The document outlines a Viewpoints workshop about using curriculum design tools to promote effective course development. The workshop includes an introduction to Viewpoints, which provides reflective tools using a learner timeline. Participants work through tasks to select principles, map them to a timeline, and identify implementation ideas to achieve objectives like retention or graduate qualities. The goals are to establish shared meanings, facilitate discussions, and collaboratively develop workshop outputs. Benefits include forming the basis for assessment strategies and providing resources for future planning.

1. www.wordle.net

2. Viewpoints workshop: School of Computing and Mathematics Facilitators: Catherine O’Donnell and Dr Vilinda Ross With contributions from: Dr Alan Masson, Karen Virapen and Jill Harrison. 20th June 2011

4. Viewpoints workshop tasks.

6. It has a remit to create a series of reflective tools to promote & enhance effective curriculum design.

7. The tools use a learner timeline with established principles to help staff consider areas such as:

8. assessment and feedback,

9. information skills,

10. learner engagement and

11. creativity and innovation while considering the learner perspective. A short video introduction on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux0Bv7fRrQI

13. Workshop purpose

14. Benefits for

15. Curriculum Development

16. Course teams

17. Students

19. Learner Engagement Principles The principles of learner engagement are based upon the 8 Learning Events Model developed by LabSET, University of Liège, Belgium. Receive. Create. Debate. Explore. Imitate. Experiment. Practice. Meta-Learn. *Implementation ideas for each principle on back of cards. http://www.flickr.com/photos/viewpointsproject/

20. Information Skills Principles SCONUL 7 Pillars (http://www.sconul.ac.uk) Define the task and understand the topic. Identify appropriate resources. Search effectively. Find and extract information. Compare and analyse information. Organise and share information ethically. Interpret information and create new content. *Implementation ideas for each principle on back of cards.

21. Creativity and Innovation Principles CHEP creativity working group (http://www.ulster.ac.uk/centrehep/creativity_curriculum.html) Collaborative learning. ‘Open-box’ modules. Negotiation. ‘Real-life’ learning situations. Novel approaches to learning. Assessment that focuses on process. Use of debates. Beyond the discipline. Enquiry-based learning. *Implementation ideas for each principle on back of card have still to be added.

22. CourseLevel Perspective Supports those who wish to look at Course View.

23. Some Course Level Worksheet Examples

24. ModuleLevel Perspective Supports those who wish to look at Module View.

25. A Module Level Worksheet Example

26. Users/teams define the outputs These can be orderly or messy – it’s up to the team.

28. E.g. Retention, Graduate Qualities, Employability, Entrepreneurship, Study Skills, Assessment and Feedback, Currency of the Curriculum, Year 1 Transition.

29. Decide/agree which theme you would prefer to use as you consider this objective.

30. Choose 1: learner engagement, assessment and feedback, information skills or creativity and innovation.

37. Flat surface – people cluster around worksheet;

38. Tactile resources – encourage experimentation / enquiry;

39. Open and flexible format – facilitates “ownership”;

40. Customisable resources and “user interface” – promotes creativity;

42. Provide reference for future course team discussions (planning resource).

43. Key information currently transcribed into table (Word or other format).

45. Informal environment.

46. Establishing shared meanings and priorities.

47. Facilitating discussions and the sharing of ideas.

48. Consensus building.

50. Interactive and engaging

51. Facilitated discussions

52. Informative and supporting

54. Be aware of the Viewpoints project.

55. Have seen some resources and also examples of staff using Viewpoints resources and prompts.

57. Further information Viewpoints project blog: http://viewpoints.ulster.ac.uk Dr Alan Masson, Project Director - aj.masson@ulster.ac.uk Catherine O’Donnell, Academic E-Learning Consultant - c.odonnell@ulster.ac.uk Karen Virapen, Instructional Technologist - k.virapen@ulster.ac.uk Jill Harrison, Instructional Technologist - ja.harrison@ulster.ac.uk Dr Vilinda Ross, Research Fellow - v.ross@ulster.ac.uk