>> Now that you've
written or edited
your program's SLOs,
it's time to map them
to the curriculum.
Curriculum mapping serves
two main functions.
First, it helps program
administrators
and faculty know
where the outcomes
are covered
or not covered in
the curriculum.
Second, curriculum
mapping helps to define
the appropriate
assessment points
in your assessment plan.
Before beginning
the process,
curriculum mapping
is often viewed
as a heinous
task by faculty.
But as you read in
the Uchiyama and
Raiden article,
creating a curriculum
map is not
only necessary to
program assessment,
it can promote unity and
collaboration
in the program.
To create a map,
you will need to
first collect a list of
all the programs courses.
Start with
required courses,
but feel free to add
electives if you desire.
Most people prefer to
collect their maps
in an Excel file or
in a word table.
Any file type is
acceptable as long
as it allows for
a visual representation of
the outcome's relationship
to the courses.
Begin by titling
columns as Outcome 1,
Outcome 2, and so on.
Each row lists the course.
An Excel template has been
created for your use
in this process.
Finally, it's
time to consult
with your
program's faculty.
The faculty that teaches
the course must
be a part of
this process
because only they
know how the course
aligns to the outcomes.
For each course,
ask faculty
which outcome or outcomes
their course aligns to.
Once this has
been completed,
ask them to prove
how it aligns.
It is not uncommon
after conversation to
find that some courses do
not align to outcomes
as intended.
Occasionally, programs
may find that a course
doesn't align to any of
the program stated
learning outcomes.
Courses may have drifted
over the years away from
the intended outcome or
the program may
have drifted
away from a
previous outcome.
It is at times
like this that
a program needs to make
a difficult decision.
Is the course
worth saving?
Is there value
in reworking
the course so that it
better aligns
to an outcome?
Or is it better
to eliminate the
course altogether and
offer something new
that better suits
the current goals and
missions of the program?
Once the faculty has
determined exactly
where the
program's outcomes
aligned to the curriculum,
the next step
is to determine
the level of interaction
allowed for in the course.
Ask faculty to
determine if each
course's outcome exposure
is introductory,
intermediate or
degree level.
Each level of exposure
is identified here by
a circle icon with
introductory being
an empty circle,
intermediate a half
filled circle,
and degree level a
completely filled circle.
Introductory indicates
that the student
has not previously had
experience with
the outcome.
Usually courses at
the beginning of
a curriculum will be
labeled as introductory,
but that is not
always the case.
An outcome may be very
advanced and
students may need
experience in other areas
before being introduced
to a new outcome.
Graduate programs may
find that they never
introduce a
particular outcome
and this might be okay.
Some programs may expect
that students were
introduced to
an outcome in
their undergraduate
programs.
When a program
marks an outcome
as degree level
in a course,
it is indicating that
the course is
one that will
move students
to a level of
proficiency in
that outcome.
Capstone courses are often
areas where outcomes
are at degree level.
If an outcome
is important,
one exposure is
simply not enough.
Exposure should
occur often
and ideally throughout
the course of
the curriculum.
When determining
the extent to which
a course's outcome
exposure is introductory,
intermediate, or
degree level,
have faculty once
again defend
their opinions.
The group should
agree that the map
accurately conveys
the activities of
the curriculum.
Once all courses
have been mapped,
the curriculum should
be examined for
over and under-exposure,
gaps and logic.
Ask the faculty to
look at each outcome.
Are there any
outcomes that have
too little exposure
in the curriculum,
outcomes that are never
exposed in the curriculum?
Are there
outcomes that are
never at degree level?
Are there courses
that seemingly
map to every outcome?
Are there courses
that map to nothing?
If so, should
those courses
remain in the curriculum?
Asking questions like this
will help faculty
determine if
the curriculum
adequately fits
the goals of the program.
Sometimes
the mapping process
can be uncomfortable.
No faculty member wants to
hear that the course
they teach doesn't
map to any of the
outcomes or that
it introduces an outcome
when it should
emphasize it.
If there are gaps in
outcome coverage,
it isn't always easy to
decide if a new course
should be created
or if it would
be better for
the program to rework
a current course to
better meet the goals
of the program.
Problems like these have
no clear cut answers.
Each program must find
their own way to
deal with curriculum
complications.
Your assignment
is to create
a program curriculum
map that accurately
reflects the relationship
between each of
your program's courses
and the outcomes.
We encourage
you to involve
as many faculty as you
can in this process,
as it will help to ensure
that your map is correct.
Your map must show how
each of the programs
courses aligned to
the programs
stated outcomes.
Each course
should be labeled
to explain the level of
outcome proficiency
expected in that course.
Is the course
introductory,
intermediate or
degree level?
Map should be
examined for gaps,
logic, and issues
of exposure.
If there are problems
with the map,
as it currently stands,
please create a plan
for alleviating
any curriculum problems
made evident by the map.
Once complete, send
your completed
curriculum map
and student learning
outcomes to
your institution's
assessment staff
for review and feedback.