1. Presentation Title Example
Author: Simon Haslett
15th
October 2009
Developing professional practice in HE
Chapter 3
Planning for Learning in HE

2. Chapter 3: Planning for Learning in HE
1. Objectives
2. Reflection: who influences the planning process?
3. Writing learning outcomes
4. Developing a learning and teaching strategy
5. Constructive alignment
a) The basis of constructive alignment
6. Evaluating constructive alignment
a) The dynamic of constructive alignment
7. Bibliography

3. 1: Chapter objectives
• consider the range of influences on course planning
and design
• develop own practice in writing learning outcomes
• review your learning and teaching strategy and make
recommendations for improvement
• evaluate the concept of “constructive alignment” in
relation to your own modules

4. 2: Reflection: who influences the planning
process?
• There are a number of stakeholders in the planning
process in HE including:
– Students
– Academic staff
– The HE Institution
– Professional bodies (who may endorse qualifications)
– Quality Assurance bodies e.g. in the UK this is the QAA
www.qaa.ac.uk
• Reflect upon how (if at all) does this affect our
planning?

5. 3: Writing learning outcomes
• Visit the library room to read
Moon, J. (2002) chapter 5: Writing and using aims
and learning outcomes
• Consider:
– what are the advantages and limitations of learning
outcomes?

6. 4: Developing a learning and teaching
strategy
• What’s your teaching and learning strategy (on a course
you are familiar with)?
• Is it written down?
• Do you share it with students?
• Does it reflect interests and concerns of the various groups
highlighted in slide 2?
• Review the example Learning and Teaching Strategy
DOC07

7. 5: Constructive alignment
• Consider the relationship between learning outcomes,
learning and teaching activities, and assessment
• Then visit the library room to read:
Biggs & Tang (2007) chapter 4: Using constructive alignment
• Do Biggs and Tang offer you any new insights?

8. 5a: The basis of constructive
alignment

9. 6: Evaluating constructive alignment
• Look at the document Constructive Alignment DOC08
• Review the relationship between learning outcomes,
activities and assessment tasks in the four example
modules
• The three elements are not all well aligned: can you
improve constructive alignment in each case?
• Use the blank table DOC 09 to record and analyse a
module you teach on – are there any elements you
need/would like to develop?
• This might be an area for you to develop further

10. 6a: The dynamic of constructive
alignment

11. 7: Bibliography
• BIGGS, J & TANG, C. (2007) Teaching for Quality
Learning at University 3rd
Edition. Maidenhead:
Society for Research into Higher Education and Open
University Press
• HOUGHTON, W. (2004) Constructive alignment and
why it is important to the learning process [online]
http://engsc.ac.uk/er/theory/constructive_alignment.asp
Accessed: 20 December 2009
• MOON, J. (2002) The Module and Programme
Development Handbook London. Kogan Page