Skills for a Changing World
Programme
Materials Review Workshop
12 – 13 November 2008
Bloemfontein
Expected deliverables
Agreed strategies for refining the
submitted and outstanding drafts of
materials
Agreed outline of an integrated
assessment task
Refinement of the writing process
Evaluation of the workshop
Overview of workshop
Day One - Review
Where are we?
Peer review of selected
sections
Summary of findings
Discussion of key
issues identified
Overview of workshop
Day Two-Integration
and Process
Integration challenges
Integration strategies
Integrated assessment task
Refined view of materials
development process
Next steps
Vision of the programme
Create a comprehensive
programme that provides
students with key cognitive
and practical competencies
required to participate
successfully in post-school
education programmes and
appropriate levels of the
world of work.
Break the cycle of poverty.
How do we focus on the essential knowledge
and skills?
Let’s get a fresh
perspective
The whack pack cards can help to trigger new
ways of thinking about our challenge
Side one – insight
Contains an illustrated
insight about
innovation from the
ancient philosopher
Heraclitus
Side two – strategy
Contains an
interpretation of the
insight in the form of a
creativity strategy.
A short story illustrates
the strategy
In pairs – here is what you do
1.
2.
3.
4.
Pick a card from the deck. It gives you an
opportunity to find new answers to the question we
posed.
Read the insight and the strategy sides carefully.
Brainstorm: The information will trigger ideas for
our context. Think of as many ideas as you can.
They don’t have to make sense. Don’t worry how
practical they are. Give free reign to your thinking.
Reflection and sharing: What new insights have
you gained about our challenge? Be ready to share
them with the group.
Where are we in the process?
Progress report by
module
coordinators
Progress of
programme as a
whole
Issues emerging from the progress
reports
Accessibility of the materials
Mediation of the materials
Facilitator guide
Training of facilitators
How much material? Can we use existing resources?
Use of technology
Coherence of parts/sections - strategy
Length of modules in terms of pages e.g. Maths
Writing takes longer than anticipated
Peer review activity - what to focus on
What are your first impressions?
What do you like? Examples of what
you think works well
What concerns you?
What are key problems?
What suggestions do you have for
improving the section.
Peer review – suggested approach
1. Individually scan the text and jot down first
impressions.
2. Identify examples of good learning text and
problem areas.
3. List problem areas.
4. Share your impressions with your partner.
5. Make suggestions for how the materials
might be improved. Be prepared to share
these with the group.
Reflection on day one
What have we
achieved today?
What new insights
have you gained about
the programme?
What questions are still
unanswered?
Let’s calculate student’s workload
1. How many notional hours are
allocated to your module?
2. What activities make up these notional
hours?
3. Allocate hours to each of the activities
Reading text:
20h
Activities in workbook:
45h
12 credits=120 hours
Contact sessions: 10h
Assessment
From Household Food Security Programme
Assignments: 10h
Portfolio: 35h
About learning outcomes
A Learning Outcome is a statement of
an intended result of learning and
teaching. It describes knowledge, skills
and values that learners should acquire
by the end of a programme.
(From National Curriculum Statement, Life Orientation, DoE)
About assessment standards and
criteria
Assessment Standards are criteria that
collectively describe what a learner should
know and be able to demonstrate at a
specific grade. They embody the
knowledge, skills and values required to
achieve the Learning Outcomes.
Assessment Standards within each Learning
Outcome collectively show how conceptual
progression occurs from grade to grade.
(From National Curriculum Statement, Life Orientation, DoE)
Integrated assessment
Assess a number of outcomes
together –’coherent chunks of
learning’
Combine theory and practice
Assess across the subject
within a specific field
Assess across different subjects
Use a combination of
assessment methods and
instruments
Interrogating examples of
integration (see accompanying Word
document)
Is this a good example of integration?
Why?
What suggestions do you have for
improving the activity?
Questions to guide the selection and design of
learning and assessment activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
What is the purpose of the activity?
What level of knowledge and skills are the learners expected
to learn? (Knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis,
synthesis, evaluation)
Is the activity pitched at the right level?
Does the student know why s/he should do this activity?
Are the instructions clear and will the learners know exactly
what to do?
Does the feedback provide the students with a means of
checking their progress?
Is the activity realistic in terms of time allocation and the
resources required to do the activities?
Learning/assessment activities in your
modules – where can you make linkages?
This is a module/section
activity
Interrogate your learning
and assessment activities
What linkages can you
make?
Be prepared to share your
ideas with the group.
Building in quality
Writing team approach: writers, subject
experts, critical readers, editors, module
coordinators, project coordinator
Cooperative course design
Orientation and induction of the writing team
Support materials for the writing team
Review of draft materials by selected
reviewers: critical readers, instructional
design specialists
Materials development process –
next steps for writers
1. Writers complete outstanding sections and
update existing sections based on review.
2. Writers submit sections to module
coordinators who compile and consolidate
the module.
3. Draft modules are posted on the website for
feedback from writers. Allow for 2 weeks.
Materials development – refining the
modules
4. Overview editor consolidates at programme
level
5. Module coordinators check and make input
as necessary.
6. Layout and graphics
7. Language editing
8. Module coordinators check and make
necessary changes
9. Proofreading
Reflection on day two
What have we
achieved today?
What new insights
have you gained about
your module?
What questions are still
unanswered?