Constructive Alignment

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Constructive Alignment

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Title: Constructive Alignment

1
Constructive Alignment
DMLF'07 Invited Talk
Claus Brabrand, Ph.D. ((( brabrand_at_itu.dk
))) Associate Professor, IT-University of
Copenhagen Denmark
2
Outline

Warm up exercise
Post-It focus exercise...
Constructive Alignment
The Theory of Constructive Alignment
"From Theory to Practice"
'From content to competence'
Tips'n'Tricks
Tips'n'Tricks for teaching
Q'n'A
Questions (and possibly even answers...)

1
2
3
4
5
3
Warm up exercise
T

Post-It exercise

Write down answer to
"what is good teaching?"
2)

Swap Post-Its...
4
Outline

Warm up exercise
"What is good teaching?"
The Theory of Constructive Alignment
FILM "Teaching Teaching Understanding
Understanding"
"From Theory to Practice"
'From content to competence'
Tips'n'Tricks
Tips'n'Tricks for teaching
Q'n'A
Questions (and possibly even answers...)

1
2
3
4
5
5
Let's watch the short-film...
Teaching Teaching Understanding Understanding
(((
)))
Inspired by "Teaching for Quality Learning at
University", John Biggs
Available on DVD through Aarhus University
Press ((( http//www.daimi.au.dk/brabrand/short-
film/ ))) Features Epilogue by John Biggs, DVD
menu, and subtitles inEnglish, French, Spanish,
Portuguese, Italian, German, and Danish
6
Outline

Warm up exercise
"What is good teaching?"
The Theory of Constructive Alignment
FILM "Teaching Teaching Understanding
Understanding"
"From Theory to Practice"
'From content to competence'
Tips'n'Tricks
Tips'n'Tricks for teaching
Q'n'A
Questions (and possibly even answers...)

1
2
3
4
5
7
From Content to Competence

(Concurrency 20042005) course aims
Given in terms of a 'content description'
Essentially

The goal is...
To understand
deadlock
interference
synchronization
...

This is a bad idea for 2 reasons...!
8
Problem with 'content' as aim

Problem with 'content'as learning objectives?!

analyze ... theorize ...
analyze systems explain causes
circa-explain ... circa-describe ...

Objective
To understand
deadlock
interference
synchronization
...

Stud. C
agreement
tacit knowledge from research-based
tradition (not known by stud.)
?
name solutions recite conditons
Teacher
analyze systems explain causes
Stud. B
BUT, even if it were possible to agree, we know
that the exam will dictate the learning anyways.
Stud. A
Censor
9
Problem with 'understanding'

Problem with 'understanding'as learning
objectives?!

Objective
To understand
deadlock
interference
synchronization
...

concept of deadlock ?!
?
The answer is simple
It cannot be measured (!)
10
'Competence' as objectives !
Competence knowledge capacity to act upon
it

'Competence' as learning objectives !
Evaluation

Have the student do something, and then measure
product and/or process

Objective !
To learn to
analyze systems for...
explain cause/effects...
prove properties of...
compare methods of...
...

Note'understanding' is (of course)
pre-requisitional (!)
?
Note' inherently operational ( verbs)
'SOLO' Structure of the Observed Learning
Outcome
11
Neighbour Discussion
T
Discuss with neighbour "does this make sense
?!?" (content ? competence)
12
'Competence' as objectives !
Competence knowledge capacity to act upon
it

'Competence' as learning objectives !
Evaluation

Have the student do something, and then measure
product and/or process

Objective !
To learn to
analyze systems for...
explain cause/effects...
prove properties of...
compare methods of...
...

Note'understanding' is (of course)
pre-requisitional (!)
?
Note' inherently operational ( verbs)
'SOLO' Structure of the Observed Learning
Outcome
13
Advantages of 'SOLO'
depth (qualitative levels)
surface (quantitative levels)

Advantages of 'SOLO'
Constructed for research-based (university)
teaching
Converges on research (at SOLO 5)
Strong correspondence to Piaget's learning stages
From cognitive psychology

14
SOLO (elaborated)

to theorize
to generalize
to hypothesize
to predict
to analyze
to relate
to compare
to explain causes
to describe
to combine
to classify
to perform algorithm
to do simple procedure
to define
to identify
to recite

extended abstract
SOLO 5
relational
SOLO 4
multi structural
SOLO 3
uni structural
SOLO 2
15
SOLO (more verbs)
Note the list is non-exhaustive
SOLO 5

to theorize
to hypothesize
to generalize
to critize
to predict

to apply theory (to 'distant' problems)
to put-into-perspective
to reflect
to judge
to discuss

