3. Course Design Overview: The Big Picture Design and Plan Training Define Training Needs Provide for Training Monitor Design and Plan Training Evaluate Training Outcomes

Integrated Course Design Course Design Overview Learning Motivations Learning Styles Teaching Methods Learning Objectives www.isealalliance.org

3A. Integrating Learning Objectives into Course Design Design and Plan Training Define Training Needs Provide for Training Monitor Design and Plan Training Evaluate Training Outcomes

Teaching Methods for Knowledge Knowledge (Didactic) learning objectives - to promote transfer of knowledge Lecture Case or paper presentations Panel discussions Integrating Learning Objectives into Course Design Knowledge www.isealalliance.org

Knowledge (Didactic) learning objectives - to promote transfer of knowledge

Lecture

Case or paper presentations

Panel discussions

Teaching Methods for Skills Skill (psychomotor) learning objectives – to encourage developing and practicing skills and behaviors Techniques Role play (e.g. practice doing a worker interview) Guided practice problems (e.g. writing an audit plan, writing a non-conformance report, making wage calculations) Localized case studies – have students write case studies based on direct experience in the field or an issue unique to their locale or culture Devil’s advocate exercises – have students analyze case studies from different points of view of the stakeholders (e.g. farmer, factory worker, manager, buyer, trade union, NGO, auditor, etc.) Integrating Learning Objectives into Course Design Skills www.isealalliance.org

Skill (psychomotor) learning objectives – to encourage developing and practicing skills and behaviors

Techniques

Role play (e.g. practice doing a worker interview)

Guided practice problems (e.g. writing an audit plan, writing a non-conformance report, making wage calculations)

Localized case studies – have students write case studies based on direct experience in the field or an issue unique to their locale or culture

Devil’s advocate exercises – have students analyze case studies from different points of view of the stakeholders (e.g. farmer, factory worker, manager, buyer, trade union, NGO, auditor, etc.)

Teaching Methods for Attitude Attitude (Affective) learning objectives – to encourage exploration of feelings, opinions, perceptions, attitudes, values Ask students to vote on controversial topics in your field Ask students to write short opinion pieces on subjective cases, or issues that particularly require cultural sensitivity in the field Divide students into formal debate panels – have each group develop and present an argument which is counter to its initial personal stance Ask students to write journal entries (may be private or shared) reflecting on their learning experience for the day Facilitate discussion groups Give students a scenario and have them write and present a skit (showing the perspectives of different stakeholders, e.g. a scene on the factory floor) Integrating Learning Objectives into Course Design Attitude www.isealalliance.org Click the link for a worksheet on Constructing a Student Opinion/ Debate Exercise.

Attitude (Affective) learning objectives – to encourage exploration of feelings, opinions, perceptions, attitudes, values

Ask students to vote on controversial topics in your field

Ask students to write short opinion pieces on subjective cases, or issues that particularly require cultural sensitivity in the field

Divide students into formal debate panels – have each group develop and present an argument which is counter to its initial personal stance

Ask students to write journal entries (may be private or shared) reflecting on their learning experience for the day

Facilitate discussion groups

Give students a scenario and have them write and present a skit (showing the perspectives of different stakeholders, e.g. a scene on the factory floor)

3B. Integrating Learning Styles into Course Design Design and Plan Training Define Training Needs Provide for Training Monitor Design and Plan Training Evaluate Training Outcomes

Design for Visual Learners Effective course design should also acknowledge that people have differing preferred learning styles: Visual learners – process information through visual stimuli, so your course should include: Video and photo tours (e.g. audit facility walk-through) Graphs Handouts with diagrams, flowcharts Samples of documents to review during audit process Slide presentations, overheads Physical demonstrations by the teacher Whiteboard sessions Instructor should use phrases that help visualize the information Integrating Learning Styles into Course Design www.isealalliance.org

Effective course design should also acknowledge that people have differing preferred learning styles:

Visual learners – process information through visual stimuli, so your course should include:

Video and photo tours (e.g. audit facility walk-through)

Graphs

Handouts with diagrams, flowcharts

Samples of documents to review during audit process

Slide presentations, overheads

Physical demonstrations by the teacher

Whiteboard sessions

Instructor should use phrases that help visualize the information

Design for Auditory Learners Auditory Learners – concentrate on sounds and auditory stimuli, so your course should include: Audio presentations Discussion groups Question and answer sessions Teacher and student one-on-one sessions Instructor should carefully modulate voice, articulate, control ambient noise levels, and encourage students to listen carefully to one another Integrating Learning Styles into Course Design www.isealalliance.org

