short critical insight and reflection
- Read by: 2
 Reply
Edit |
I have not always understood the value of the course outline and its learning outcomes and objectives. When I started teaching, I was given the outline and knew that it was an important document. I scanned thorugh it and relied on my experience as an esthetician to guide me through developing what I thought the students would benefit from. Through attending workshops and taking courses in adult education I came to understand how important the outcomes are for everyone who is associated with the course. I now personally regard learning outcomes as a key to good planing and ultimately in effective instruction.
In environments where reaching or instruction are occuring (whether through workplace training or formalized academic instruction), learning outcomes are now a standard way of identifying and measuring the results (Schacter, 2014|). This is an important statement. It truly boils down the essence of what good outcomes can achieve. I had an experience a few years ago where a student complained to the dean that I was not delivering a good education. She did not feel that I was qualified and was not happy being in my courses. I was able to show the dean my work, how it related to the course outcomes and how all the course objectives were being met. The experience I have in my field speaks for itself, but it was because of good planning using the course outcomes and objectives as my guide that I was able to justify myself and show that the students concerns were a matter of perception. It was a crushing experience that ended well for me. It could easily have ended poorly if the dean had seen that I was winging it. Outcomes can aid in collaboration between instructors who teach the same students or between faculty and librarians. In fact, collaborating with other stakeholders in the learning environment is a valuable way to produce more effective relationships for the learners experience and in the instructional environment as a collective. (Lundstrom, Fagerheim and Benson, 2014). I see a great need for more collaboration in my academic setting. Many instructors keep their curriculum to themselves and do not want to share. This has detrimental effects. Instructors within programs should be a united front, a seamless program that makes sense to students and is well understood by all who are involved. I have heard that having to follow outcomes and objectives leaves no room for creativity or for unexpected learning opportunities. I mostly object to that. Especially in an academic institution. There should be expectations and they should be met using a variety of pedagogical appraoches. When developing your curriculum, it is critical that you identify the expected outcomes and make them clear to your students. Examining what you hope to achieve will often raise questions about whether you are teaching the students what they want to learn versus what you think you need to teach them. (Schacter, 2014) Even as expectations of developing and implementing quantifiable meaures have increased, the goal of measuring learning impact has long posed problems. (Schacter, 2014) I think that having well planned objectives facilitates the task of assessment. Knowing what needs to be measured and at what level the measurement should be helps the designer to choose relevant assessment tools and content. I believe that the pros outweigh the cons in regards to learning outcomes. C Lundstrom, K.; Fagerheim, B.A.; Benson, E.; (2014), Librarians and Instructors Developing Student Learning outcomes, Using Frameworks to Lead the Process, Emerald Group Publishing Limited DOI 10.1108/RSR-04-2014-0007 Schacter, D.; (2014), Measuring Value Using Research Results and Learning Outcomes; Information Outlook, Vol. 18; No.2 retrieved from Brock University library |
 Re: short critical insight and reflection
- Read by: 2
Reply
I have heard Deans describe the course outline as the 'contract' with the student. Seems like that is your view as well.
|
 Re: short critical insight and reflection
- Read by: 1
Reply
Edit |
I agree with that. I urge my students to look at the outline critically so that they understand what they will be taught and what they are expected to learn. When I develop my curriculum for the course, I do so using the objectives as a guideline. When I have developed a lesson or resource that meets the expected objective, I cross it off using a highlighter so that I know it is done. I am expected to meet all of the objectives set out in the outline. No one comes to check on that but if a student complains that they did not get the expected education, I need to be able to show that I have met my objectives.
I went to a workshop where a lawyer said that Ontario is the new California when it comes to litigation. He said that he used to get about three people a year come to him wanting to sue their educational institution. He said that now (this was about four years ago) he gets about three people a week in his office asking the same. I personally never want to be involved in anything like that. When that student complained about me a couple years ago I was able to bring all my work in and demonstrate that I had been thorough. It was a crushing experience to be guilty before proven innocent. I am actually happy to know the importance of the outline. I believe that it makes me better. Creating my own outlines and then creating the materials to go along with it is the ultimate pleasure. That way there is a fuller understanding of the outcomes and objectives and I can make it the way I want it as long as it meets the MInistry Standards and Essential Employability Skills. However, having the outline and developing to it is the next best thing. There is always consideration given if an objective needs to be modified or one added etc...as long as the integrity of the course remains intact. C. |
Thursday, October 16, 2014
week five, my critical insight and reflection posts
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment