Assignment Requirements
Course Design Portfolio
The context: you are going to teach intermediate level 16-18 year-old students from a range of countries at a four-week intensive general English course in England. Their aim is to improve their spoken and written English as well as their receptive language skills so as to be able to communicate in English with a range of other native or non-native speakers of English. Using this context as the basis for your work on this module, you will complete different stages of the course design process, developing a portfolio of work illustrating your understanding and application of the module content and readings to the design of a course. In total, the portfolio should be between 4000 and 5000 words, plus appendices of your course design products, e.g. needs/environment analysis questionnaires, lists of goals, syllabus overview, example test elements and so on.
The portfolio will consist of the following sections:
1. A description of your chosen context – it needs to include enough information for me as your tutor and marker to be able to assess how well you have completed each stage of the course design process, and for you to use it as the basis for your course design project. So e.g. brief summary of learners, teachers, context, stakeholders, country, teaching institution etc. Be as specific as you can, but don’t analyse or evaluate the information – simply present the ‘facts’ of the context. Approx. 400 words – bullet points are fine as long as they are clear.
2. An introductory section that (a) situates the course design process within the models and frameworks we have considered, and within the larger context of curriculum/programme and project planning in general, (b) discusses the role of principles/beliefs about learning and teaching language in the design process and what key principles/beliefs have driven your own process, and (c) briefly introduces the three elements of C&SD you have chosen to focus on and complete for your portfolio in sections 3-5. (1000 words approx).
3-5. A section each on three of the following aspects of course and syllabus design – one from each group:
Group 1:
environment analysis
needs analysis
Group 2:
goals, aims and outcomes
syllabus design (content and sequencing, NOT format and presentation)
Group 3:
assessment
evaluation
For each aspect of course and syllabus design you focus on from the above groups, you will use the knowledge, understanding and skills gained from class and your reading to help you develop products for each stage of the process.
Each section in your portfolio should (a) present the products developed, (b) summarise the process undertaken and explain the product(s) developed for the reader, and (c) discuss the principles of learning and teaching language and theories/frameworks of course and syllabus design which have guided your decisions for that process, showing how your products relate to those theories, frameworks and principles (cf. section 2). In other words, you are presenting, explaining and justifying how you approached the process and the product you developed, linking this clearly to the literature. Each section should be approximately 800-1000 words, excluding the actual products themselves.
Products may be presented in the main body if less than one page in length. Products longer than one page should be ‘appended’ as Appendix A, B, C at the end of the assignment. Use text boxes/tables to separate your products from the main body discussion of the process and product in each section. A template for the assignment is available under ‘Assignments’ – use this template to write your portfolio, amending as required.
Sample course design elements to be supplied for each stage chosen,
In total you will have five products: three for group 1 and one for each of groups 2 and 3.
Group 1
Environment analysis
1) A table presenting an analysis of your context (one or more elements such as learners, teachers, situation or people, time, resources, institution)
2) A sample questionnaire designed to elicit information about a particular aspect of context
3) A list/table of ranked major constraints and solutions/effects on course design.
Needs analysis
1) A table presenting an analysis of your learner’s language-related needs (one or more elements such as needs, wants, lacks)
2) A sample questionnaire, test or other instrument designed to elicit information about a particular aspect of your learners’ needs
3) A list/table of ranked major needs/wants/lacks and solutions/effects on course design.
Group 2
Goals
A list of goals/aims/outcomes/objectives (as relevant) for your course.
Syllabus selection and sequencing of content
A table presenting an overview of the chosen content/sequencing of your course – the syllabus
Group 3
Assessment
A sample assessment, presented to identify for the reader the links between the assessment instrument and the goals/aims/objectives and/or syllabus of your course.
Evaluation
A sample evaluation tool developed to evaluate one or more aspects of your course and its implementation
6. A brief reflection on the design process and the products you have designed as part of that process, including any elements, decisions or processes you found challenging and any approaches to the different stages that you felt were particularly insightful. Here you are assessing and evaluating rather than presenting, explaining and justifying. 500-600 words approx.
