Constructive Alignment: Teaching & Learning Activities
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Goethe-University Frankfurt
Institute of Human Geography
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ILOs
Learning Activities
Assessment
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Structure
use assessment tasks that enable you to judge if and how well students performances meet the intended learning outcomes
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Biggs & Tang 2007
state the intended learning outcomes in the form of standards the students are to attain; use appropriate verbs that describe what students need to be able to do
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create a learning environment likely to bring about the intended learning outcomes
develop grading criteria (learning rubrics) for judging the quality of student performance
1. Teaching & Learning Activities�
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1. Teaching & Learning Activities: The course format
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Constraints for teaching & learning activities
Possible Course format | Common Teaching Activity | Common Learning Activity |
LECTURE | Talking, Explaining, Clarifying … | Listening, taking notes, Discuss with peers, one-minute-paper … |
SEMINAR/TUTORIAL | Giving Input, Explaining, Setting/Questions and Answers, Setting tasks, Providing Feedback … | Pre-read, present, discuss, work on tasks, prepare questions, learn from peers, criticise, analyse … |
PROJECT | Setting tasks, providing ongoing feedback … | Apply, create, self-monitor, communicate, work in teams … |
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2. Teaching & Learning Activities: Aligning ILOs & TLAs
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When looking for Teaching & Learning Activities, ask yourself…
→ there is always more than one way of attaining ILOs!
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2. Teaching & Learning Activities: Aligning ILOs & TLAs�
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Example
“1 Explain in depth why a particular course topic is important to teaching
TLAs: Plenary sessions with pre-readings and notes used for learning information, clarification and elaboration. Application to teaching by partners and small groups
2 Explain how the component course topics interrelate
TLAs: As for (1)
3 Reflect on your teaching in terms of a working theory you have gained from the course
TLAs: Keep reflective diary; discuss with group/learning partner
4 Evaluate a situation that has gone wrong and apply a solution
TLAs: Use workplace resources, group/learning partner comparing perspectives on evaluating and applying”
Biggs & Tang 2007, p. 57
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2. Teaching & Learning Activities: Aligning ILOs & TLAs�
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Example
Biggs & Tang 2007, p. 56-57
ILO | possible Teaching and Learning activity |
Explain | reading theories, answering self-assessment questions after each reading, writing down answers in a journal, questioning, elaborating and clarifying in lecture |
Reflect | answering self-addressed questions in journal |
Evaluate Apply | self-directed discussions with partners to extend range of professional experiences and opinions |
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2. Teaching & Learning Activities: Aligning ILOs & TLAs�
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Further Examples
https://www.teaching-learning.utas.edu.au/learning-activities-and-delivery-modes/planning-learning-activities/examples-of-learning-activities
ILO | possible Teaching and Learning activity |
Criticize | Response to an assigned text using criteria |
Reflect | self-assessment, Comparison of Prior-Post-Understanding, learning diary |
Produce | oral/written summary, one-minute-paper, creating an Infographic |
Solve a problem | simulation/scenario, case-study, project |
Hypothesize | Experiment, project |
Describe | Essay, report |
… | … |
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Literature
Biggs, John B. & Tang, Catherine So-kum (2007). Teaching for quality learning at university: what the student does. Maidenhead : McGraw-Hill/Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.
University of Tasmania (2022). Examples of Learning Activities. https://www.teaching-learning.utas.edu.au/learning-activities-and-delivery-modes/planning-learning-activities/examples-of-learning-activities