Course and
Curriculum Design
For accrediting agencies and university system administrators, goals
and objectives:
For the institution or
department, goals and objectives:
For instructors, goals and objectives:
For students, goals and objectives:
Overview
The basic principle of course and curriculum
design is derived from operations management.
If we want to produce a student with particular knowledge, skills, and
abilities, we need to specify, as precisely as possible, the learning outcomes
of interest. At the curricular level,
outcomes are broad and general; at the course level, outcomes range from
general course goals to specific unit objectives.
This handout illustrates the kinds of outcomes
that might be specified at the different levels of interest:
I.
Note that objectives
have been listed only for the first outcome.
For the complete list, see the CNJ Web site at: http://www.tcnj.edu/~gened/outcomes.htm
II.
This web page contains
the documentation for the IOE Department’s curriculum development process. Wee
web site: http://www.engin.umich.edu/dept/ioe/ABET/
IV. Examples of Course Goals and
Objectives
V. Syllabus Guide
VI. Molecular Genetics Syllabus.
This syllabus exemplifies the use of goals and
objectives in course design. Note the
course goals on the first page and the unit (weekly) objectives in the body of
the syllabus.
Sample of Curricular Goals:
Undergraduate Education
The
General
Education Outcomes
(See Web site for http://www.tcnj.edu/~gened/outcomes.htm)
1.To develop the ability to read and listen critically, and to write and speak clearly and effectively in standard English. (SAMPLE OBJECTIVES)
a. Read and listen analytically, with understanding and openness
toward another point of view.
b. Write and speak clearly, accurately, and fluently, with a sense
of continuity, in standard American English.
c. Organize information and argument to develop and support a main
idea.
d. Analyze information and present that information persuasively
to an audience.
e. Refine a personal style of communication.
f. Receive, analyze, and present information through charts,
graphs, table, maps, and other visual media.
2.To develop quantitative skills and an understanding of important concepts and methods of mathematics.
3.To develop the ability to collect, analyze, and interpret information and to communicate the results to others.
4.To develop critical reasoning skills, in the use of analogy, deduction, and induction.
5.To develop the ability to solve widely varied problems.
6.To develop the ability to make informed judgments concerning ethical values.
7.To develop an understanding of concepts and methods in the social sciences.
8.To develop an understanding of important concepts and methods of the sciences.
9.To develop an understanding of the nature and role of technology and its impact on the environment and society through the study of the development and application of tools, machines, and knowledge for the achievement of practical purposes.
10.To develop an understanding of the aesthetic and intellectual experience in literature and the arts.
11.To develop historical consciousness through an understanding of the history of world civilizations, the beliefs and ideals of world cultures, and the evolution of a global civilization.
12.To develop an understanding of diverse cultures.
13.To develop the ability to comprehend, speak, read, and write in a language other than English (applies to students majoring in the School of Arts and Sciences only).
Sample of Curricular Goals:
BS in Public Health
Learning Outcomes for the UNC BSPH Program
A.
Information Systems and Information
Management
1) Access and employ a variety of
informational sources available to the health
services manager for the purpose of making
educated policy recommendations;
2) Judge the availability, uses, and
limitations of available information and data
sets;
3) Present and interpret data through a
variety of techniques including formulae,
graphs, charts, and tables.
1) Describe the role and functions of human
resources management and its
importance in achieving organizational goals;
2) Illustrate how human resources management
strategies reinforce the overall
strategy of the organization;
3) Critique and contrast the major schools
of thought on organizations and
management, including scientific management,
theories of bureaucracy, the
human relations school, institutional theory,
resource dependence theory, contingency theory, and population ecology theory;
4) Analyze and apply theories of power in
organizations and the ways in which
authority, power,
and influence are distributed in health care organizations;
5) Distinguish among alternative organizational
designs, identify the strengths of
Organizational
design, and explain its relationship to organizational strategy;
6) Apply organizational design principles to
health services organizations;
7) Describe the major pieces of federal
employment and labor law and how they
affect management practices in health care
organizations.
Describe and
analyze the structure of the
·
its
history
·
major
components, issues, and trends
·
the
influence of social, technological, political, and economic forces
1) Explain the basic concepts, methods, and
processes used in strategic
planning and marketing, and apply elementary
analytical and planning tools and techniques to health policy and/or management
problems;
2) Identify the range of planning processes
and the steps involved in strategic
and operational planning.
