Week 8: Forum – Designing Curriculum and Online Learning Environments. Reflect/ Discuss
- Alice Walton
- Jul 14
- 4 min read
What key three things do you think are most important to consider when designing any curriculum and learning environments in HE (face-to-face, blended and online)?
If you think about this question again, but only in relation to fully online curriculum and learning environments – does your list of three things change? How and why?
The first thing to consider is who am I teaching? Zhang & Zhu (2018) considers who is being taught and the subject area being learnt to dictate the type of learning style. In support of this and through personal experience, a combination of learning styles online would be beneficial for my creative students. Further to this I need to access the number of students, the level of students, their ability, any further student support that might be needed. How will I find out this information prior to this lesson (outside of an institutional setting)? Can I email and ask students directly through an online questionnaire? Or ask students to provide their website or creative social media links for me to view (only possible with a small student cohort)?
The second thing I consider is what I want the student to learn?: What are the students Learning Outcomes? What are the aims of the lesson? How can I assess if students have met these LO outside of an institution and without scheduled formative or summative assessments? Can I advertise the students LOs on my website, so students can clearly see this before they sign up to take part? Can I verbally run through their LO at the beginning of the synchronous lesson? Can I ask students to visually show their creations on screen at the end of the class? Can I ask students to take part in a post class survey assessing their level of understanding and providing feedback? Could I provide an optional follow up group speak and share session a few weeks after the lesson allowing students to show their physical artefacts?
The final point I consider is how will the students learn?: What pedagogic teaching will best suit the students to meet their learning outcomes? How will this online curriculum sit within the wider context? Biggs and Tang (2011) cite the importance of constructive alignment. What lesson plans will I create to form integration? What approach will I take? Could I provide an initial flipped classroom webcast video providing students with foundational knowledge (King's College London, 2014), or a short introduction podcast? I can show my visual learners physical examples which I have made in my studio during the lesson, and share my screen illustrating where I have found different coloured clay samples through map archives. This could suit my learners geographically, as I am likely to recruit international students. Can I follow scholarship from Stein & Graham, (2020) to provide different learning styles to motivate and inspire my students?
Refs
Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for Quality Learning at University (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Jared Stein, J., & Graham, C. (2020). Essentials for blended learning: a standards-based guide. New York; London: Routledge.
King's College London. (2014) Narrated PowerPoints: Week 5 EDU721 TEL Case Study [Online] Available at :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVeB1DtOV0wLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.
Zhang, W. & Zhu, C. (2018). Impact of Blended Learning on University Students’ Achievement of English as a Second Language. International Journal on E-Learning, 17(2), 251–273.
14 Jul 7:07| Last reply 14 Jul 11:05
Reply from JULIUS AYODELE
What key three things do you think are most important to consider when designing any curriculum and learning environments in HE (face-to-face, blended and online)?
Constructive alignment
Student engagement, and
Accessibility
The above factors are worth taking into account when designing curriculum and learning environments in higher education (HE). According to Biggs and Tang (2011), constructive alignment guarantees that exercises, learning outcomes, and assessments are deliberately connected to foster meaningful learning. By boosting student engagement, active and collaborative learning approaches enhance understanding and achievement (Freeman et al., 2014). Ensuring that all teaching methods are fair and accessible, following the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), meets the diverse needs of learners by providing multiple ways to present information, take action, and interact.
If you think about this question again, but only in relation to fully online curriculum and learning environments – does your list of three things change? How and why?
While these fundamental ideas still apply in fully online settings, the emphasis shifts. Technology reliance and asynchronous sharing make accessibility and digital inclusion increasingly vital (Laurillard, 2012). Building communities also becomes essential to prevent isolation and support learning; the Community of Inquiry model developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) highlights the importance of social, cognitive, and instructional presence in maintaining learner engagement and outcomes in virtual environments.
References
Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for Quality Learning at University (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill.CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.orgFreeman, S. et al. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. PNAS, 111(23), 8410–8415.Garrison, D.R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), 87–105.Laurillard, D. (2012). Teaching as a Design Science: Building Pedagogical Patterns for Learning and Technology. Routledge.
14 Jul 11:05
Reply from ALICE ROBSON-WALTON
Hi Julius,
I really enjoyed reading your response. Firstly, I thought I'd mention that I this the term 'foster' really encapsulates a student centred approach. It shows you nurture your students and consider their needs. I also think it is great that you are considering the fairness of student activities as this will provide motivation and respect between student and teacher. Finally, a fantastic point that while technology can often be seen as working alone or independently, it certainly has the potential to prevent isolation and create new and unexpected communities. I think this PGCHE course is evidence of this.
