Learning, Curriculum and Assessment

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Learning, Curriculum and Assessment
This Course Guide has been taken from the most recent presentation of the course. It would be useful for reference purposes but please note that there may be updates for the following presentation.

EDU E817
Learning, Curriculum and Assessment



Introduction

EDU E817 Learning, Curriculum and Assessment is a 20-credit, post-graduate level course. The course materials have been adapted from the UK Open University's MA in Education module E836 of the same name.

EDU E817 leads you to explore issues in learning, curriculum and assessment in relation to historical, political and socio-cultural contexts. Throughout the course, you will be guided to reflect on your experiences and practices in order to develop and justify your theoretical positions based on those discussed in the course.

Course aims

The course aims to help you to theorize about learning, knowledge and pedagogy and, in so doing, enables you to:

  1. question the assumptions, received wisdom, and folklore that determine so much policy and critique of practice in education;
  2. examine carefully theories of learning, knowledge and pedagogy;
  3. consider the implications of theories for curriculum approaches and practice in relation to both teaching and assessment;
  4. make personal views of practice explicit for reflection, from a developed theoretical perspective;
  5. relate personal views to practice and policy perspectives in worldwide contexts and Hong Kong;
  6. develop and justify aspects of practice, taking into account views of learning, assessment and knowledge; and
  7. apply this understanding to an analysis of a pedagogic setting in your educational context, to plan for and implement change in the setting, and to consider strategies for future change at personal and institutional level.

It is clear from these aims that you will be expected to apply your study to your professional practice as you participate in the course. We assume that you have access to a pedagogic setting, i.e. an arena where teaching and learning takes place. We will often use the term 'classroom' to generalize about a setting, but in this we include other contexts, such as day care institutions, factories, offices, and classrooms and tutorial rooms in compulsory and post-compulsory educational settings, etc. We want to stress that what we offer has relevance across ages of learners and phases of education. The readings we examine attempt to cover these, but obviously this can only be achieved in a limited way. It is important to read outside of your phase as the theoretical and practical perspectives reflect consistencies that it is essential for you to consider. Views from other phases may also serve to challenge the received wisdoms and folklores of your phase.

We also offer views developed in a range of subject settings. You may have expertise in a specific subject and be interested in particular aspects of the interactions of learning and knowledge. We therefore refer to your areas of interest as 'curriculum areas'. In offering you a range of subject perspectives and highlighting types of knowledge and understanding, we intend to (i) help you position yourself, i.e. identify with your concerns and interests in relation to the course materials; and (ii) look across curriculum areas to examine similarities and differences in approaches to learning, knowledge, pedagogy and assessment.

Course learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

  1. Critically review and evaluate theories and perspectivies in learning, knowledge, pedagogy and assessment.

  2. Assess the implications of theories for curriculum approaches and practice in relation to both teaching and assessment.

  3. Synthesize personal views on practice and policy with respect to teaching and assessment.

  4. Demonstrate leadership in curriculum development in their educational organizations.

  5. Design innovation learning/teaching activities and assessment strategies based on recent theories in learning, pedagogy and assessment, and reflect on personal and institutional changes for implementing the innovation.
Overview of the course

This course includes five sections, as follows:

Section 1: Curriculum in context
Section 2: Learners, learning and assessment
Section 3: Learning and knowledge
Section 4: Learners and pedagogy
Section 5: Changing practice - review and reflection

The first section introduces some contemporary debates on curriculum, assessment and pedagogy, and examines historical, political and socio-cultural factors leading to change in these inter-related areas. Sections 2, 3 and 4 then examine in detail theories of learning, knowledge and pedagogy to enable you to analyse and evaluate policy and practice, and understand and develop your own practice. Finally, Section 5 reviews the issues discussed in the previous sections to enable you to reconceptualize your practice based on your studies.

More details about the five sections are provided in the introductory part of the Study Guide.

