Curriculum Design:

Six Steps To Successful Teaching and Learning

February 29, 2017.
Gryan Garcia, Natalie Morson, Richard Osborne, Ani Thomas





Goal of Workshop:
This workshop will provide participants with a scholarly approach to curriculum design in
health professional education.



Learning Objectives:
At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Recognize the importance of approaching curriculum design in a scholarly manner.
2. Describe Kerns Six-Step Approach to curriculum development.
3. Demonstrate the process of developing a curriculum using an interactive activity.


Lesson Plan:

08:00-08:30
o Welcome
o Icebreaker - House of Cards
o Review of objectives
o Short discussion on the concept of education scholarship
o Introduction to curriculum design theory and Kerns Six-Step Approach

08:30-08:45 -- Problem Identification and General Needs Assessment (Step 1)

08:45-09:10 -- Needs Assessment of Targeted Learners (Step 2)
Small group activity

09:10-09:30 -- Goals and Objectives (Step 3)

09:30-10:00 -- BREAK

10:00-10:35 -- Educational Strategies (Step 4)
Small group activity

10:35-10:55 -- Implementing a curriculum (Step 5)

10:55-11:20 -- Evaluation and Feedback (Step 6)
Small group activity

11:20-11:30 -- Review of objectives and summary of presentation

11:30-12:00
Assessment of Learning
Workshop evaluation/feedback
Kerns Six-Step Approach

Problem Needs
Evaluation
Identification & Assessment of Goals & Educational

General Needs Targeted Objectives Strategies
Implementation and
Feedback
Assessment Learners

Step 1: Problem Identification and General Needs Assessment

Problem Identification
What is the HEALTH CARE NEED that the curriculum will address?

General Needs Assessment =
Difference between the CURRENT approach and the IDEAL approach




Step 2: Targeted Needs Assessment

What information do you want about the TARGETED LEARNERS?
Prior learning experiences
What learning experiences are already planned?
Existing strengths and weaknesses
Perceived need for improvement
Learning styles

What information do you want about the TARGETED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT?
Existing curriculum? What is good or bad about it?
Needs of other stakeholders?
Barriers? Enabling factors? Reinforcing factors?

WHAT KIND of information to you need?
Subjective vs. objective
Quantitative vs. qualitative

How can you get the information that you need?
Informal discussion
Formal interviews
Focus groups
Surveys
Pretests
Direct observation
Performance audits




Step 3: Goals & Objectives

Learner Process Outcome

Objectives Objectives Objectives
Cognitive Affective Psychomotor
Individual
Process
Program
Process
Outcomes
Career
Performance
and Health

Remember that all program objectives should be SPECIFIC and MEASURABLE.

Who will do how much (how well) by when?
Who will do how much (how well) of what by when?



Cognitive Affective Psychomotor
Objectives Objectives Objectives
Identify Differentiate Rate as valuable Demonstrate
Recognize Organize Rate as important Show
Define Critique Rate/rank as Incorporate into
Describe Judge enjoyable performance
Use Design
Implement Construct

Step 4: Educational Strategies

1. Use methods congruent with objective type
2. Choose feasible methods
3. Different methods for different learning styles


SPICES Model


Cognitive Objective Affective Objective Psychomotor Objective


Knowledge: Goal: Goal:
Readings Attitudinal change Bring subject to life
Lectures Emphasize reflection
Homework Hands on:
Supervised practice
Examples: Examples: vs. lecture about
PBL Discussion technique
Discussion Role model
Learning projects Real life experiences Examples:
Simulated Simulated cases Shadowing
experience Simulated
experiences
Audio/video review
of behavioural
interventions



Step 5: Implementation

i) Identification of Resources
Personnel
Time
Facilities
Funding

ii) Obtaining Support for Curriculum
Internal (stakeholders)
External (governmental agencies, professional societies, donors)

iii) Administration of the Curriculum
Think about
o Administrative structure
o Communication
o Operations

iv) Anticipating Barriers
Finances
Competing demands for resources
Non-supportive attitudes
Issues of job/role security
Credit
Political Powers

v) Piloting the curriculum
Phasing in vs. Piloting
Full implementation
Step 6: Evaluation and Feedback

1. Identify users - Who will use the feedback?
participants?
curriculum developers?
stakeholders?

2. Identify uses - How will it be used?
is it formative?
is it summative?

3. Identify resources - Who/what can help?
time
personnel
equipment
facilities
funding

4. Identify evaluation questions
should assess measurable learner/process/outcome objective
(i) Who (ii) will do (iii) how much (how well) (iv) of what (v) by when?

5. Choose evaluation design
should be feasible
should match learner/process/outcome objectives
always consider internal/external validity

6. Choose measurement methods and construct instruments
rating form
self assessment
written/computer test
oral exam
interview (individual vs. group)
direct observation
performance audit

7. Address ethical concerns
ensure consent is obtained from those involved
think about impact of evaluation
consider access

8. Collect data

9. Analyze data

10. Report results




References:

Bice-Stephens, W. (2001). Designing a learning-needs survey--10 steps to success. Journal
of Continuing Education in Nursing, 32(4), 150-151.

Bloom, B., Englehart, M. Furst, E., Hill, W., & Krathwohl, D. (1956). Taxonomy of
educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive
domain. New York, New York: Longmans, Green.

Goldenberg, D., Andrusyszyn, M., & Iwasiw, C. (2004). A facilitative approach to learning
about curriculum development. Journal of Nursing Education,43(1), 31-35.

Harden, R. M., Sowden, S., & Dunn, W. R. (1984). Educational strategies in curriculum
development: The SPICES model. Medical Education, 18(4), 284-297.

Kern, D. E., Thomas, P. A., Howard, D. M., & Bass, E. B. (1998). Curriculum development
for medical education: A six-step approach (1st ed.). Baltimore: The John Hopkins
University Press.

Mager, R.F. (1997). Preparing Instructional Objectives: A Critical Tool in the Development of
Effective Instruction (3rd ed.). Atlanta, GA: The Center for Effective Performance Inc.

Moore, G.T., Block, S.D., Style, C.B. & Mitchell, R. (1994). The influence of the new
pathway curriculum on Harvard medical students. Academic Medicine. 69 (12), 983-989.

Nieman L, Monteiro F, Kizlik B and Brownfield D. (2010). Curriculum Development Part
One. The STFM Resource Library. Retrieved from http://www.fmdrl.org/593.

Van Melle E, Curran V, Goldszmidt M, Lieff S, St-Onge C. Toward a common understanding:
advancing education scholarship for clinical faculty in Canadian medical schools. A position
paper. Ottawa: Canadian Association for Medical Education. 2012 Aug.

Association of American Medical Colleges. Educational Scholarship Guides, 2013.


Facilitator Contact Information:

Gryan Garcia, MSN RN - gryan.garciarn@gmail.com
Natalie Morson, MD CCFP - natalie.morson@sinaihealthsystem.ca
Richard Osborne, MD CCFP - richard.osborne@medportal.ca
Ani Thomas, PHC-NP CDE - thomasani.rn@gmail.com