Constructive Alignment for Outcomes-based Programme Design
Jon Tepper

Since The Dearing Review (NCIHE, 1997) recommended that learning intentions be expressed as intended learning outcomes in programme specifications, numerous policy frameworks and vehicles were set up to actively promote and support the sector-wide adoption of the outcomes-based approach to Higher Education (HE). For example, Subject Benchmarking, National Framework for HE Qualifications, Personal Development Portfolios and Accreditation of Prior Learning are all either characterised by, or significantly dependent on, learning outcome statements in some form.  The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) has become a major champion and proponent of outcomes-based design (QAA, 2000). It is no surprise therefore that learning outcomes are commonly considered the language of choice when describing, promoting and accrediting the knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities being offered by a particular HE programme. Naturally, it is essential that teaching practitioners are able to construct and articulate their programme and module designs within an outcomes-based context.

Constructive alignment (Biggs, 1996; Biggs, 2003) is an outcomes-based methodology for designing, promoting and assessing deep student learning.  It is predicated on the belief that the student constructs his or her own learning through engaging in relevant learning activities (hence constructive). Alignment refers to what the teacher does, which is to create appropriate learning environments. This specifically involves selecting the most appropriate teaching and learning activities and assessment tasks for each of the learning outcomes. In its most rudimentary form, this selection is governed by the main verb in the outcome statement. In a more sophisticated form, verbs in learning or curriculum objective statements are typically used as a basis for alignment and refer to the specific steps (or component activities) that collectively lead the students towards the outcomes (Biggs, 2003; Jackson et al., 2003).

Texts

Biggs, J. (1996) Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher Education, 32: 1-18.

Biggs, J. (2003) Teaching for quality learning at university, 2^nd edition, The Society for Research into Higher Education, Buckingham: Open University Press.

Jackson, N., Wisdom, J., and Shaw, M. (2003) Using learning outcomes to design a course and assess learning. LTSN Generic Centre Imaginative Curriculum web site

National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (NCIHE), (1997) The Dearing report: Higher Education in the learning society, London: HMSO.

QAA (2000) Guidelines for programme specification. Gloucester: Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education

How to…

Toolkits

• Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) is a freely downloadable open source software tool for designing, managing and delivering online collaborative learning activities. It is available from the LAMS Foundation site and provides teachers with an intuitive visual authoring environment for creating sequences of learning activities.
  
  
• Nottingham Trent University’s new virtual learning environment, N-O-W, supports the association of learning objects with meta data relating to competency frameworks and cognitive frameworks such as Bloom’s Taxonomy. This facilitates staff, albeit passively, to design outcome-based modules and programmes. 
  
  
• A computational model for measuring constructive alignment can be found via:
  • Tepper, J.A., 2006. Measuring constructive alignment: an alignment metric to guide good practice. In: 1st UK Workshop on Constructive Alignment, Higher Education Academy Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) Subject Centre and Nottingham Trent University, UK, 23 February 2006.

Case studies

• Jackson, N., Wisdom, J. & Shaw, M. 2003. Using learning outcomes to design a course and assess learning. Learning and Teaching Subject Network (LTSN) Subject Centre pp 6-8
  
  
• Oliver, M. [no date] Creativity and the curriculum design process. LTSN Subject Centre
  
  
• Houghton, W. [no date] Implementing constructive alignment in the Engineering department at Exeter University. LTSN Engineering.
  
  
• UK Workshop on Constructive Alignment, 16 January 2008, Nottingham Trent University and The Higher Education Academy Information and Computer Sciences

NTU regulations and guidance

• Academics Standards and Quality Handbook
• Programme design
• Assessment principles and policies

HEA resources on constructive alignment

• Imaginative Curriculum Resources Archive
• Introduction to Constructive Alignment (for Engineers)

You might also be interested in: further guidance on Programme and module specification.