Using the SOLO taxonomy to analyze competence progression of university science curricula

During 2007 all Danish university curricula were reformulated to explicitly state course objectives due to the adoption of a new Danish national grading scale which stipulated that grades were to be given based on how well students meet explicit course objectives. The Faculties of Science at University of Aarhus and University of Southern Denmark interpreted “course objectives” as “intended learning outcomes” (ILO) and systematically formulated all such as competencies using the SOLO taxonomy that operates with five numbered progressive levels of competencies. We investigate how the formulation of ILOs using the SOLO taxonomy gives information about competence progression, educational traditions, and the nature of various science subjects. We use all the course curricula (in total 632) from the two faculties to analyze and compare undergraduate and graduate courses within each department, and different departments with each other.     

Role play simulations: The assessment of an active learning technique and comparisons with traditional lectures

Although effective teaching is focusing more on the need to use active learning techniques, the research literature regarding the efficacy of various teaching methods is inconclusive. An innovative active learning technique combining the features of role plays and simulations for an industrial psychology course is presented. Subjective reports and objective assessments of knowledge retention measured at two distinct times indicated the role play simulation is an effective teaching technique. The differential importance of active learning and passive learning (i.e., lectures) techniques for the college classroom was also examined. Finally, the application of this technique for several college courses is presented.Professor DeNeve is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University. She received a B.A. in Psychology and Theology from St. Ambrose University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her current teaching interests are focused upon the use of laserdiscs and computer-generated media in the classroom. Her primary research interests include empirical investigations of active learning techniques, quantitative research synthesis, subjective well-being, and the psychology of religion. Professor Heppner received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She has developed an innovative two-semester course in the Psychology Department called the Practicum in the Teaching of Psychology, in which graduate instructors teach and participate in a seminar to learn about and receive feedback on their teaching. Her research interests include pedagogical innovations, vocational development of adults, and rape prevention.     

Educational policy through service learning: Preparation for citizenship and civic participation

This article describes a course designed to prepare undergraduate students to participate effectively in civic life and in public decisions about education and schooling. The course includes an examination of the theoretical and conceptual basis of civic responsibility and service learning, a review of the process of educational policymaking, and an in-depth exploration of a number of current educational policy issues. The course is taught with service learning pedagogy. Experiences in a service placement yield personal knowledge that has the potential to inform students' critical analysis of theoretical, research, and policy literature and to make students more effective active classroom learners.Susan G. Forman is Vice President for Undergraduate Education at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She obtained her B.A. and her M.S. at the University of Rhode Island and her Ph.D. in School Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Vice President Forman is responsible for oversight of university-wide curriculum and teaching issues and has substantially expanded service learning courses as a means of increasing students' understanding of citizenship. Louise C. Wilkinson is Dean of the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Her B.A. is from Oberlin College, her Ed.M. from Harvard University, and her Ph.D. in Human Development also from Harvard. Dean Wilkinson's interests in education span primary through higher education and include a focus on teacher education and how educational policies are formulated and implemented.     

A cross-national study of teacher’s perceptions of online learning success

This study examines success factors in online learning from the instructors’ perspective. Academic success comprises not only student satisfaction and good grades, but also perception of learning and knowledge transfer. A systemic model of inputs–process–outputs of learning was used. A total of 322 online teachers from four different universities and countries were used to study factors of attainment. Findings suggest that: (i) instructors from the University of Peking and the Autonomous Popular University of the State of Puebla reported learner factors as the most important for students on online courses, (ii) instructors from the University of New Mexico perceived institutional factors as the most important for establishing effective online learning and (iii) instructors from the Open University of Catalonia reported outcome factors as the most important for learners in online courses. Compared with other research results in online learning, instructors in this study generally reflect a greater concern about the content, social presence, instruction and their interactions than about technological matters.     

Assessment purposes and procedures in ESL/EFL classrooms

University instructors’ classroom assessments play a central role in and inevitably influence their teaching and their students’ learning. This paper reports on a comparative interview study conducted in a range of three ESL/EFL university contexts in Canada, Hong Kong and China. Six major aspects of ESL/EFL classroom assessment practices were explored: instructors’ assessment planning for the courses they taught, the relative weight given to course work and tests in their instruction, the type of assessment methods (selection vs. supply methods) that they used, the purposes each assessment was used for, the source of each method used, and when they used each method. University instructors were also asked to indicate what they saw as the advantages and disadvantages of the methods they used, and whether they took into account prior student knowledge when making decisions about what assessment methods to use. The findings contribute to a better understanding of ESL/EFL university instructors’ classroom assessment practices at the tertiary level in a range of three ESL/EFL university teaching contexts.     