"extended abstract"
SOLO 4

to apply theory (to 'near' problems)
to reason about (reach conclusion)
to explain (cause-effect)
to explain (similarities-differences)
to explain (strengths-weaknesses)

to analyze
to argue
to relate
to compare
to integrate

"relational"
SOLO 23

to enumerate
to paraphrase
to do simple procedure
to define
to identify / name
to recite

to describe
to structure
at collate
to combine
to classify
to perform algorithm

"multi structural" "uni structural"
16
Concrete Example andConcrete Recommendations (4x)
1) Use 'standard formulation' put learning
focus on student (Note competence
formulation "to be able to")

Intended Learning Outcomes Genetics
101
After the course, the students are expected to be
able to
locate genes on chromosomes
do simple calculations (e.g., recombination
frequencies, in-breeding
coefficients, Hardy-Weinberg,
evolutionary equilibria).
describe and perform connexion-analysis
describe fundamental genetic concepts (e.g.,
mutation variation,
in-breeding, natural selection).
describe and analyze simple inheritancies
analyze inheritance of multiple genes
simultaneously

4) Avoid 'understanding-goals' "To
understand X", "Be familiar with Y",
"Have a notion of Z", ...!
V
N
N
V
N
V
V
V
N
V
V
N
V
3) Use 'Verb Noun' formulation What the
student is expected to do with a given
matter .
2) List sub-goals as 'bullets' Clearer than
text
N
V
17
Post-It exercise
T
Write down 1-2 key competences (i.e.,
verbs) (for your course)
5
4
23
18
Outline

Warm up exercise
"What is good teaching?"
The Theory of Constructive Alignment
FILM "Teaching Teaching Understanding
Understanding"
"From Theory to Practice"
'From content to competence'
Tips'n'Tricks
Tips'n'Tricks for teaching
Q'n'A
Questions (and possibly even answers...)

1
2
3
4
5
19
5' Break

Please put the Post-Its on the wall

"What is good teaching?"
Key competences (in your course)
20
Outline

Warm up exercise
"What is good teaching?"
The Theory of Constructive Alignment
FILM "Teaching Teaching Understanding
Understanding"
"From Theory to Practice"
'From content to competence'
Tips'n'Tricks
Tips'n'Tricks for teaching
Q'n'A
Questions answers ...

1
2
3
4
5
21
Definition Good Teaching

Definition
Good news we now know how to do this

"Good teaching is getting most students to use
the higher cognitive level processes that the
more academic students use spontaneously" --
Teaching for Quality Learning at University,
John Biggs, 2003
Alignment ? Explicitly define intended learning
outcomes ? Exam
measure ? intended learning outcomes? Teaching
form ? intended learning outcomes
22
Implementation Process

Process (course specific)

1) Think carefully about overall goal of
course (what are the stud. to learn?)
operationalization
2) Operationalize these goals and express
them as intended learning outcomes
alignment
3) Choose carefully the form(s) of
examination (? intended learning outcomes)
4) Choose carefully the form(s) of teaching
(? intended learning outcomes)
23
A Case-Study on ImplementingAlignment
For more information about the implementation of
alignment...
"Constructive Alignment for Teaching
Model-Based Design for Concurrency" -- a
case-study on implementing alignment Claus
Brabrand In Proc. Workshop on Teaching
Concurrency, June 2007, (aka., "TeaConc'07"),
pp. 1--17 ((( Invited Paper for Invited Talk for
TeaConc'07 )))
Available on my homepage ((( http//www.itu.dk/pe
ople/brabrand/ )))
24
"The Learning Pyramid"
Average retention rate
passive
5
Lecture
10
Reading
activation
level of engagement
20
Audiovisual
30
Demonstration
50
Discussion group
75
Practice by doing
active student
80
Teaching others
Kilde NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral
Science, Bethel, Maine
25
Tips'n'Tricks (cont'd)

Use many examples(build on student
pre-knowledge)

Explicit structure

1. xxxxxxxxxx 2. yyyyyyyyyy 3. zzzzzzzzzz 4.
wwwwwww
1. xxxxxxxxxx 2. yyyyyyyyyy 3. zzzzzzzzzz 4.
wwwwwww
1. xxxxxxxxxx 2. yyyyyyyyyy 3. zzzzzzzzzz 4.
wwwwwww
1. xxxxxxxxxx 2. yyyyyyyyyy 3. zzzzzzzzzz 4.
wwwwwww
?

