Creating a responsive curriculum: Notes on the development of a Bachelor of Information Science qualification

Transcription

1 Creating a responsive curriculum: Notes on the development of a Bachelor of Information Science qualification Dr Lorette Jacobs Department of Information Science

2 Introduction The curriculum is one of the major constructs in the execution of higher education. It requires a continuous redress, to ensure that a qualification remains responsive to national and global challenges and changes.

3 Defining curriculum Akor (2008:39) describes curriculum as: The interrelated totality of aims, learning content, evaluation procedures and teaching and learning activities, opportunities and experiences that guide the implementation of didactic activities in a planned manner.

4 Curriculum related to LIS The curriculum for a Bachelor s Degree should aim to provide a well-rounded, broad qualification that can equip graduates with the knowledge base, theory and methodology of the discipline and various fields of study within the discipline, to enable them to demonstrate initiative and responsibility in an academic and / or professional context (CHE, 2013).

5 Curriculum related to LIS Contextualising a curriculum within Library and Information Science (LIS), is no easy task. It cannot be equated with content only. It should consider and include the context and purpose for which students should be trained in the context of the discipline.

6 Towards a responsive curriculum A responsive curriculum must consider learning needs and aspirations of individuals and develop their intellectual abilities and aptitudes, by considering discipline-specific competencies required to prepare individuals for the changing world of work.

7 Discipline-specific competencies Discipline specific competencies according to Raju (2017) include: Metadata creation and management Library ICTs and systems operations Information retrieval Research support Management of LIS Information literacy training Scholarly communication and open access Information management Collection development and management Digitisation and preservation Curation of digital management E-resources management Acquisition processes and practices Reference work LIS research and publication

8 Context to consider when developing a responsive curriculum Considerations of: Cultural responsiveness, encompassing such notions as responsiveness to gender, cultural heritage and learning diversity. Developmental goals such as developing global perspectives, global citizenship and environmental responsiveness (Sustainable Development Goals). Changes to labour market, economic development, socio-cultural progression, government changes and technological advancements.

9 Creating a responsive curriculum Two streams should be considered in the development of a responsive curriculum: An emphasis understanding the discipline and disciplinary subjectivities The cultivation of key skills related to critical thinking, teamwork, learning skills and problemsolving skills, creativity, innovation and a willingness to learn Inward relation Responsive Curriculum (Bernstein, 2001) Outward relation Consideration of industry-related requirements Taking note of international trends and developments Alignment with principles of decolonisation and Africanisation

10 Creating a responsive curriculum Billett (2006:32) suggests that three components to support inward and outward looking be considered: Intended curriculum (What is intended to occur) Enacted curriculum (What is happening that influences the curriculum) Experienced curriculum (What students experience and learn)

11 The intended curriculum (What the curriculum is supposed to do) As outcome As assessment As content Intended Curriculum As teaching strategy As design As delivery mode

12 Curriculum as outcome An outcomes-based approach should provide detail about what is essential for students to be able to do at the end of the learning experience. Develop a clear set of learning outcomes around which all the programme components are structured. Create opportunities within the programme, that enable and encourage students to achieve these outcomes.

13 Curriculum as outcome Examples of outcomes may include: Demonstrate an understanding of the evolution of diverse information environments. Implement guidelines to create, select and acquire information and knowledge sources related to user needs. Organise knowledge and information resources according to acceptable standards. Implement strategies to facilitate access and retrieval of information.

14 Curriculum as content The knowledge foundation of a curriculum is determined by the continuum of logic followed during the development of the curriculum. May draw on different knowledge bases: Practical knowledge in an occupation pathway. Theoretical knowledge in the academic pathways. Various combinations thereof.

15 Curriculum as design A design-in-advance approach can be followed to obtain detail about the design required, to ensure that the programme design complies with set exitlevel outcomes. The design should be an interactive process, involving staff, industry, students and other role players to act together during the design and analysis of programme curricula.

16 NQF Level Curriculum as design Level descriptors Modular Context 5 Demonstrate an informed understanding of the core areas of discipline or practices, and show an informed understanding of the key terms, concepts, facts, general principles, rules and theories of the discipline. 6 Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the main areas of discipline or practices, including an understanding of and the ability to apply the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of that discipline or practice to unfamiliar but relevant contexts; and display knowledge of areas of specialisation and how that knowledge relates to other fields, disciplines or practices. 7 Demonstrate integrated knowledge of the central areas of disciplines or practices, including an understanding of and the ability to apply and evaluate the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of that field, discipline or practice; and detailed knowledge of areas of specialisation and how that knowledge relates to other fields, disciplines or practices. 8 Demonstrate knowledge of and engagement in an area at the forefront of a discipline or practice; an understanding of the theories, research methodologies, methods and techniques relevant to the field, discipline or practice; and an understanding of how to apply such knowledge in a particular context.