1) Describe the fundamental concepts and
analytical techniques of health care
financial
management, and apply these tools and techniques of health care
delivery
problems;
2) Apply concepts of general costing,
accounting, and money management;
3) Recognize legal, organizational, and
ethical factors relevant to accounting and financial decisions;
4) Identify and use appropriate accounting
information for a variety of decision-making and problem solving situations;
5) Apply a variety of management control
techniques, including budgets and performance reviews.
1) Discuss the fundamentals of health law,
including:
·
the
sources of law
·
the
functioning of the legal system
·
sources
of and limitations on the government’s role in making health policy
·
fundamental
legal rules
·
legal
aspects of policy analysis
2) Explain the characteristics and operation
of administrative law and regulatory
law, including municipal laws, health professional licensure,
and hospital management regulations;
3) Identify key ethical issues in health
care policy and management;
4) Interpret and apply basic ethical
principles in administrative and policy contexts.
1) Select and apply a variety of statistical
methods (including basic descriptive
and inferential parametric and non-parametric statistical
techniques) to analyze and interpret health data;
2) Describe and analyze the biological,
physical, and chemical factors that effect
the health of a community;
3) Describe basic methods of population
health status assessment;
4) Explain the multifactorial determinants
of health and illness;
5) Identify the factors influencing health
services utilization at individual, community, and society levels.
Sample Curriculum Development Process
Web Site: http://www.engin.umich.edu/dept/ioe/ABET/
IOE
Department Goals and Objectives
* Development
of IOE Objectives and Outcomes
* IOE
Department
*
* Relationship
between IOE Educational Outcomes and Educational Objectives
Linking
Objectives and Outcomes Across levels
* Core
Curriculum Outcome Map
* IOE
Curriculum Outcome Map
* IOE
Curriculum Outcomes by Core Professional Skills
* Educational
Outcomes Matrix
* Course
and Section Size Summary
* Basic
Level Curriculum
* Hierarchy
of ABET Objectives and Goals
* Communications
Thread
Course
Objectives and Outcomes
* Step
II - Course Objectives and Outcomes
* IOE
Course Outcomes
IOE
Assessment Process
* Department
and Course Level Assessment and Improvement Process
* Assessment
Model
* Criteria
and Assessment Tools for the Engineering Ethics Thread
* Short
List of IOE Recommended Actions
* College
Surveys Developed
IOE
Measures
* 1999
Employer Survey
* Measures
and Actions
* Measures
Summary
* Support
Expenditures
* Facult
Analysis
* Faculty
Worklead Summary
* Facilities
Descriptions
* Assessment
Timing
* Cognizant
Faculty Listing
* Course
Self-Assessment
ABET
Self-study Report
* Report
Document
Course Goals and Objectives—Examples
Course Goals
Course goals are broad,
general outcomes that students should be able to perform as a result of
experiences they undergo in a course (and consequently should appear as part of
the overall course description in the syllabus). Goals should be written in such a way that
evaluation of the outcomes is implied or can be forseen.
Examples:
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
· Critically analyze a work of art.
· Perform and interpret microscopic urinalysis.
· Use principles of behavioral psychology to interpret real-life events.
· Evaluate the impact of stereotypes of non-Western cultures on American society and governmental policies.
· Develop an individualized nutrition plan and modify it if necessary.
· Establish causal relationships between potential risk factors and disease in a community.
· Express well-reasoned opinions about the quality of a literary work.
· Acquire clinical information by talking with and examining patients.
Objectives
Objectives are very specific
outcomes that enable students to achieve the general course goals (and
therefore are associated with particular units, lessons, or class meetings in
the syllabus). Objectives should be
written in terms of particular student behaviors so that the evaluation methods
are explicit.
Examples:
By the end of the unit (lesson, class, etc), students should be able to:
· Recall the appropriate terminology used to describe and critique oil paintings.
· Classify examples of oil paintings into appropriate historical categories.
· Identify the assumptions underlying a geometric proof.
· Given the operating data for a manufacturing company, decide whether the company should purchase steel from supplier A or supplier B.
· Write a logically organized essay against, or in favor of, euthanasia.
· Use a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope to measure the blood pressure of other students.
· Explain the relationship between confidence interval construction and hypothesis testing.
· Calculate the 24-hour fluid requirement of a 154 pound patient with third-degree burns on both legs.
· Describe the difference between a sodium atom and a sodium ion.
· Explain the implications of Levi-Strauss's statement: “mankind has opted for monoculture.”