self evident to you teacher
not to a learner student
(esp. during learning process)

"Less-is-more"

Student 'recap' at end

analyze
compare
relate

common deadlock, uncommon deadlock,
A-synchronization, B-synchronization, hand-shake,
multi-party synchronization, multi-party
hand-shake, binary semaphores, generalized
semaphores, blocking semaphores, recursive locks,
...
vs.
now
after 1 day
after 1 week
after 2 weeks
after 3 weeks
Emphasize depth over breadth (coverage)
26
Tips'n'Tricks (activation)

Neighbour discussions

Post-It exercise

properties
anonymous (!)
swap'able
everyone will engage
usages
focus warm up / zoom in
empathetic control
shared knowledge pool

more questions (students dare ask them)
better questions (students had a chance
to discuss)

Phil Race
1-2 min timeout

Frequent breaks

Form variation

pulse reader measurements
lecturing blended with in-class activation
exercises
27
Outline

Warm up exercise
"What is good teaching?"
The Theory of Constructive Alignment
FILM "Teaching Teaching Understanding
Understanding"
"From Theory to Practice"
'From content to competence'
Tips'n'Tricks
Tips'n'Tricks for teaching
Q'n'A
Questions (and possibly even answers...)

1
2
3
4
5
28
Questions...
My research and teaching
Cognition structures
Intended learning outcomes (ILO)
Association new old
"understanding" content ? competence
The SOLO Taxonomy
'TLA' Teaching/Learning Activities
Teacher models levels 1 - 2 - 3
Student models Susan Robert
M
S
The Short-Film
I
'The Book'
Model-based design for Concurrency
Experiences Pre vs. Post
Student activation
Satisfaction
analyze explain
Students at Uni
?
"What is good teaching?"
Exam
Tips'n'Tricks
Constructive Alignment
John Biggs
29
Now, please "3-minute recap"

Please spend 3' on thinking about and writing
down the most important points from the talk
now!

Immediately
After 1 day
After 1 week
After 2 weeks
After 3 weeks
30
Thank You!
Film homepage
((( http//www.daimi.au.dk/brabrand/short-film/
)))
31
BONUS SLIDES
32
Background ( this talk)

Concurrency 20042005
"Pre-alignment"
Learned about teaching/learning theories
In particular Constructive Alignment,The SOLO
Taxonomy, Constructivism, ...
Concurrency 20062007
"Post-alignment"

33
Disclaimer
The point of this part is

not to exhibit a perfectly aligned course
but to show how the principles of alignment can
be put to use (in particular, how it may serve
as guidelines for the exam and TLA).

TLA Teaching/Learning Activities
34
Implementation Process

Process (course specific)

1) Think carefully about overall goal of
course (what are the stud. to learn?)
2) Operationalize these goals and express
them as intended learning outcomes
alignment
3) Choose carefully the form(s) of
examination ( intended learning outcomes)
4) Choose carefully the form(s) of teaching
( intended learning outcomes)
35
Starting Point

Content description (Concurrency '04'05)

What is the overall goal of the course...? (what
are the students to learn)
36
Overall Course Philosophy

Model-Based Design for Concurrency

37
Thoroughly Motivate (what can they do, if they
'bother' learning this?)
38
Implementation Process

Process (course specific)

Intended Learning Outcomes(based on The SOLO
Taxonomy)

Noteexplicitly included as a non-goal
?
1
2
3
40
Implementation Process

Process (course specific)

Pre-alignment (Concurrency 20042005)
Group Project (50)
Individual Multiple-Choice Test (50)
Post-alignment (Concurrency 20062007)
Group Project (50)
Individual Multiple-Choice Test (50)

'Inherited' from pre-2004 Because it seemed like
a good idea to do a project
Added in 2005 Politically motivated exam must
have individual part!
?
However BIG differences...!
Coincidentally
Carefully designed (ILOs) Project good for
evaluating model-based design process
Carefully designed (ILOs) MC-test good for
evaluating analytical skills (problem) to
analyze/compare models
42
Project (pre- vs. post-alignment)

2004 Project "The Beer Factory"
2006 Project "The Banana Republic"

No explicit learning objectives (only 'list of
contents')
No explicit project grading criteria

?
result

Some student projects with no appearant
model ? impl. relationship (at least, to me)!

?
43
The Banana Republic

Grading (of the report)
construct models...
apply common solutions...
relate spec?model...
test model...
define properties...
verify model wrt. properties...
implement model...
relate model?impl...

