Unit rationale, description and aim
As a higher education academics or learning and teaching (L&T) professionals (such as Academic Skills Advisers, Librarians, Placement supervisors etc.) knowledge, comprehension and skills in curriculum design are important. Along with critical reflection, these skills are vital in developing a higher education academic or L&T professional’s scholarship of learning, teaching and academic leadership. Building upon a student’s understanding of adult learning and teaching foundations and improved practice from UNMC510 and UNMC520 respectively, in this microcredential students will consider the role of curriculum as it relates to their role in higher education. In doing so, this will make students aware of the principles of curriculum and curriculum design. Students will examine, reflect on and justify the use of curriculum design principles in relation to their own curriculum and that of others in order to help better develop, design and implement their own curriculum. This microcredential aims to develop knowledge, comprehension and application of curriculum and curriculum design, and gain an understanding of educational evaluation practices.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Reflect on curriculum as it relates to the student...
Learning Outcome 01
Critically review curriculum and curriculum design...
Learning Outcome 02
Content
Topics will include:
- Curriculum design principles such as constructivism and constructive alignment.
- The concept of curriculum and curriculum models.
- Policy and regulatory matters relating to curriculum design.
- The concept of evaluation and evaluative critique of curriculum
Assessment strategy and rationale
To best support the learning of students in this microcredential, the assessment strategy adopts a constructivist approach that progressively supports achievement and assessment of the learning outcomes. The assessment strategy in this microcredential consists of a developmental sequence of two tasks that assess the stated learning outcomes.
The formative assessment task comprises an activity that relates to very good knowledge, comprehension and skills in relation to examining curriculum in higher education as it relates to the students’ role. This task assesses learning outcome 1.
The second assessment extends the thinking from the first task in a way that allows the students to apply their understanding of the inter-relationships between scholarly learning and teaching theories and concepts as well as curriculum related literature to the (re)development, design or implementation of curriculum related to their role and context. This task relates mostly to the achievement of learning outcome number 2, but builds on learning outcome 1, and assesses both.
This microcredential is graded. In order to pass this microcredential, students are required to demonstrate passing standard (or better) for the summative assessment task.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Formative assessment Re...
Assessment Task 1: Formative assessment
Reflect on curriculum, drawing on scholarly learning and teaching theories and concepts, and curriculum related literature.
For feedback
Assessment Task 2: Summative assessment &nbs...
Assessment Task 2: Summative assessment
Critically review curriculum, drawing on scholarly learning and teaching theories and concepts, and curriculum related literature.
100%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The intended audience for this micro-credential is higher education academics and learning and teaching (L&T) professionals (such as Academic Skills Advisers, Librarians, Placement supervisors etc.) whose geographical location is widespread, all of whom are qualified with at least one higher education degree. Students have expertise that collectively spans the full range of disciplines taught by a university. Their experience in tertiary teaching is diverse.
This microcredential builds on this foundation by helping all students to progressively develop their knowledge and understanding in curriculum design through a lens of an evaluation of curriculum. The needs and circumstances of their students, institutional mission and its teaching and learning policies, and other governance requirements in the higher education sector are other factors that impact on the curriculum.
This microcredential is delivered asynchronously. It capitalises on the maturity and capability of the students, their understanding and knowledge of learning and teaching foundations from UNMC510, extending their comprehension from critiquing their own practice in UNMC520, and it provides equitable access to a full provision of learning experiences within which a community of scholars can continue to be developed.
The microcredential is structured as a progressive, constructive, developmental narrative that supports the student’s learning in a scaffolded learning trajectory which flows from the microcredential rationale and description.