Abstract:

Changing and updating the curriculum is an important, but complex issue and academics are, in most cases, not trained to drive this process. There are many factors driving curriculum change, for example transformation, de-colonisation, sustainability, enhancing student learning and re-humanising the curriculum. Staff report various challenges in regard to module design, and the quality thereof, for example workloads, lack of time, lack of resources, large class sizes, the institutional validation process, marketing, institutional time-scales and cultures, subject expertise, student needs and failing students, as well as academic staff receiving different signals from students, the institution, external stakeholders, and future employers. The aim of this paper is to describe one approach that can be followed to investigate the relevance of modules and programmes, and to determine where change is needed. This is done using an example. The paper includes guidelines on various aspects that should be considered for each exit-level module; stakeholders; the importance of discussions with the students on content that are outside of the realm of the content in the module; and the “chain in” and “chain out” concepts. The paper also describes this process with the use of an example, with specific reference to determining the relevance of the skills taught in the module for the job market; determining the stakeholders; an investigation into the knowledge flow from other modules in the programme and finally a look into the specific knowledge taught in the module. The guidelines and example can be used to assist staff members with the important process of updating modules, programmes and / or curriculum. Further research can be done on aligning this process over the several modules included in a programme. This work is informed both by the concepts explored by Moll (2004) in terms of the “responsiveness” of the curriculum and uses the terminology and guidance put forward by the Council for Higher Education in South Africa (2013), as well as practitioner experience in the form of the case study that was done.

Keywords:

Curriculum planning, module design.