Program (Re)Design

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Form and Orient Team

Upon initiating a PRD project, one of the first tasks involves identifying your (re)design team. Typically, team members include a CTE educational developer, a program faculty leader(s) charged with overseeing the effort, an academic advisor, program teaching faculty, a graduate student, and current student representatives. Once the team is identified, an initial orientation meeting is held to introduce the team members to each other and to establish group dynamic expectations. Also during the orientation meeting, the team is presented the (re)design process’ goals, requirements, and general overview, along with determining the program’s readiness for change using a Readiness for Change Questionnaire. Results of the questionnaire are shared in subsequent meetings. Finally, the orientation meeting concludes with the team identifying the desired scope of curricular change and available project support, which inform the project’s timeline. 

Gather Data

The data gathering phase is very important because the data obtained anchors support from your departmental leadership, as well as helps to inform and ensure the direction of your curriculum redesign is supported by evidence. Both internal and external data are collected from program stakeholders, such as current and former students, internal and external faculty, and industry leaders using methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, department demographics, peer institution reviews, and job descriptions. A discipline-specific literature review is also conducted focusing on educational trends. Data can be used to identify current curricular gaps, as well as ensure evidence-based decision making throughout the redesign process. The Center for Teaching Excellence, in collaboration with the graduate assistant, conduct the data collection, organizing and reporting the data for the redesign team to analyze. At this phase, IRB (Institutional Review Board) training is also completed to ensure that all team members can conduct scholarly investigations regarding the team’s curriculum efforts.

Create Program Learning Outcomes

Before your program is ready to define its program learning outcomes (PLOs), we recommend that the faculty spend some time thinking about the discipline’s perspective – Why does your discipline exist? What are the theories, concepts, and methods that define your discipline? How is the discipline the same and/or different today than it was 10 or even 5 years ago? Are there new trends in the discipline? Next, the team refines this disciplinary definition, using collected stakeholder data, which guides the creation of new PLOs. When writing your PLOs, consider the following questions, "What knowledge, skills, and values does an ideal graduate possess?" Keep in mind that PLOs are usually broad and should align with institutional outcomes, as well as accreditation and/or certification requirements. This page offers some resources for creating your measurable PLOs.

Create Competency Rubrics

Once you have created your PLOs, the next step will be to create rubrics that outline the performance criteria for each outcome.  Rubrics define a student’s developmental progression for each outcome throughout the degree program. They also serve as a means to evaluate student products at the overarching program level.  Rubrics are a great tool for teaching and learning because they:
 

• Support authentic assessment
• Communicate the program's expectations to students
• Offer an opportunity for students to self-assess
• Provide informative feedback to program leadership and faculty
• Provide a reliable means of program assessment

Create Curriculum Map

Curriculum mapping is the process of identifying where within the program (courses and/or experiences) the PLOs are introduced (I), reinforced (R), strengthened (S), and/or demonstrated (D). It is an extremely useful tool that allows programs to “see” an accurate picture of the entire redesigned curriculum. 

• Introduce (I) – This is typically the first time a student is seeing this concept. Assessments within the course specifically address this outcome.
• Reinforce (R) – After an outcome is introduced, it is reinforced. Students build on what they already know to learn about the outcome in depth. Assessments within the course specifically address this outcome.
• Strengthen (S) – After an outcome has been both introduced and reinforced, it can be classified as ‘Strengthened’. In this category, students will be asked to strengthen their skill and knowledge of the concept through both course-level and program-level assessments.
• Demonstrate (D) – After an outcome has been introduced, reinforced and strengthened, it can be classified as ‘Demonstrate’. In this category, students will be asked to show that they have mastered the concept through both course-level and program-level assessments. The program level assessment data will be used for program assessment and accreditation requirements.

In a typical curriculum map, both required and elective courses, as well as experiences such as internships and/or study abroad, run horizontally across the top of the map. The PLOs and related performance indicators identified in the competency rubrics run vertically down the map. The map is completed by determining which courses/experiences will support each PLO’s performance indicators I, R, S, and/or D.

Create Curriculum Materials

The curriculum redesign team creates Student Learning Experience Guides outlining how the PLOs will be addressed in each course or experience, as well as to determine appropriate outcome assessments. The PRD graduate student works in collaboration with teaching faculty to complete the guides. The Guide provides standardization across the curriculum to support sustainability, benefiting all course instructors, especially new faculty who may not be familiar with the course expectations and how it fits within the entire curriculum. This phase of the process also includes an opportunity to embed active learning strategies in courses to encourage students to apply what they are learning in various contexts.

The guide also includes what technology and/or inclusive learning techniques will be utilized in the course or experience. As a means for fostering lifelong and integrative learning habits in students, a program ePortfolio is also recommended. The Center for Teaching Excellence provides support in the design and implementation of instructional strategies at the course level as well as ePortfolio implementation at the program level.

Implement and Assess

An implementation and assessment plan ensures your program will be prepared to effectively implement curricular change. Ultimately, the implementation plan answers the following questions—who will do what, with whom, and by when? 

The Center for Teaching Excellence collaborates with the redesign team to create a plan aligned with both institutional assessment requirements and accreditation standards. The implementation plan includes how information will be communicated and disseminated. It also includes resources to help support instructor professional development and reflection, as well as establish procedures to ensure consistency and seamless onboarding of new faculty. Identification of gaps in content expertise and the phasing out of the prior curriculum, as appropriate, are also part of this implementation plan.

The assessment plan details the incorporation of curriculum competencies into assessment, outlining and scheduling the student learning evidence (products/artifacts) that will be collected. It also details mechanisms of how and when to periodically review the curriculum to ensure competencies align with current industry demands. Finally, the assessment plan includes a framework of internal and external data gathering to ensure the curriculum is meeting student and stakeholder needs.

Refine

This step is designed to ensure the curriculum remains current, coherent, and responsive to evolving student needs and industry demands. It involves analyzing program data, including student artifacts and stakeholder feedback, to assess program outcomes and make targeted adjustments to maintain relevance. Programs are encouraged to regularly conduct a comprehensive curricular review, typically every six to ten years, or more frequently if conditions or accreditation warrant.