for the students. Declarative Knowledge / Functioning Knowledge
Declarative knowledge – Known facts which can be relayed normally orally or written (second hand knowledge) What is know, what has been discovered. Our students aim is to put that declarative knowledge into their own words to understand and to explain. Most students won’t automatically turn declarative knowledge into functioning knowledge so that is why we have to ensure that students demonstrate this as part of the learning outcomes. This allows students to see the value in the information that we give them.
Choosing Teaching and Learning Activities (TLA)
In most courses teaching is restricted to lecture, and tutorials. “Lectures – expound and package information. Tutorials – Clarify and extend information.” This can lead to passive listening and memorising information (shallow learning)
With HE changing it is forcing learning out of the classroom and looking at other techniques such as “with interactive group work, peer teaching, independent learning and work-based learning, all of which are a rich source of relevant learning activities.”
Assessing Students Learning Outcomes
“As Ramsden (1992) puts it, the assessment is the curriculum, as far as the students are concerned.”
It cannot be concluded with counting marks but with “qualities of performance”. This needs to be made clear to the students to ensure that they understand that the learning outcomes will relate directly to the assessment. Make sure it is aligned.
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