A model for teaching an introductory programming course using ADRI

High failure and drop-out rates from introductory programming courses continue to be of significant concern to computer science disciplines despite extensive research attempting to address the issue. In this study, we include the three entities of the didactic triangle, instructors, students and curriculum, to explore the learning difficulties that students encounter when studying introductory programming. We first explore students’ perceptions of the barriers and affordances to learning programming. A survey is conducted with introductory programming students to get their feedback on the topics and associated learning resources in the introductory programming course. The instructors’ perceptions are included by analyzing current teaching materials and assessment tools used in the course. As a result, an ADRI based approach is proposed to address the problems identified in the teaching and learning processes of an introductory programming course.     

An exploration of Biggs’ constructive alignment in course design and its impact on students’ learning approaches

This paper investigates whether instructors’ adoption of constructive alignment has any impact on university students’ learning approaches, which are highly correlated with students’ achievement of learning outcomes. A multi-method model with a combination of qualitative and quantitative design was adopted, using document analysis, interviews and survey. The analysis of covariance results suggested that regardless of individual differences, students would adjust their learning approaches and study behaviours in response to the classroom teaching and learning environment. Students in more ‘constructively aligned courses’ were more likely to adopt deep learning approaches and less likely to use surface learning approaches in their study of a particular course.     

Design principles for the blend in blended learning: a collective case study

This paper reports on a collective case study of three blended courses taught by different instructors in a higher education institution, with the purpose of identifying the different types of blend and how the blend supports student learning. Based on the instructors’ and students’ interviews, and document analysis of course outlines, two major principles, consolidation and extension, differentiating the design of the three courses, are identified. The consolidation principle emphasises designing different types of activities for students to think again, so that their knowledge can be consolidated. The extension principle emphasises the extension of the space of learning and catering the diverse needs of students. There are also design principles commonly found, with the emphases on student autonomy, interaction and feedback, and the awareness of student diversity. The findings contribute to the design of blended learning, especially on how the face-to-face and online components can be combined.     

Mind the gap: Enabling online faculty and instructional designers in mapping new models for quality online courses

Distance education has provided the foundation for new generations of learning, including courses delivered through various web-based educational technologies, also referred to as online learning. Many post-secondary institutions face the challenge of creating processes and systems to support instructors who are required to design, deliver, and frequently update online courses. Effective online course design prioritizes a student-centered pedagogical approach through active learning and meaning-making using modern technologies. This requires a wide spectrum of experience, technological skills, and pedagogical knowledge that is difficult to achieve. On one hand of the spectrum, are instructors with experience in online course delivery, learning technologies, and knowledge of online learning pedagogies. On the other hand of the spectrum, are instructors with insufficient experience, technological skills and awareness of online pedagogies. This disparity in instructors’ experiences, skills and knowledge results at times in a gap in ability. By providing a flexible and interactive model of support to instructors, instructional designers can shorten this gap in theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This paper explores the skill gap that some instructors face in the online learning domain and presents selected approaches to support instructors when transitioning to online courses based on the authors’ professional experiences. This paper considers two models of course design support from two unique higher educational institutions in the United States and in Canada, using different learning management systems. The results show that while these models have different contexts, they offer significant insights about common goals, flexible content, and learner-centered course design.     

Priorities for an Expanding University

The purpose of this study was to use Fink's (2003) taxonomy of significant learning to redesign courses and assess student learning. Significant improvements were found across the semester for students in the six courses, but there were differences in which taxa showed improvement in each course. The meta-analysis showed significant, positive changes across disciplines in the areas of foundational knowledge, application, human dimension, and learning how to learn. This study provides support for Fink's taxonomy in which significant learning can be achieved through course redesign.     

Formative Assessment Pre-Test to Identify College Students’ Prior Knowledge, Misconceptions and Learning Difficulties in Biology

A formative assessment pretest was administered to undergraduate students at the beginning of a science course in order to find out their prior knowledge, misconceptions and learning difficulties on the topic of the human respiratory system and energy issues. Those findings could provide their instructors with the valuable information required in order to adapt their teaching methods to the students’ needs. The test included open-ended questions and was administered on the first day of the course. The data obtained were analysed in relation to the students’ gender, age and having attended or not attended advanced courses in biology at the high-school level. Students could have prior knowledge on a topic to be learned, which, if identified and accounted for in the teaching, could serve as a receptor for a constructivist mode of study. The results indicated that undergraduate students hold misconceptions which could obstruct the acquisition of new knowledge. They encounter learning difficulties, which, if are known to the instructors and addressed in their teaching, could facilitate students’ learning. The possible use of a formative pre-assessment procedure, which could guide the instruction and learning process from the beginning of a course, is discussed.     

Analyzing service-learning reflections through Fink's taxonomy

Reflection is an increasingly essential component of experience-based learning in higher education to encourage students to draw connections between theoretical and practical knowledge and experiences. This qualitative study examines the reflections of undergraduate students in a service-learning course for secondary English teacher candidates. The authors use Fink's taxonomy of significant learning as a lens through which to examine the learning within and critical natures of students’ reflections. Findings from this study suggest that to consider and extend students’ academic content knowledge and to move students toward new and critical understandings of their service work, reflections should direct students toward more explicit considerations of academic course content over a period of time. To help students write critical reflections that achieve both academic and personal growth learning goals, the authors recommend explicitly teaching the reflective mode, introducing students to Fink's taxonomy, and instructing students to include course content in their reflections.     

