Creating Programmes of Learning
Courses (or programmes of learning) come in a huge variety of forms, online/offline/blended short/long, with differing purposes, target age range, leading to certification or not; the list goes on. At EduGrowth we believe there are some core considerations that can be applied when developing more or less any type of course.
We have given some thoughts to what the components?of excellent course design are, both within our ‘off the shelf’ programmes which institutions can use and also the bespoke work we do for clients.
Here are the key design concepts we follow.
1.???Start with purpose - a course should have an overall purpose which focusses upon the learner, with an overarching statement which states why this course is needed. ?
“The purpose of this course is to support learners in developing the knowledge, understanding and skills required to meet the market need for AI technicians in the UK.” is an example. You can also have sub-purposes such as increasing revenue for your institution, supporting existing provision etc., but they should sit underneath the main purpose. The purpose of a course should be agreed with all relevant stakeholders.
2.???Consider the development team?– diversity is key here, utilise input from teachers/tutors/lecturers, industry experts, potential students and employers. At EduGrowth we know from experience that people who aren’t involved in delivering education or training can often give the most insightful thoughts, so it’s really important not to get stuck in an echo chamber.
3.???Consider the resources needed to ensure effective learning - being clear about the needs of tutors, trainers and the learners themselves. Consider the modes of delivery and their geographical location, so that access to learning is open to as many individuals as possible. Resources include people, materials such as equipment, infrastructure, finances etc.
4.???Use market analysis - both in terms of what is needed in the workforce and also consideration of what is currently available; an evidence-based approach to establishing need is paramount. ?
5.???Plan the structure – when designing we would normally use a hierarchal type of design process where we would start with
If it’s possible building flexibility of choice for learners into the structure can help support motivation (choice has been shown to be a strong motivating factor). ??The course structure design process should be advised by regular feedback from relevant stakeholders, to support iterative design and effective sequencing of content.
6.???Types of learning activities – at EduGrowth we use practical, real-life activities and assessments applying the learning theory of constructivism where possible; of course, the instructional strategies and pedagogical approaches will depend on what you are trying to achieve in the learning process. The key is to have a variety of activities, supporting individual learning styles, keeping learners engaged and to consider what you are trying to develop in learners’ knowledge – what we know and understand, skills – how we use what we know and behaviours – how we interact in the world. ?
7.???Use technology to improve learner and teacher experience and performance – nothing more, nothing less!
8.???Use robust quality assurance mechanisms – quality assurance procedures must include participants’ feedback, tutor feedback, analysis of data. They should be used to monitor and review the courses in order to improve the content, delivery and assessment of the programme of learning. Of course, when considering quality assurance, we need to consider the type of course it is and what is at stake for the learners. For example, if the course is leading to the achievement of a qualification which will give the participant a licence to practice in a certain occupation, then the quality assurance procedures are likely to be different to a short online course without certification. Nevertheless, processes need to be in place to ensure value for both the participants and also the institution.
9.???Build on quality assurance by using data - how the performance of the programme of learning will be analysed should be agreed at the start. Consider what you will do with the data and ensure everything that is collected has a valid purpose.
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1.???????????What will you measure?
2.???????????How will you measure?
10.?Assessment should be an intrinsic part of programmes and support delivery of their purpose - Assessment is always likely to be both formative and summative. It should not be over burdensome but enough for the learner, tutors and other relevant stakeholders to know whether progress is being made or whether the required standards have been hit. Students must be clear about the standards they will be assessed against and the method of assessment.?This doesn’t necessarily mean teaching to the test or other assessment. ?
11.?Linked to national or occupational standards - where the programme leads to a qualification, or another standards framework is used, then the learning and assessment need to be aligned to the related standards.
12.?Clearly stated progression - progression should be clear and linked to either educational or job progression (or both), with a caveat that some learning may be undertaken just for enjoyment. Progression should be considered from the start of the design process and relevant stakeholders such as employers and higher education institutions’ views should be collected throughout the design and delivery process.
13.?Accessibility – this isn’t just ticking boxes to comply with whatever legislation there is in a locality, it’s about not shutting out potential valuable future workers because of an issue of accessibility. This can be a straightforward issue like not having subtitles on videos for an online course or not having appropriate wheelchair access.
14.?Consider Protected Characteristics – similarly to accessibility above, diversity and inclusion needs to be checked systematically. An example would be making sure any case studies we use reflect the communities that we live in. Individual’s unconscious biases can often lead us to write about, or use references to, people who are like us and do not reflect the wider community. This can be even more apparent if you are developing a programme that is going to be used in a range of different countries.
15.?Pilot – where possible test the programme with a small group of learners and teachers/tutors, if possible, allow for iterations. We know that what we write down on paper doesn’t always turn out as we hoped. In addition, some allowance for teacher/tutor discretion should be given, they know their students best.
To sum up, learning is fundamentally about change - change in a person’s dynamic, confidence, knowledge, skills and attitude. By developing robust processes at the start of the design and development process and considering all these components we can then provide value to all stakeholders: the institution, employers and of course most important of all the learners.
I appreciate not all these considerations are as valid for every type of course or programme of learning but hopefully they will give you some food for thought!
We will delve a little more into some of these considerations in future articles over the coming weeks. ?
Non Exec in learning, skills and awarding organisations
2 年Great article Joseph Jones