Staff and students co-creating curricula
Dr Catherine Bovill,
Lecturer, Academic Development Unit, University of Glasgow
QAA Enhancement Themes Conference 7-8 March 2012
Overview
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Background rationale and evidence
Possible and desirable levels of participation
Examples of different types of participation
Challenges and possible solutions
Your practice
What is the curriculum?
Fraser & Bosanquet’s (2006) curriculum definitions
a) Structure and content of a unit
b) Structure and content of a programme of study
c) The students’ experience of learning
d) A dynamic and interactive process of teaching and
learning (p272)
HE Lit supporting co-created curric
 Students as co-creators/co-producers of their learning (Bovill
et al, 2011& 2009; McCulloch, 2009; Neary, 2010; SFC, 2008)
 Literature calling for student participation in curriculum
design from critical pedagogy and popular education (Darder et
al, 2003; Dewey, 1916; Fischer, 2005; Freire, 1993; Giroux, 1983; Rogers and Freiberg, 1969)
 Specific student participation in curriculum design
 Breen & Littlejohn (2000) Language teaching
 Samson & Scandrett (1999) Environmental justice
 Fischer (2005); Delpish et al ( 2010) Education
 Bovill et al, (2011); Cook-Sather (2010) non-disciplinary specific
Enhanced graduate attributes
Student outcomes
 Performance in assessments
 Individual and group responsibility
 Collaborative learning
 Group cohesion
 Autonomy
 Confidence and motivation
 Understanding of the learning process
 Understanding of curricular design as a complex process
(Bovill forthcoming; Bovill et al, 2011; Cook-Sather, 2008)
Impact on staff
Staff outcomes
 Understanding of the learning process
 Confidence and motivation
 Satisfaction from witnessing student outcomes
Rich experience from genuine dialogue with students
Intense / demanded a lot
Nerve-wracking
Transformatory
(Bovill, forthcoming; Bovill et al 2011; Delpish et al, 2010)
Examples of student participation
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student course questionnaire feedback
students choosing the topic for their research project
students co-designing marking criteria with staff
students and staff collaborating to choose a course text
book
students influencing the content of the curriculum
students as full members of a programme curriculum
design team
students designing the VLE for a programme
students designing (one of?) their own learning outcomes
Ladder of student participation in
curriculum design
Students in control
Students as full
members of
curriculum design
team
Partnership - a
negotiated curriculum
Student control of
some areas of choice
Students control of
prescribed areas
Wide choice from
prescribed choices
Limited choice from
prescribed choices
Participation claimed,
tutor in control
Dictated curriculum –
no interaction
Students control
decision-making and
have substantial
Students
designing
influence
their own learning
outcome(s)
Students have
some choice and
Designing
a VLE
influence
Tutors control
decision-making
informed by
student feedback
Stud
ents
incre
asin
gly
activ
e in
parti
cipat
ion
Gathering feedback
Tutors control
from
students…
decision-making
Depends what you do
with the feedback
Words of caution…
Higher up the ladder is not necessarily ‘better’
Beware of chasing the nirvana of total participation and
totally equal participation
Different points on the ladder might be possible or
desirable in different contexts
The ladder is simply a model to facilitate discussion
Examples of co-created curricula
1) Do you have any examples of co-created curricula?
2) Where would you place them on the ladder?
Pre-design decisions
Tutors as gatekeepers…
• Which students? Retrospective, current or future design?
• Selecting students – if not all students by interview/criteria
• Do you reward your students?
• Course, programme or extra-curricular?
• Students involved in designing curriculum process or
content?
Bovill (forthcoming)
Some big questions…
I teach first years and
Wethey
are don’t
all have 20
years
of and
experience
like
overstretched
this
IWe
only
have
teach
a these
me
tolike
know
what needs
more
professional
studentssounds
for
body
twothat
weeks
to
be
work…
constrains
and the course
what
we
is in
co-the content of
first year chemistry
ordinated
can do with
bythe
our
someone
curriculum…
else… curriculum…
Challenges and solutions
In small groups, raise up to 3 key challenges to students
and staff co-creating curricula
Swap papers with another group and come up with
solutions to the challenges you have been set.
After today…
Write down a short plan of what you plan to do next…
- What do you need to find out more about?
- What area of your practice do you intend to consider
making a change to?
- Who do you plan to speak to about your ideas? Who could
perhaps support you in this work?
- What would help you ensure that your idea is translated
into reality?