1. www.wordle.net

2. Encouraging creative and innovative ‘Viewpoints’ in Curriculum Design Speakers: Dr Alan Masson and Catherine O’Donnell With contributions from: Dr Vilinda Ross, Karen Virapen, Jill Harrison and Sharon Copeland.

4. Viewpoints workshop taster.

5. Learner Engagement, Assessment and Feedback and Information Skills.

6. Brief discussion and activity.

7. Some evaluation findings

8. Review of the Viewpoints Process.

9. See also – provided train the trainer manual

11. It has a remit to create a series of reflective tools to promote & enhance effective curriculum design.

12. The tools use a learner timeline with established principles to help staff consider areas such as:

13. assessment and feedback,

14. information skills,

15. learner engagement and

16. creativity and innovation while considering the learner perspective. A short video introduction on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux0Bv7fRrQI

17. Viewpoints Overview The Viewpoints “approach” uses a card sorting metaphor with the resources providing semi structured prompts and suggestions with a learner centred timeline The tools use a learner timeline with established principles to help staff consider key interactions of the learning process (i.e. essence)

18. Inform – Inspire - Plan

19. Assessment and Feedback Principles REAP (http://www.reap.ac.uk/) Clarify good performance. Encourage time and effort on task. Deliver high quality feedback. Provide opportunities to act on feedback. Encourage interaction and dialogue. Develop self-assessment and reflection. Give assessment choice. Encourage positive motivational beliefs. Inform and shape your teaching. *Implementation ideas for each principle on back of cards.

20. Learner Engagement Principles The principles of learner engagement are based upon the 8 Learning Events Model developed by LabSET, University of Liège, Belgium. Receive. Create. Debate. Explore. Imitate. Experiment. Practice. Meta-Learn. *Implementation ideas for each principle on back of cards. http://www.flickr.com/photos/viewpointsproject/

21. Information Skills Principles SCONUL 7 Pillars (http://www.sconul.ac.uk) Define the task and understand the topic. Identify appropriate resources. Search effectively. Find and extract information. Compare and analyse information. Organise and share information ethically. Interpret information and create new content. *Implementation ideas for each principle on back of cards.

22. CourseLevel Perspective Supports those who wish to look at Course View.

23. A Course Level Worksheet Example

24. ModuleLevel Perspective Supports those who wish to look at Module View.

25. A Module Level Worksheet Example

26. Users/teams define the outputs These can be orderly or messy – it’s up to the team.

27. In less than two hours………

30. E.g. improve learner engagement, improve assessment and feedback methods or improve information skills.

31. Begin to think about how the theme (learner engagement, assessment and feedback or information skills) your group has been given could help you meet your chosen objective(s).

34. Before we discuss/share some of our findings we would appreciate it if you could spend a few minutes completing a short evaluation questionnaire.

35. Some benefits we have observed from workshops to date

37. Flat surface - people cluster around worksheet;

38. Tactile resources - encourage experimentation / enquiry;

39. Open and flexible format - facilitates “ownership”;

40. Customisable resources and “user interface” - promotes creativity;

42. Provide reference for future course team discussions (planning resource).

43. Key information currently transcribed into table (Word or other format).

45. Informal environment.

46. Establishing shared meanings and priorities.

47. Facilitating discussions and the sharing of ideas.

48. Consensus building.

50. Interactive and engaging

51. Use of action based principles Structured choice provides support and promotes reflection; Provide a more consistent meaning verses conceptual entities (i.e. lecture); Defer decision making regarding “how” to end off activity; Focus on storyboarding - encourage a more dynamic creative process; Timeline and principles - focuses attention on learner experience.

