Academic Staff can submit changes for approval of existing modules by using the Programme and Module Catalogue (PMC) and submitting for approval to the relevant Head of School (or nominee).
Staff can log in to the catalogue using their TU Dublin Single Sign On Login Credentials.
Detailed instructions on making changes to modules are available on the PMC training hub:
Make Changes to an Approved Module.pdf
and training videos are available at: PMC
A module learning outcome is a statement of what the learner is expected to be able to do on successful completion of the module to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding, skills and/or competencies.
Module learning outcomes focus on learning rather than teaching. They do not specify what the lecturer or tutor can provide. All module module learning outcomes should be assessable.
Module learning outcomes start with the phrase:
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to
and are written:
+active verb + the object of the verb followed by a phrase that gives the context.
- Verbs used should be active and lead to observable outputs or behaviours e.g. identify, describe, list.
- Verbs which reference internal states (e.g. understand, appreciate etc) should be avoided as they are not observable and therefore difficult to assess.
Example:
Identify (Active Verb) a wide variety of learning and teaching methods (Object of the Verb) that may be employed effectively in higher education (Context)
For each 5 ECTS module generally there are 4 - 8 learning outcomes.
Modules are not assigned to specific NFQ Levels but when writing module-learning outcomes, it is important to give consideration to how the module fits into an overall programme and align to appropriate NFQ and learning taxonomy.
For more details and examples please refer to the https://tudublin.sharepoint.com/sites/LTA-CurriculumManagementToolkit
Module assessment needs to allow students to demonstrate that they have achieved the module learning outcomes (summative assessment) and also enable students to improve their future performance (formative assessment).
When amending module assessment you need to be cognisant of other assessments that students are doing and work in conjunction with colleagues to ensure that assessments are evenly spread throughout the semester and that students have a range of assessment types so they can develop their transversal skills and there is time for feedback to be provided and acted upon. Assessments should adhere to the university's Assessment Principles.
There are a wide range of assessment methods to choose from and each assessment method chosen can be used to measure achievement of one or more learning outcomes. If multiple assessment methods are chosen for a module, the percentage weighting specified for that assessment component should be reflective of the student workload.
Further details on assessment techniques and approaches are available at:
https://tudublin.sharepoint.com/sites/LTA-CurriculumManagementToolkit
Learning and teaching methods are the activities undertaken to facilitate students so that they can learn and practice the skills required so that they will be able to demonstrate that they have achieved the module learning outcomes. When amending Learning and Teaching methods consideration should be given to Student Feedback on their experience of the existing Learning and Teaching Methods and to variety of Learning and Teaching methods used across programme(s) in which the module is offered.
Examples include VLE resources, traditional lectures, online lectures, recorded lectures, in-class group and individual activities, in-class polling, required reading etc.
The workload associated with students participating with each learning and teaching method should be estimated. Each 5 ECTS module should have an estimated workload of 100 hours of student effort.
Students all learn differently, so there needs to be:
- Multiple Means of Engagement: use a range of ways to motivate and engage all learners
- Multiple Means of Representation: use a range of ways to show and represent knowledge to our learners
- Multiple Means of Action/Expression: give learners a range of ways in which to evidence and demonstrate their learning
For further details please refer to the Universal Design for Learning Information Pack
The four Learning Modalities at TU Dublin are:
- In-Person On-Campus and Technology-Enabled: Students attend all scheduled lectures, tutorials, and labs etc. in-person and on-campus only. No live instruction is delivered online but academic staff employ a range of different digital learning technologies before, during, and/or after the in-person on-campus activities to deliver an engaging technology-enabled teaching, learning and assessment experience.
- Blended: Blended Learning is the pedagogically-informed fusing of coherently sequenced, synchronous and asynchronous, teaching, learning and assessment experiences, that occur through a pre-planned mix of in-person on-campus, and online, contexts over the duration of a module. There can be varying degrees of in-person on-campus versus online teaching, learning and assessment experiences designed and delivered from module to module. Students cannot choose their modality, rather each experience is offered in one mode only and all of the students engage with each scheduled experience together.
- Online: All teaching, learning and assessment experiences are delivered in the online context only. Students and academic staff never meet in-person on-campus. The term ‘online module’ covers everything from a module where 100% of the instruction takes place in real time (synchronous) to a module where 100% of the instruction is pre-recorded and accessed by students at a time of their choosing (asynchronous), and every possible mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching, learning and assessment experiences in-between.
- HyFlex: A HyFlex module is offered in-person on-campus; synchronously online; and asynchronously online, at the same time. The students are usually* free to choose their modality from week to week or topic to topic, therefore a student can choose to be an in-person on-campus learner only, a synchronous remote learner only, an asynchronous remote learner only, or a flexible learner who exercises a degree of choice of modality each week or topic. All teaching, learning and assessment experiences are designed and delivered in an equitable manner. *There may be individual module requirements to attend mandated practical sessions as appropriate.
Detailed guidance to inform module design and delivery for each module is available on the links below (Internal access only)
Modules can be approved to be delivered through multiple modalities which will allow for flexibility, over time, in the offering to students. This does not commit to provision in multiple modes, rather, the school, in consultation with its staff, will determine the mode of delivery for each given instance.
The selection of mode of delivery needs to be determined in advance of the commencement of teaching and clear communication must be provided to students on their timetabled attendance and engagement requirements in advance of the start of the module.
Module and/or programme changes must be approved through either a minor or major process. Please refer to the section Quality Assurance and Enhancement Procedures for further information on the policies, processes, levels and types of approval required for such changes. Approval pathway and associated change implementation timelines should also be considered when proposing changes to modules and/or programmes.
Academic Staff wishing to propose make changes to approved modules should in the first instance consult with any other lecturers teaching on the module and agree the changes to be submitted. Module Changes ideally be submitted before the end of previous Academic Year and cannot be submitted after teaching has commenced.
Changes are submitted via the Programme and Module Catalogue
Changes are made to the relevant fields and then on the Submit tab a summary of changes is entered in the Change Description Text Box and the Rationale for changes is entered, this should include details of any consultation with staff, industry, external examiners and / or students.
Heads of School or their nominee check to ensure that
- Module aim(s) are appropriate and aligned to the programme(s) aims;
- Learning outcomes are written correctly;
- Assessment types are appropriate and aligned to the learning outcomes;
- Learning and teaching methods are aligned to the learning outcomes and assessments;
- Reading lists are up to date and available to the students;
- Learning hours are appropriate and aligned to the module learning outcomes.
- Where feasible, all the lecturers who will be delivering the module have been consulted;
- Where practical, student feedback has been sought;
As the School is responsible for the academic delivery of the module, it can also identify/request changes to other aspects of the module in addition to the proposed change.
Heads of School or their nominee may bring forward any suggested amendments for discussion at the relevant programme committees / discipline programme boards prior to making a decision to approve the changes. If a change to the module is approved by a School and the Discipline Programmes Board / Programme Committee deems that because of that change, the module is no longer appropriate in the context of a particular programme or programmes, it may decide to remove the module from that programme(s) and replace it with a different module. In that case, the procedures in relation to changes to Programmes.
Faculty Boards should have oversight of modules changes approved. Faculty Board may make a recommendation to a School to review any approved module changes to make further revisions to enhance the module and will also have specific oversight to ensure that all University policies are appropriately adhered to and the module information is provided in the correct format, including the appropriateness of how the learning outcomes are written.
Approved modules will be reviewed periodically by Academic Affairs, and lecturers may be requested to edit the module descriptors as appropriate