Tertiary students' knowledge of their own learning and a SOLO Taxonomy

This paper is a report of the analysis of statements by 869 students and their 21 lecturers in 12 courses in 5 Faculties in the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The students and lecturers were asked to write a page about learning. The objectives were to collect data to devise a taxonomy of levels of knowledge of learning held by tertiary students and lecturers and to use this to describe student knowledge to lecturers as a basis for planning for teaching. The statements were categorised, using the SOLO Taxonomy as a model (c.f., Biggs and Collis 1982, 1989), by two trained researchers and checked by the author and a consultant. The majority of responses for both students and lecturers were multistructural. A MANOVA for SOLO levels by deep, surface and achieving motives and strategies showed that as SOLO levels increased surface motives declined and deep motives and strategies assumed more importance. The key concepts in learning identified by a random sample of 100 students were further analysed and described for each SOLO level. A SOLO type model of levels of knowledge of learning is proposed, based on the structure of the responses.     

Improving the Research Climate in Social Work Curricula

Abstract

Research courses are associated with performance anxiety and educational insecurity for many social work students. This paper makes the case that student anxiety associated with research courses is rooted in the history of the social work profession, and this history sheds light on the present day climate of research in social work education. The authors suggest that improvement to the research climate in social work education requires an “institutional” response. To that end, this paper describes a committee process that resulted in changes to one school's curriculum policy by revamping student learning objectives for a sequence of five research courses that spanned BSW and MSW programs. The committee produced a continuum of student learning expectations based on Bloom's taxonomy, which represents a logical progression of knowledge and skill competencies as students advance through their course work.     

Who Takes Community Service Courses and Why

Abstract

The demographic characteristics of community service students and the reasons for their enrolling in community services courses were studied in ten community colleges. A total of 4,631 community service students responded to an instrument developed from a previously constructed taxonomy of community service objectives.

The results showed that most students felt that their reasons for taking the course were being met. However, it was evident that improvement was needed in communicating course objectives prior to registration for many courses.

It was also concluded that community services should make greater efforts to serve all types of citizens of the community.     

A synthesis of the literature on research methods education

The purpose of this research synthesis is to examine the current research on teaching and learning research methods. The aims are to understand the themes present in the current literature and identify gaps in our understanding of how we teach, and how students learn, research methods. A synthesis of 89 studies generated three themes: (1) characteristics of students taking a research methods course, (2) teaching methods and techniques, and (3) content and course goals. Gaps identified include a lack of research on assessment and on what and how students learn in research methods courses. The majority of studies reviewed were teacher reports of attempted teaching strategies so that an additional need exists for other types of research into the teaching and learning of research methods such as case studies of students' learning or experimental studies of assessment techniques. Suggestions for instructors and future research are considered.     

走进大学基础课的研究性学习

将研究性学习从专设的课程形态演变为一般的教学形态,这是一个有待解决的新课题。在大学基础课中实施研究性学习,教师必须依据基础课某些教学内容,开发出能够引导学生进入研究性学习状态的“问题”。在“问题”的探究和解决中,使学生学会学习,主体性得到发展。探索如何在大学基础课实施研究性学习是基础课教师的责任。     

Examining faculty questions to facilitate instructional improvement in higher education

Many of the innovations that show promise for improving outcomes for underprepared community college students require instructors to make changes to their teaching practice. Little research explores the experiences of faculty teaching in reformed courses as related to their professional learning needs. Drawing on a multi-year qualitative study, this paper uses data from 100 faculty interviews to explore the questions they ask when teaching a new course. A key outcome of the analysis is a typology of questions that mirrors the stage of implementation. Through analysis of 20 observations of implementation activities, this paper also documents the learning opportunities made available to instructors and examines the extent to which these activities addressed their questions.     

Assimilation in Online Course Design

As online education continues to grow, instructors from traditional classrooms are being asked to design online courses. In this study, data from interviews with thirty-three public four-year college and university instructors, who had experience designing online courses, were used to understand the instructor’s perspective on online course design. Using grounded theory, data were analyzed, sorted, and coded to uncover the strategies instructors use to design online courses. Results revealed instructors adapt to the online environment by using strategies to mimic elements of face-to-face courses: in essence, adaption comes through assimilation. Instructors expressed interest in helping students navigate online to encourage active participation in courses. They described using technology and learning management system (LMS) features (e.g., videos, discussion forums) to “hear” and “see” students, as a way to increase interaction and presence, familiar elements from face-to-face education. They spoke of creating authentic assignments to increase student engagement. The implications of this study include effective design and instructional strategies for online courses, as well as understanding the motivation of instructors who design online courses. The study results are relevant to a broad audience including online instructors, instructional designers, LMS organizations, and administrators.