Syllabus Guide
Although every syllabus is unique to the course it represents, you should strive for a syllabus that provides a complete picture of the course for your students.
Basic Information
Course Description
Additional Material
Molecular Genetics
Biology
50 Fall 1996
MWF
9‑9:50 106 Berryhill Hail
Instructor: Office
Hours: Monday 2‑4 PM
Office:
335 Faculty Laboratory Office Building Wednesday
11 ‑ 1 P M
Phone:
or
by appointment
e‑mail: @rned.unc.edu
Course Description and Goals
Within the past few years, much media attention
has been given to the subject of genes. We often hear on the
national news that scientists have found a "cancer" gene or a
fat" gene. DNA is talked about in the context of criminal trials.
Even the human genome project can grab a headline occasionally. So what is all
the excitement about? What are genes and why should we care what is being done
with them? This course on molecular genetics is designed to provide students
with a learning experience through which they will answer the following
questions: what are genes, how they are studied, how they are expressed in
organisms ranging from bacteria to humans, and what are the
practical applications of genetic research.
More specifically, as a participant in this
course you will be able to do the following:
·
Define, explain, and correctly use terms
and concepts used to describe gene organization and expression in prokaryotic
and eukaryotic cells
·
Evaluate cause and effect relationships
in cell dynamics.
·
Explain the biological basis of molecular
biological research methods and describe how molecular biology has
revolutionized the study of cells and human disease
·
Read biological research publications,
analyze data, form conclusions, develop models, and design experiments to
answer scientific questions (in short, begin to think like a scientist).
·
Assess the role that molecular or cellular
biology has in the real world by describing how the study of genes of cells has
influenced any one of the following areas: medicine, law, entertainment
government, or agriculture
Prerequisites
Students coming into this course must have had
at least one college‑level general biology and introductory chemistry
course. Other classes which may be helpful but are not required are cell
biology and biochemistry. Although most students are biology or chemistry
majors, interested non‑majors are welcome to take this course provided
that they have met the prerequisites. This course is designed to be an
introduction to molecular genetics; however, you will be required to read
research publications about genes and gene expression, which can be difficult
on a first try. You are not expected to understand everything, but rather get a
sense of what question the scientists were trying to answer and how they
attempted to answer it.
There is one required text for this course:
Klug, W. S. and Cummings, M. R. Concepts of Genetics (1994).
Other readings, magazine, newspaper, and journal
articles, have been compiled into a course pack which is available for purchase
($10.00) in the genetics program office in MacNider Hall.
Course Requirements and Evaluation
Evaluation for this course will be based upon
the successful completion of a variety of in-class and take home assignments.
At the end of each week there will be a short 15 minute quiz to test you on the
concepts covered during the week. The quiz is designed to reinforce the
material, but it also gives me a chance to see if there are any major problems
before moving on to new topics. Besides the weekly in‑class quizzes, you will complete one take home assignment
per week which will stress problem solving, reading comprehension, data
analysis, and/or written skills. The weekly quizzes and take home assignments
will form the basis of two 1 hour in‑class exams. Another component of the
course requirements is a group project on a topic about the influence of
science on society as a whole, For the group project, you will prepare
assignments, including a preliminary abstract, a final written paper and oral
in‑class presentation (see Group Project for details). Lastly, you will
take a cumulative final exam which will consist of two parts. Part one will be
a take home test similar to the weekly take home assignments, and part two will be an in‑class exam during
the scheduled final exam time.
Although
some of your evaluation will depend
on how well you perform in a test‑taking situation (weekly quizzes,
exams, and final), other assignments will focus on leaming as a process of
trial-and-error, re‑reading and re‑thinking. Therefore, the weekly
take home assignments and parts of the group project can be submitted for
comments, discussed during office hours, and revised prior to the due date.
Evaluation of these assignments leans toward a mastery approach because I am
more interested that you acquire analytical and communication skills which will
enable you to be successful in any field, rather than memorize genetic trivia.
I will distribute specific criteria for evaluating each assignment when it is
assigned in class.
Quizzes, assignments, the group project and
exams with their respective weights and points towards the final course grade
appear below:
Weekly
in‑class quizzes (12 total) 10% 100 pts. (drop
lowest two)
Take
home assignments (12 total) 20% 200 pts. (drop
lowest two)
In‑class
exams (2 total) 30% 300 pts.
Group
project: Science in Society 20% 200 pts.
Final exam 20% 200 pts.
TOTAL 1000
pts.