Course materials

The materials for EDU E817 Learning, Curriculum and Assessment consist of this Course Guide, the Study Guide, four Readers, Supplementary Material for Hong Kong Students, two audio cassettes and notes, a Glossary and an Assignment File - all of which are provided by the OUHK. In addition, there is one set book which you must obtain yourself.

Course Guide

The Course Guide tells you briefly what the course is about, what it contains, and how you can work your way through it. It also gives you information about tutors and face-to-face sessions, and assessment. Remember to refer to this Course Guide throughout the course to help clarify important points about studying EDU E817.

Study Guide

The Study Guide includes an Introduction and five sections. The Introduction gives you an overview of the course structure and its underlying rationale. Each of its five sections includes directions for working through the different components of the course materials and comments on, and summarizes, the key issues and ideas in the Readers. It also guides you to develop your assignments, including the curriculum development project.

Supplementary Material for Hong Kong Students

The Supplementary Material for Hong Kong Students (HK Supplement) has been specially written for EDU E817 in an effort to relate some of the themes covered in the Study Guide and Readers to the local context. It is very important for you to relate theories to the educational context in Hong Kong and your school/institution in reviewing your curriculum practice and planning for change. You should read this material at the points indicated in the Study Guide.

Readers and set book

There are four Readers and a set book. The Readers provided are:

Reader 1
MOON, B. and MURPHY, P. (eds) (1999) Curriculum in Context, London, Paul Chapman Publishing in association with The Open University.

Reader 2
MURPHY, P. (ed.) (1999) Learners, Learning and Assessment, London, Paul Chapman Publishing in association with The Open University.

Reader 3
McCORMICK, R. and PAECHTER, C. (eds) (1999) Learning and Knowledge, London, Paul Chapman Publishing in association with The Open University.

Reader 4
LEACH, J. and MOON, B. (eds) Learners and Pedagogy, London, Paul Chapman Publishing in association with The Open University.

There is also a set book which you must obtain yourself:

STIMPSON, P. and MORRIS, P. (eds) (1998) Curriculum and Assessment for Hong Kong: two components, one system, Hong Kong, The Open University of Hong Kong Press.

Audio cassettes and audio-cassette notes

There are two audio cassettes.

Audio Cassette 1 contains:

Audio Cassette 2 contains:

The audio-cassette notes summarize the main points of the cassettes and indicate how the cassettes relate to the Study Guide.

Glossary

The Glossary provides brief explanations of some terminology and abbreviations found in the Study Guide, Readers and set book. It is divided into four parts, covering, in turn: some general concepts associated with curriculum, learning and assessment; terms relevant to the Hong Kong context; terms used in the UK context; and a list of acronyms and what they stand for.

Assignment File

The Assignment File provides an overview of the nature and requirements of the course assignments. It guides you carefully through the five assignments.

Course organizer

The following table provides an overview of the course and suggests the amount of time it may take to complete each section. However, we all have our own pace of learning and approaches to study, so the schedule is only a guide. You can adjust it to fit your personal needs more closely. The important point is to plan your study schedule carefully. The estimated time, on average, that you need to spend on this course is about 15 hours per week. This estimate includes time for reading the Study Guide, Supplementary Material for Hong Kong Students, Readers and set book; listening to the audio-cassettes; completing the activities; writing your assignments; attending tutorials and day schools; and reviewing the study material.

Study Guide

Reading materials

Audio cassettes

Weeks of work

Assessment

Introduction
 
 
1  
Section 1: Curriculum in context
Reader 1, HK Supplement, set book
Audio Cassette 2
7 TMA1
Section 2: Learners, learning and assessment
Reader 2, HK Supplement, set book
Audio Cassettes 1 and 2
12 TMA2
Section 3: Learning and knowledge
Reader 3
Audio Cassette 2
9 TMA3
Section 4: Learners and pedagogy
Reader 4, HK Supplement, set book
Audio Cassettes 1 and 2
9 TMA4 (Project)
Section 5: Changing practice - review and reflection
Reader 1 revisited
Audio Cassette 1
4 TMA5
Revision
 
 
1  
 
 
 
42 weeks 5 assignments
Tutors and support

To supplement your self-study, there are 13 two-hour tutorials, two two-hour lectures, one three-hour day schools and two 'surgeries' throughout the year. In addition, at the beginning of the semester, there will be a student orientation and a talk on the OUHK Library for new students.