Project designed ( ILO's)
(a) Construct unsafe model (w/o controller)
(b) Test model - observe that collisions with 'El
Presidente' can occur
(c) Define safety property NO_CRASH
(d) Verify that collisions can occur
(e) Construct a controller (such that collisions
can no longer occur)
(f) Verify that collisions can no longer occur
(g) Define liveness property ('El Presidente' can
eventually leave)
(h) Implement model in Java.

All ILO's except
analyze models
compare models

Better evaluated on MC-test
44
MC-test (pre- vs. post-alignment)

2004 MC-test
2006 Project

(a bunch of seemingly reasonable questions)
Bad Alignment
?
Carefully designed ( ILO's)

analyze models (and programs) wrt. behavior

compare models (and program) wrt. behavior

45
Example analyze models
Good Alignment
46
Example compare models
Good Alignment
47
Implementation Process

Process (course specific)

Pre-alignment (Concurrency 20042005)
Lectures (2-3 hrs/week)
'Theoretical Exercise Classes' (2 hrs/week)
'Programming Lab' (2 hrs/week)
Post-alignment (Concurrency 20062007)
Lectures (2-3 hrs/week) with activation exercises
'Theoretical Exercise Classes' (2h/w) apply
common solutions
'Programming Lab' (2 hrs/week) hands-on training
for project
Weekly hand-ins (every week) train for project
(w/ feedback!)
MC-test sample questions (given early) train for
MC-test

essentially teacher-centric "monologues"
Idea due to colleague Thomas Hildebrandt at ITU

?
student-centric
49
TLA's (post-alignment)

Student-centric
'Theoretical Exercise Classes' (2h/w) apply
common solutions
'Programming Lab' (2 hrs/week) hands-on training
for project
Weekly hand-ins (every week) train for project
(w/ feedback!)
MC-test sample questions (given early) train for
MC-test
Teacher-centric
Lectures (2-3 hrs/week) with activation exercises

apply common solutions
construct, implement, test, verify, define,
apply
construct, implement, relate
analyze, compare
introduce fundamental concepts/problems/solutions
(in terms of models impl)
50
Implementation Process

Process (course specific)

?
1) Think carefully about overall goal of
course (what are the stud. to learn?)
2) Operationalize these goals and express
them as intended learning outcomes
alignment
3) Choose carefully the form(s) of
examination ( intended learning outcomes)
4) Choose carefully the form(s) of teaching
( intended learning outcomes)
51
Conclusions (pre vs. post)
Disclaimer (many factors involved that vary
from-year-to-year)

Student background and prerequisites
The "Susan/Robert ratio"
Teacher's experience gain

... ...and many more

Subjectively
Constructive Alignment (!!!)
To the point that I bothered making a film about
it )
Own behavior changed
From 'intuition' to conscious choicesawareness
of alternatives and of consequences of choices (
student learning)
My students' behavior (from my perspective)
More focusses on learning the objectives (esp.
'to relate')

52
Objectively (I/III)(Questionnaire at end,
7-step scale)
self-reported

Student satisfaction
"slightly more satisfied" ..or
"constructive alignment doesn't compromize
student satisfaction"

Student proficiency
More useful figures (learning)!
However I only havepost-alignment data (
Thus "inconclusive" (

Pre ('04-'05)
Pre ('04'05)
Post ('06-'07)
Post ('06'07)
53
Objectively (II/III)(Competences explicitly
tested trained)

Competences explicitly tested and trained for
Conclusion
"Substantial SOLO-level increase" ( good
teaching) !
Much better projects (esp. 'model?impl'
relationship) !

54
Objectively (III/III)(Qualitative data from
2006 eval)

Anonymous student in 2006 evaluation

Overall
This course has been awesome! It took me a
while to be able to think in models, but I saw
the light along the way.
Teaching
Lectures have been great, the theoretical
exercise classes have been rewarding and the
feedback has been immense and insightful
Exercises
I did not have a lot of time to do the
exercises, but they seemed relevant from week
to week.
Project
The mini project was a good and solid exercise
in analyzing a problem, making a model and
implementing it. A very good exercise!
55
The Role of the Exam

Alignment
A theory of planning (over the course of a
course)
A theory of motivation (and incentive)
The exam as a...