17 Curriculum as delivery mode Unisa is South Africa s only comprehensive dedicated distance education university. As a mode of delivery, Unisa follows an Open Distance e-learning (ODeL) paradigm, aimed at bridging the time, geographical, economic, social, educational and communication distance between students and the institution, academics, courseware and peers (Unisa Open Distance Learning Policy, 2008:2).

18 Curriculum as delivery mode The ODeL mode of delivery followed by Unisa influences the framework and context within which a curriculum is to be designed and delivered. Open learning is an approach of learning that gives students flexibility and choice over what, when, where, at what pace and how they want to learn.

19 Curriculum as a teaching strategy Since an ODeL model is followed at Unisa, the teaching strategy should relate: To a blended strategy whereby multiple teaching and learning strategies are used To the use of a range of technologies, combined with face-to-face interaction To develop and deploy physical and virtual resources to encourage active engagement with students (Unisa Open Distance Learning Policy, 2008:1).

20 Curriculum as assessment Assessment strategies need to ensure the achievement and measurement of programme outcomes. The design-in-advance approach will assist in determining how, where and to what extent assessment should occur. Assessments must be focused on promoting student engagement and should be founded on enhancing problem-solving and analytical skills development.

21 The Enacted Curriculum (What happens) As experience Enacted Curriculum Catering for societal needs

22 The Enacted Curriculum as Experience There is an urgent need for workplace curriculum practices and principles to be identified, elaborated and evaluated. This is important to ensure that a curriculum enhance vocational knowledge to prepare students for the work environment. Workplaces need to be conceptualised more clearly by identifying their characteristics and qualities to be considered when developing a curriculum.

23 Enacted Curriculum Catering for societal needs Educated individuals should be able to enter the workforce and contribute to economic development and sustainability. What society will need in the coming decades are not made-to-measure specialists but concerned citizens who can think creatively and work cooperatively in building and strengthening communities.

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26 Enacted Curriculum Catering for societal needs

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28 The Experienced Curriculum (What students experience and learn) The transformative potential of higher education relates to the potential of education to empower individuals. The experienced curriculum therefore relates to what students can experience and learn to support transformation and change.

29 Experienced curriculum as transformation The experienced curriculum should enable students to function productively in society. This aligns to the outcomes and employability agenda, suggesting that education is required to promote transformation so that learning adds value to students lives.

30 Proposed responsive curriculum development model Intended Curriculum As outcomes As content As design As delivery mode As teaching strategy As assessment Inward Looking Enacted Curriculum As experience As catering for societal needs Outward Looking Experienced Curriculum As transformation

31 Unisa follows a Framework for Team Approach Programme Design (Purpose, outcomes, structure) Department Unisa stakeholders Industry Tutors Students Other external stakeholders Curriculum planning of modules Learning design and teaching assessment Department School Experts Tutors Industry Department Support services (Technology) Library Learning material development Department Curriculum support services Critical readers Experts Tutors

32 In Conclusion

33 References Akor, E.U Government interventions in higher education in South Africa: Policy options. [Online]. Available: [2017, August 04]. Billett, S Constituting the workplace curriculum. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 38(1): Council on Higher Education The higher education qualifications sub-framework. Pretoria: Council on Higher Education. Geyser, H Programme development: A curriculum design perspective. In. Gravett, S. and Gyser, H. (eds): Teaching and learning in higher education. Pretoria: van Schaik. Luckett, K The relationship between knowledge structure and curriculum: A case study in sociology. Studies in Higher Education, 34(4): Raju. J LIS Competency Index for Professionals. [Online]. Available: [2018, September 01]. Schecter, B Development as an aim of education: A reconsideration of Dewey s vision. Curriculum Inquiry, 41(2): Shay, S Conceptualising curriculum differentiation in higher education: A sociology of knowledge point of view. British Journal of Sociology of Education: South African Qualifications Authority The NQF and curriculum [Online]. Available: [2017, August 05]. University of South Africa Open distance learning policy. Pretoria: Unisa.

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