Curriculum Development

Page Contents Curriculum Development Guidelines The First Year Curriculum Pre-Entry Qualifications Flexible Progression Case Studies Review Paper

Curriculum Development Guidelines

3.1	The curriculum should be relevant to and inform students’ vocational aspirations early on in the course.
3.2	The course and its delivery should assist students’ transition from their previous educational experience to studying at tertiary level as well as addressing the different needs arising from the subject backgrounds of the student cohort.
3.3	Students should receive regular, formative evaluations of their work early in their course or course component.
3.4	Attendance at all teaching sessions is a key requirement for success.

A complete version of these guidelines is available here

---

The First Year Curriculum

It is clear that student retention is affected by the match between students' expectations of a course and the reality. Many students who leave cite as their reason for doing so some element of this mismatch such as a bald statement that the course was unsuitable to leaving to join another course or institution. Yorke (1999) found in a survey of early leaving that major factors cited by students were such things as

Some of these aspects of the teaching can be addressed through specialised events which we have classified as induction and have dealt with under the induction section. Others however, are better addressed through an examination of the appropriateness of the teaching and assessment of the first year curriculum. The first year curriculum must be designed in the light of those qualifications accepted as entry requirements and these have been changing over recent years.

References

YORKE M. (1999), Leaving Early: Undergraduate Non-completion in Higher Education. Falmer Press. London

---

Pre-entry Qualifications

Flexible progression

1. Top-Up Students Entering University - University of Ulster Bridging Courses - Timely information and skills’ development is needed to prepare ‘top-up’ students for entry to university where the curricula places more emphasis on student-centred and independently achieved learning outcomes.

2. Re-assessment Strategy at the University of Wolverhampton - Non-completion of university is a complex issue; often there are multiple contributing factors, but certainly if a student performs poorly in their first year they are more likely to withdraw feeling academically inadequate. In the 2002/03 academic year the Biosciences Division of the School of Applied Sciences in the University of Wolverhampton re-organised its teaching; reducing both the number of student contact hours and the number of taught weeks within the semester to allow for both assessment and, if necessary, re-assessment within each module.

3. A module in “Study in Higher Education” at the University of Plymouth - Not all students are well equipped for the change into university life and can have difficulties in making the transition to their new learning environment. This case study relates to a module which directly addresses the need for students to rapidly change their study habits and adapt positively to their changed circumstances.

4. Professional Skills Tutoring at the University of Wolverhampton - With increasingly larger university class sizes, containing students from a wide range of social and academic backgrounds there is even greater need for small group tutorial classes. Small group tutorials can play a significant role in helping students cope with the transition into the higher education environment. In these classes students can get to know their tutor groups socially and also get additional academic help. The tutorials are a good student support system and help weaker students identify areas where they may potentially have problems early in their studies.

5. Learning Styles and Study Skills Module for Students with Dyslexia - The Dyslexia Unit of the Student Enabling Centre at the University of Wolverhampton runs a module for dyslexic students (Learning styles and study skills) within the School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences. Students learn how to assess their individual learning style and understand their learning strengths and weaknesses.

6. Supporting Students with Specific Learning Difficulties and other Disabilities - In January 2000 under the auspices of the HEFCE programme ‘Improving Provision for Disabled Students’, the psychologist in Student Support in the University of Ulster set up a Register of Support Providers for students with specific learning difficulties in higher education in Northern Ireland. This case study outlines the model and assesses its effectiveness.

7. Doing Biosciences for Real: Acquisition of Work-Based Skills During External Scientific Research Placements - The Department of Biology, University of York organises a placement year with paid research experience in the laboratories of industrial or research institute employers for biology and biochemistry students between their second and final year. This case study outlines the time-lines for the pre-placement period and the placement year itself and the support mechanisms that have been put into place.

8 Supporting Chemistry- Bioscience students require a broad background in chemistry in order to underpin much of modern-day biology; however, student diversity makes teaching of chemistry extremely difficult. A first year, first semester chemistry module taken by a very wide group of students (biology, biomedical sciences, dietetics, food and nutrition, human nutrition, molecular biosciences, optometry and pharmacology) has put into place a variety of mechanisms to support these students in a module where the students have traditionally struggled. These have included: printed handouts; regular, computer-driven summative tests (supported by practice questions); weekly assessment of practical work using standardised proformas; tutorial support with topics chosen by the students; and a web-based message board and text-messaging to improve communication. The students have welcomed these and course directors have also noted that there has been a marked increase in the general satisfaction with chemistry teaching.

9. Biomedical Science Tutorials In response to increasing numbers of students leaving early and failing academically, a school policy of attendance monitoring and small group tutorials was implemented. In the first year of implementation the tutorials addressed study skills issues. They were poorly attended but did elicit positive responses from those students who did attend.  The retention of students in 2004/5 was higher than that in 2003/4.  Students complained however, of the tutorials being too drawn out and unchallenging since they duplicated areas already experienced. In 2005/6 the tutorial scheme was revised and re-run. In this year it was shorter giving timetable space to address subject related and career issues. In addition it was linked to a module and contributed 30% of the assessment for that module.

10. Student intellectual development.

The development of curricula is subject to many national and institutional guidelines that assure quality. The Perry Scheme of intellectual development proposes that students move through a series of stages within each subject area. It is argued that practical curricula need to take these stages into account, particularly as they relate to assessment

 

---