7. List of references cited in the portfolio, author-date format, in alphabetical order, with a minimum of eight scholarly references. (excluded from word count)
<Template for CSD Portfolio – sections in <blue> are guidance notes and should be deleted in your final portfolio document. Do not change the font, size, spacing or other formatting. Save as a pdf file and name the file in the format Name_CSD, e.g. bannister_CSD.pdf>
Section 1: The context
<A description of your chosen context – it needs to include enough information for me as your tutor and marker to be able to assess how well you have completed each stage of the course design process, and for you to use it as the basis for your course design project. So e.g. brief summary of learners, teachers, context, stakeholders, country, teaching institution etc. Be as specific as you can, but don’t analyse or evaluate the information – simply present the ‘facts’ of the context. Approx. 400 words – bullet points are fine as long as they are clear.>
Section 2: Introduction
<An introductory section that (a) situates the course design process within the models and frameworks we have considered, and within the larger context of curriculum/programme and project planning in general, (b) discusses the role of principles/beliefs about learning and teaching language in the design process and what key principles/beliefs have driven your own process, and (c) briefly introduces the three elements of C&SD you have chosen to focus on and complete for your portfolio in sections 3-5. (1000 words approx).>
Section 3: Environment Analysis/Needs Analysis<delete as required>
<Choose EITHER environment analysis OR needs analysis. This section in your portfolio should (a) present the products developed, (b) summarise the process undertaken and explain the product(s) developed for the reader, and (c) discuss the principles of learning and teaching language and theories/frameworks of course and syllabus design which have guided your decisions for that process, showing how your products relate to those theories, frameworks and principles (cf. section 2). In other words, you are presenting, explaining and justifying how you approached the process and the product you developed, linking this clearly to the literature. This section should be approximately 800-1000 words, excluding the actual products themselves.
Products to be included either here if less than one page, or in APPENDIX A if more than one page:
Environment analysis
1) A table presenting an analysis of your context (one or more elements such as learners, teachers, situation or people, time, resources, institution etc.)
2) A sample questionnaire designed to elicit information about a particular aspect of context
3) A list/table of ranked major constraints and solutions/effects on course design.
OR
Needs analysis
- A table presenting an analysis of your learner’s language-related needs (one or more elements such as needs, wants, lacks)
- A sample questionnaire, test or other instrument designed to elicit information about a particular aspect of your learners’ needs
- A list/table of ranked major needs/wants/lacks and solutions/effects on course design.>
Section 4: Goals, Aims and Outcomes/Syllabus Design (Content and Sequencing) <delete as required>
<Choose EITHER goals, aims and outcomes OR syllabus design (content and sequencing, NOT format and presentation). This section in your portfolio should (a) present the products developed, (b) summarise the process undertaken and explain the product(s) developed for the reader, and (c) discuss the principles of learning and teaching language and theories/frameworks of course and syllabus design which have guided your decisions for that process, showing how your products relate to those theories, frameworks and principles (cf. section 2) as well as to your needs/environment analysis. In other words, you are presenting, explaining and justifying how you approached the process and the product you developed, linking this clearly to the literature. This section should be approximately 800-1000 words, excluding the actual products themselves.
Products to be included either here if less than one page, or in APPENDIX B if more than one page:
Goals
- A list of goals/aims/outcomes/objectives (as relevant) for your course.
Syllabus selection and sequencing of content
- A table presenting an overview of the chosen content/sequencing of your course – the syllabus.>
Section 5: Assessment/Evaluation <delete as required>
<Choose EITHER assessment OR evaluation. This section in your portfolio should (a) present the products developed, (b) summarise the process undertaken and explain the product(s) developed for the reader, and (c) discuss the principles of learning and teaching language and theories/frameworks of course and syllabus design which have guided your decisions for that process, showing how your products relate to those theories, frameworks and principles (cf. section 2) as well as to your needs/environment analysis/goals/syllabus. In other words, you are presenting, explaining and justifying how you approached the process and the product you developed, linking this clearly to the literature. This section should be approximately 800-1000 words, excluding the actual products themselves.
Products to be included either here if less than one page, or in APPENDIX C if more than one page:
Assessment
- A sample assessment, presented to identify for the reader the links between the assessment instrument and the goals/aims/objectives and/or syllabus of your course.
Evaluation
- A sample evaluation tool developed to evaluate one or more aspects of your course and its implementation.>
Section 6: Reflection and Evaluation
<A reflection on the design process and the products you have designed as part of that process, including any elements, decisions or processes you found challenging and any approaches to the different stages in the literature that you felt were particularly insightful or problematic. Here you are assessing and evaluating rather than presenting, explaining and justifying. 500-600 words approx.>
REFERENCES
<List of references cited in the portfolio, author-date format, in alphabetical order, with a minimum of eight scholarly references. (excluded from word count)>
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