In the tutorials and day schools, your tutor will answer your questions about any problems you might face during self-study and hold other activities, such as small-group discussions, to facilitate your learning. 'Surgeries' are sessions in which you can consult a tutor individually. In addition to these face-to-face sessions, you can also have telephone tutorials with your tutor.

As soon as your tutorial group is confirmed, we will give you the name and phone number of your tutor and notify you of the dates, times and location of the face-to-face sessions. To help you to participate actively in these sessions, you are provided with a Tutorial and Day School Manual which:

You are strongly recommended to go through the Tutorial and Day School Manual before each tutorial or day school. All face-to-face sessions are optional, but attendance and active participation in them will enhance your learning.

Besides supporting you through the face-to-face sessions and telephone tutoring, your tutor marks and comments on your assignments, and keeps a close watch on your progress. When your assignments are returned, pay particular attention to the comments your tutor has written on the TMA form and the assignment.

Online communication

Students enrolled in EDU E817 will be given an opportunity to use the online mode which will provide them with additional means to communicate and discuss - with their peers, tutors and Course Co-ordinator - issues arising from course materials and their curriculum practice through the OUHK Online Learning Environment.

Strategy for working through the course

The following is a recommended strategy for working through the course.

  1. Organize a study schedule. Refer to the section 'Course organizer' in this Course Guide and to the Study Schedule provided by your Course Co-ordinator. Note the time suggested for you to spend on each section and how the assignments relate to the sections. You will receive by mail details of your face-to-face sessions and, later in the year, your examination.

    Once you have decided on your own study schedule, do everything you can to stick to it. The major reason students fail is that they fall behind with their course work. If you get into difficulties with your schedule, please let your tutor know before it is too late to help you.

  2. Work on your course by reading through the Study Guide. When you come to an activity, follow the instructions and read the assigned article(s) and/or answer the questions. Then return to the Study Guide. Towards the end of some sections, you will also be directed to the relevant parts of the Supplementary Material for Hong Kong Students.

  3. Listen to the audio cassette(s) when you are directed to do so. If necessary, you may need to listen to parts of it more than once in order to grasp the main points.

  4. A central activity of this course is for you to plan a curriculum change after reflecting on your own views of learners, learning, knowledge and assessment, and critically analysing the various theories. At various stages in the Study Guide, we will ask you to carry out certain tasks which will help you to finalize your assignments. You should try to carry out all these activities.

  5. After completing the last section and assignment, review the course and prepare yourself for the final examination.
Course assessment

EDU E817 has two methods of assessing your progress: continuous assessment (tutor-marked assignments) and a final examination.

Tutor-marked assignments

There are five tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) - the last one of which is a project - for continuous assessment purposes in the course. All assignments will be counted and will contribute 60% to your final course result. Your assignments have been structured as follows:

  1. A review of curriculum conventions.
  2. A report on and critical analysis of learning and assessment practice.
  3. An analysis of views of knowledge and its relationship to learning.
  4. A plan for the future.
  5. An assessment of required contextual changes.

You should read the Assignment File for details.

Examination

The examination for EDU E817 Learning, Curriculum and Assessment will last for three hours and has a value of 40% of the total course result.

Use the time between finishing the last section of the Study Guide and sitting the examination to review the entire course. You might find it useful to review also your tutor-marked assignments and comments on them before the examination.

Later, you will be provided with a specimen examination paper similar in format to the final examination, although the questions will be different. To earn a pass for the course, you must pass in both the continuous assessment (TMAs) and your final examination.

Conclusion

We hope that by studying EDU E817 Learning, Curriculum and Assessment you will be able to reflect on your own curriculum practice; develop theoretical perspectives on learning, knowledge, pedagogy and assessment; and make plans for change.

We wish you every success in the course.