Auditory Learners – concentrate on sounds and auditory stimuli, so your course should include:

Audio presentations

Discussion groups

Question and answer sessions

Teacher and student one-on-one sessions

Instructor should carefully modulate voice, articulate, control ambient noise levels, and encourage students to listen carefully to one another

Design for Kinesthetic Learners Kinesthetic learners – learn by doing, so your course must include experiential, active learning exercises: Role play exercises Group exercises Individual practice problems Student-to-student brainstorming – first unstructured, then structured to organize main outputs Discussion sessions Interactive storytelling (groups take a scenario and develop story around critical decision points) Student volunteers for teacher-led demonstrations Case studies – distribute your own as well as gather from students Integrating Learning Styles into Course Design www.isealalliance.org Click the link for Tips on Constructing a Role Play Exercise

Kinesthetic learners – learn by doing, so your course must include experiential, active learning exercises:

Role play exercises

Group exercises

Individual practice problems

Student-to-student brainstorming – first unstructured, then structured to organize main outputs

Discussion sessions

Interactive storytelling (groups take a scenario and develop story around critical decision points)

Student volunteers for teacher-led demonstrations

Case studies – distribute your own as well as gather from students

Sample Photo Tour Click the powerpoint link to take a Photo Tour that ties together different learning styles Click the link to get some Tips on building your own Photo Tour www.isealalliance.org

Click the powerpoint link to take a Photo Tour that ties together different learning styles

Click the link to get some Tips on building your own Photo Tour

3C. Integrating Learning Motivations into Course Design Design and Plan Training Define Training Needs Provide for Training Monitor Design and Plan Training Evaluate Training Outcomes

Addressing Learning Motivations Effective course design should also address the fact that your students have an array of motivations for taking the course, which will affect their attitude and performance: Goal-oriented – taking the course as a means to an ends, such as professional advancement Activity-oriented – taking the course for the sake of social interaction Learning-oriented – taking the course for knowledge’s sake Some will be extremely focused on one objective, while others will have some combination of the above Integrating Learning Motivations into Course Design www.isealalliance.org

Effective course design should also address the fact that your students have an array of motivations for taking the course, which will affect their attitude and performance:

Goal-oriented – taking the course as a means to an ends, such as professional advancement

Activity-oriented – taking the course for the sake of social interaction

Learning-oriented – taking the course for knowledge’s sake

Some will be extremely focused on one objective, while others will have some combination of the above

Structuring Courses around Learning Motivations To keep students with differing motivations and objectives continually motivated and engaged, you should balance the following: Structured exams and certificates, to create external award and acknowledgement. Balance preparation for the exam with emphasis on practical applications and real life examples. Instructor should adequately address the content and structure of the exam and prepare students for it, but should not overemphasize the exam. Integrating Learning Motivations into Course Design www.isealalliance.org

To keep students with differing motivations and objectives continually motivated and engaged, you should balance the following:

Structured exams and certificates, to create external award and acknowledgement.

Balance preparation for the exam with emphasis on practical applications and real life examples. Instructor should adequately address the content and structure of the exam and prepare students for it, but should not overemphasize the exam.

Structuring Courses around Learning Motivations (continued) In addition to in-class group discussions and activities, sufficient breaks and ample time for networking and group interaction, both structured and unstructured. Instructor may provide sign-up sheets, collect business cards, or start an email distribution list, e.g. Google or Yahoo group) for students to keep in touch after the course. Links to external resources and further information for those interested. Bring in a guest speaker (like a subject matter expert from a local NGO, trade union, university, etc.) for a course module or for a brown bag lunch. Integrating Learning Motivations into Course Design www.isealalliance.org

In addition to in-class group discussions and activities, sufficient breaks and ample time for networking and group interaction, both structured and unstructured. Instructor may provide sign-up sheets, collect business cards, or start an email distribution list, e.g. Google or Yahoo group) for students to keep in touch after the course.

Links to external resources and further information for those interested. Bring in a guest speaker (like a subject matter expert from a local NGO, trade union, university, etc.) for a course module or for a brown bag lunch.