"The exam does not come after, but before the
course!"
"Necessary evil"
application of alignment
Motivational and learning-guiding pedagogical
tool for the teacher(!)
56
Motivation Beyond the Exam

Motivational problem
Why bother learn the course material?
Tell them why it is important to learn these
things
How could these skills benefit them in their
work/life/(focus on advantages)
Example

57
Programs and Models
Program world
Model world
abstraction
P
M
concretization
Abstract
Concrete
58
On Program Equivalence
Program world
Model world
1. P P ?
2. abstract
3. M M ?
P
M

4. relate
M
P
5. M M !
6. concretize
7. P P !
Abstract
Concrete
What discerns a really good programmer from one
that is not so good is the capability of moving
(consciously or unconsciously) between the
concrete world of programs and the abstract world
of models (via abstraction and concretization). S
pecifically, such a programmer is capable of
(consciously or unconsciously) - 1)
abstracting programs into models - 2) reasoning
about the models - 3) concretizing the insights
back into the world of programs
59
On Property Satisfaction
What discerns a really good programmer from one
that is not so good is the capability of moving
(consciously or unconsciously) between the
concrete world of programs and the abstract world
of models (via abstraction and concretization). S
pecifically, such a programmer is capable of
(consciously or unconsciously) - 1)
abstracting programs into models - 2) reasoning
about the models - 3) concretizing the insights
back into the world of programs
60
Notes on Skill Acquisition

From the world of psychoanalysis
Skill acquisition progresses according to the
following stages of learning
1. Unconscious incompetence
2. Conscious incompetence
3. Conscious competence
4. Unconscious competence
5. Capacity for moving consciously between
stages 3. and 4. required by a teacher

61
Impersonalization

A taxonomy / language for teaching impersonalizes
teaching
Emotional detachment (aka. dissociation)
The teacher is good/bad
identity good/bad teacher
The methods are good/bad
behavior good/bad method
knowledge good/bad method
With dissociation
more capable of dealing with critique ? better to
listen to constructive advice (just like with
our research)

Neutological levels model of the mind, NLP
behavior
reactions
knowledge
experience
moral
ethics
identity
convictions
capabilities
interaction
62
Based on John Biggs' Theories

2nd edition
(3rd edition expected this fall)

"Teaching for Quality Learning at University",
John Biggs
63
UNALIGNED COURSE
?
Teachers intention
Students activity

e.g.
explain
relate
prove
apply

"Dealing with the test"
Exams assessment

e.g.
memorize
describe

e.g.
memorize
describe

64
ALIGNED COURSE
?
Teachers intention
Students activity

e.g.
explain
relate
prove
apply

e.g.
explain
relate
prove
apply

e.g.
explain
relate
prove
apply

Exams assessment

e.g.
explain
relate
prove
apply

e.g.
explain
relate
prove
apply

65
Kommunikation (af fag-viden)

Speak-Listen
Write-Read

Personal knowledge
Personal knowledge
Personalization
Officialization
Official knowledge
Personal knowledge
Personal knowledge
Personalization
Official knowledge
tion
Officializa
66
Personlig vs. Officiel Viden
MBTI "S" vs. "N"

Personlig viden
"connaissance" (fransk)
individuel
uformel
implicit
subjektiv
(kan være) ustabil
(mht) specifikke situationer

Officiel viden
"savoir" (fransk)
delt (med andre)
formel
eksplicit
objektiv
stabil (især NAT-videnskab)
generel

To (modsat rettede) processer

Personalization
Personlig viden
Officiel viden
Officialization
67
Undervisningsformer
problem-orienteret
Projekt-arbejde
Case-undervisning
lærer-styret
elev-styret
Forelæsning
Øvelser
disciplin-orienteret
kilde Torben K. Jensen
68
UndervisningsforløbDeduktion vs. Induktion

Deduktivt forløb

Induktivt forløb

Introduktion
Introduktion
Teori
Øvelse
Øvelse
Analyse
Opsamling
Teori
69
Tips'n'Tricks (1/8)

Use many examples(build on student
pre-knowledge)

NEW
OLD
?
70
Tips'n'Tricks (2/8)

Explicit structure

self evident to you teacher
not to a learner student
(esp. during learning process)

71
Tips'n'Tricks (3/8)

"Less-is-more"

analyze
compare
relate

common deadlock, uncommon deadlock,
A-synchronization, B-synchronization, hand-shake,
multi-party synchronization, multi-party
hand-shake, binary semaphores, generalized
semaphores, blocking semaphores, recursive locks,
...
vs.
Emphasize depth over breadth (coverage)
72
Tips'n'Tricks (4/8)
Immediately
After 1 day
After 1 week
After 2 weeks
After 3 weeks
Please spend 3 on thinking about and writing
down The most important points from the talk
now!
73
Tips'n'Tricks (5/8)