52. Facilitated discussions

53. Informative and supporting

54. Table 1: Viewpoints Approach

55. Table 2: Viewpoints Approach(External Events)

56. Table 3: Viewpoints Approach(Internal Events)

57. Teamwork/Collaboration “Can stimulate discussion, collaborative team working and initiate new ideas for curriculum design. It also prompts teams to be mindful of the student learner” “It was useful to be able to work in a common environment with other course teams and consider comparative approaches”

58. Social/Collaboration “Great to get together….It’s good to talk” “Time away from the office to explore your subject and think in a new way” “...different opinions from colleagues to become discussed in an open forum” “Allowed for different people to bring in their ideas and hear mine, which we could then use to work together in sorting out a problem”

59. Creativity/Reflection “Structured, yet creative” “Excellent at facilitating thought development” “The potential for new approaches to ‘old’ ideas” “Good flow of ideas, we tapped into many areas of discussion” “It assists you to step back from the course/module you are delivering and assessing if it is fit for purpose”

60. Review of the Viewpoints Process Things to consider in adopting / embedding Viewpoints approaches and resources in your own institution

61. Value of the Viewpoints’ Process “Getting the team together to plan” “Comprehensive coverage of principles” “It is clear, thought provoking and engaging” “Flexibility and simplicity” “To start with a ‘blank sheet’ and to be more innovative in approach” It brought out different voices and ways of thinking” “It made the team look at the course from a different aspect” “Helps to keep the student perspective at the forefront of each decision made” (Radiographers, School of Health Sciences ….on a late Friday afternoon)

62. www.wordle.net

63. Using the Viewpoints Resources effectively - creating an environment for change Full details in the provided handbook

64. www.wordle.net

65. www.wordle.net

66. Overview of the Viewpoints handbook Chapter 1 – Viewpoints introduction Chapter 2 – Using the Viewpoints handbook Chapter 3 – Holding a workshop Chapter 4 – Themes for your workshop Chapter 5 – Follow-up to your workshop Chapter 6 – Acknowledgments Appendices Download pack – http://viewpoints.ulster.ac.uk/resources

67. Phases of the Viewpoints approach Workshop preparation Workshop environment Workshop facilitation Workshop outputs Stakeholder engagement (close the cycle)

69. Workshop purpose

70. Benefits for

71. Curriculum Development

72. Course teams

73. Students

75. Key tasks within workshops(module and course level) Consider key challenges and agree an objective/theme for the session Explore principles provided for the chosen theme and choose those that may help address the objective Map principles to timeline and prioritise theme Select possible implementation ideas that could support priority principles Review and annotate worksheet with a plan Agree any action points and final reflections Share plans

77. Level (Course or Module)

78. Duration (balance commitment with opportunity)

79. Room Layout (informal – flat v vertical surfaces)

80. Group size (smaller – less discussion, larger – allow more time for debate)

82. The resources help the facilitator “Easy tool – visually descriptive, illustrative” “…Resources excellent prompts” “Suggestion cards act as a good prompt” “Cards aided formulation of ideas” “Accessible and easy to use. Comprehensive and guiding.”

83. Workshop outputs Act as record of workshop discussions and agreed plan Diagrammatic strategy overview (why, what, when and how) for curriculum processes Diagrammatic representation of learner experience Conversation piece for further development / review

84. Typical course level workshop outputs

85. Alternative output formats Simple Word Table Annotated Image File N.B. Online tool in development in conjunction with Cambridge CourseTools project

86. Institutional embedding and engaging with key stakeholders

87. Institutional embedding exercise Menu du Jour activity Starter (process alignment) Main Course (stakeholders to target) Dessert (change agents / facilitators) Discuss in groups of 3 (or 4) the menu options provided. Your order will be taken in around 15 minutes time .

88. Questions / Discussion

89. Further information Viewpoints project blog: http://viewpoints.ulster.ac.uk Dr Alan Masson, Project Director - aj.masson@ulster.ac.uk Catherine O’Donnell, Academic E-Learning Consultant - c.odonnell@ulster.ac.uk Karen Virapen, Instructional Technologist - k.virapen@ulster.ac.uk Jill Harrison, Instructional Technologist - ja.harrison@ulster.ac.uk Dr Vilinda Ross, Research Fellow - v.ross@ulster.ac.uk

90. Use of principles to facilitate educational alignment with other “initiatives” Activity - educational alignment of an institutional initiative (learning technologies / graduate attributes) with the Assessment and Feedback principles.