CURRICULUM DESIGN

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CURRICULUM DESIGN Ed Crawley Sören Östlund Mats
Hanson Kristina Edström External Review 18 June
2003
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CDIO CURRICULUM DESIGN

• Outline
• Goals of design process
• Design issues
• Design and implementation process
• KTH example
• Impact at other universities

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GOALS OF DESIGN PROCESS

• Create curricula which support a deeper working
  knowledge of the technical fundamentals, and
  allow learning of the CDIO Syllabus outcomes
• Demands on design process
• Curriculum must be owned by the faculty
  (commitment)
• Integration of multiple learning objectives in
  disciplinary courses
• CDIO Syllabus topics covered with approximate
  correlation to expected level of proficiency
• Flexible process which can be adapted to various
  national and disciplinary programs

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DESIGN ISSUES

• Before launching into implementing the CDIO
  curriculum design, it is important to identify,
  understand and specifically address four issues
• Learning outcomes derived from CDIO Syllabus and
  stakeholder survey Technical knowledge (1.X),
  Personal (2.X), Interpersonal (3.X) and System
  Building (4.X)
• Course structure and topology
• Sequence of learning experiences
• Mapping of CDIO 2.X - 4.X onto course structure

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COURSE STRUCTURE TOPOLOGY

• Conventional

Bus
Block
Linked/merged
Sequential
Alternatives to conventional modular curricular
structure
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SEQUENCE OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES

• How do we sequence and coordinate learning
  experiences?
• In traditional technical disciplines, a sequence
  is often well established
• Zeroeth law of thermodynamics
• First law of thermodynamics
• Second law of thermodynamics
• In CDIO skills 2.X - 4.X, this sequence is less
  obvious.

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MAPPING ONTO COURSE STRUCTURE
Need to create a mapping of the CDIO Syllabus
topics onto the modified course structure

• Introduce (I) spend a little time, no explicit
  learning objective, assignment or grading
• Teach (T) really try to teach, spend some time,
  have a related learning objective, include in
  assignments and in assessment
• Primary teaching (T1) a larger commitment of
  importance and time
• Secondary teaching (T2) a smaller commitment of
  time and importance
• Utilize (U) assume the students possess this
  skill, and use it to reach some other learning
  objective

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DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

• Validate syllabus with stakeholders (survey)
• Benchmark of present achievement of
  outcomes(also gives info on what faculty is
  willing able to do)
• Broader discussion (exposure, buy-in, commitment)
• Develop framework(Approximate structure
  sequence -gt x.x mapping)
• Commissions to course coordinator/owner
• Course coordinators develop detailed plan of
  course (learning objectives etc)
• Feedback convergence -gt Final mapping
• Implementation
• Evaluation/assurance

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"MMT 2003" PROJECT AT KTH

• MMT School of Mechanical and Materials
  Engineering
• Main goal to adopt the Bologna structure
• Funded by the KTH University board (USD 1,2
  million over 3 years)
• CDIO-inspired redesign also of non-CDIO member
  programs in MMT
• Scope Core curriculum (first 3 years) correspond
  to 52 courses given by 17 departments
• Zero base approach
• No courses in database from fall 2003
• Four (more or less) new programs

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BOLOGNA CONSISTENT MODEL
Undergraduate level Advanced level Doctorate
level

180 ECTS (3 years)
120 ECTS (2 years)
XXX ECTS
Bachelor degree Master degree PhD degree
ECTS European credits (60 ECTS per year)
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PROJECT ORGANISATION

• A large number of people were invited to do some
  work in the project
• Working group consisted of
• Project leader (a faculty member)
• Dean
• All program chairmen
• Learning designer
• Student representative (employed part time)
• Administrators
• Seven committees (groups of faculty student
  rep)
• Faculty representatives from 17 departments
  (often the department heads)
• Reference group from industry

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EARLY DESIGN PROCESS

• Working group and committees developed a
  framework
• Course structure and topology of the four
  programs
• Preliminary CDIO mapping (what CDIO learning
  outcomes in which courses)

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MAPPING ONTO COURSE STRUCTURE
Note Only small part of document translated here
for illustration purpose. Full MMT documentation
available in Swedish.
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SEQUENCE OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES
VEHICLE ENGINEERING
Year 1
Perspectives on Vehicle Eng.
Mathematics I
Physics
Numerical Methods
Mechanics I
Mathematics II
Year 2
Solid Mechanics
Product development
Mechanics II
Sound and Vibrations
Fluid mechanics
Thermodynamics
Mathematics III
Year 3
Signal analysis
Control Theory
Statistics
Electrical Eng.
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COMMISSION PROCESS

• Faculty were commissioned to propose courses to
  the new programs according to specifications
  instructions
• Support to faculty (workshops individual
  consultations) offered until deadline
• Faculty submit course proposals
• Working group gives feedback approval when
  specifications are met
• Course development with funding (range USD
  0-30.000) and continuing support

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DEMANDS AND SUPPORT FOR FACULTY

• Specifications include
• How the course fits in program (prerequisites,
  follow-up)
• Details like of students, of credits etc
• What CDIO learning outcomes to include in this
  course
• Full CDIO mapping for overview
• Deadline
• Instructions (17 pages) include
• How to write learning objectives
• Quotes from laws (Högskolelagen 9, 5,
  Högskoleförordningen 3.11) and policies (KTH, CF)
• How to define prerequisites
• Valid assessment
• Half-day workshops cover
• Learning objectives
• Assessment

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STATUS

• Increased application competition to the new
  programs
• Students enter the new programs in fall 2003
• Evaluation Delivery according to proposals?

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LESSONS LEARNED

• Full management support, legitimacy, funding,
  high-profile
• Powerful methods and ideas (and added legitimacy)
  from CDIO
• Creating support commitment for change
  processwith faculty in 17 departments, decision
  bodies at all levels, student bodies, industry
  reference group etc. New formats for information
  discussion have been established as needed
• Active student participation in all activities
  (one student working part-time in project group
  for nearly 2 years)
• Project management (phases with clear deadlines,
  the right decision in the right body at the right
  time)
• Pedagogical control instruments used(CDIO
  Syllabus, objectives formulated as intended
  learning outcomes etc)

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IMPACT AT KTH

• 2002 evaluation of quality development at KTH.
  The National Agency of Higher Education quotes
  the Students Union's view
• "On the other hand, the development in MMT 2003
  is a success story. Good and clear reporting and
  a very well working dialogue with students and
  all concerned both within and outside the
  university. Bravo!"
• "Regarding objectives interesting things are
  happening through the changes in the MMT area,
  where increased importance is given to developing
  objectives. For other areas work is more
  sluggish, both when it comes to formulating and
  follow-up."
• Translated from Högskoleverkets rapportserie
  200216 R page 52

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IMPACT AT OTHER UNIVERSITIES

• Chalmers Redesign of the Master level of the
  Mechanical Engineering program completed.
  Bachelor level is being redesigned aiming for
  students starting in fall '04.
• LiU Redesign of the Y program largely completed.
  Implementation of "CDIO Backbone", consisting of
  introductory, electronic project and advanced
  capstones close to completion.
• MIT Complete redesign of Aero/Astro curriculum
  with full CDIO Syllabus mapping . Implementation
  begun in Fall 2002.