Grades will be assigned based on how many points
you earn according to the following point distribution:
900‑1000 pts. A
899‑800 B
799‑700 C
699‑600 D
less than 599 F
Group
Project
Because
I believe what you learn in class is not exclusive of what is going on in the
world, there will be a group project in this course which will allow you to
research one aspect of the influence of science on society. General areas in
which you may focus your research include medicine, law, agriculture,
entertainment, etc.
The entire class will be divided into groups of
5 or 6 by next week and each group will determine the topic of the project 1‑will
be available to offer suggestions, but it will be up
to the group to make the final decision. To ensure that you do not wait to
begin this assignment and that you are on the right track, an abstract of your
project, including the methods you plan to use for your research must be
submitted by Friday. September 13. The group projects will conclude with
a 20‑minute in‑class oral presentation and final written report.
Evaluation criteria and more specific instructions for the abstract will be
handed out after the groups have been formed, and criteria/instructions for the
oral presentation and written report will be handed out following the
acceptance of your abstract.
Other Policies and Missed Work
Class attendance, while not mandatory, is
required if you want to succeed in this course. Some of the material we will
cover is not in the text, and some material is not sufficiently covered.
Therefore, class time will be used to expand and discuss material in the text,
not simply restate it.
Since you are able to drop the two lowest scores
on the quizzes and take home assignments, there will be no make‑up
quizzes or take home assignments‑NO EXCEPTIONS. If you miss a quiz or
take home assignment, you will receive a zero, which will certainly be one of
the two quizzes/assignments you can drop.
Missed exams can be made up in cases of extreme
circumstances (prolonged illness or death in family) or travel related to
university activities. If you know you will miss an exam, arrangements must be
made at least one week in advance and the exam will be taken prior to when the
other students take the exam.
Course Schedule
Week 1: What is GENETICS?
Wednesday,
August 21 Introduction to
the class and class survey
Friday,
August 23 Introduction
to Molecular Genetics/Flow of Information
UNIT
1: Cells and Molecules
Week
2: Cell Structure and Cell Division
·
Identify
cellular components and organelles in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
·
Compare
and contrast mitotic and meiotic cell division
·
Evaluate
the role of meiosis in terms genetic variation
Monday,
August 26 Viruses,
Prokaryotes, and Eukaryotes
Wednesday,
August 28 Mitosis
Friday,
August 30 Meiosis ‑
Quiz 1
Monday,
September 2 ‑ NO CLASS: Labor Day!
Week
3: DNA: Genetic Material, Chemistry,
and Structure
·
Describe
early experiments that proved that genetic material in prokaryotes and
eukaryotes was DNA
·
Evaluate
the contributions of the following scientists to solving the structure of DNA:
Chargaft, Franklin, Watson, and Crick
·
Describe
how covalent bonds are different from hydrogen bonds
·
Identify
components of a nucleotide and diagram two dinucleotides which are
complementary and antiparallel and indicate hydrogen bonding
Wednesday,
September 4 DNA as Genetic
Material ‑ Take Home Assignment (THA) 1 Due
Friday,
September 6 DNA
Chemistry and Structure I ‑ Quiz 2
Monday,
September 9 DNA Chemistry
and Structure 11 ‑ THA 2 Due
Week 4: RNA and Nucleic Acid Analysis
·
List
differences and similarities between RNA and DNA
·
Name
the three major kinds of RNA and describe how each participates in the flow of
genetic information
·
Describe
on a molecular level what is happening during nucleic acid denaturation
·
Correlate
Tm to base composition; compare two sequences on the basis of Tm
Concepts
in Genetics (nucleic acid analysis)
Wednesday, September 11 RNA: The Other Nucleic Acid
Friday,
September 13 Nucleic Acid
Analysis ‑ Quiz 3 and Group Project Abstracts
Week
5: DNA Replication and
Synthesis
·
Compare
the 3 theoretical modes of DNA replication and describe experiments which
proved the serniconservative mode of DNA replication
·
List
requirements of in vitro DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase I and assess the
significance of the polA1 mutation
·
Indicate
why
·
Given
abnormal cellular characteristics from mutant bacteria, predict which enzyme or
function involved with DNA synthesis has been affected
·
Explain
the need for telomerase in eukaryotic DNA synthesis
Monday,
September 16 DNA Replication
and Synthesis I ‑ Introduction ‑ THA3 Due
Wednesday,
September 18 DNA Synthesis 11 ‑
Prokaryotes
Friday,
September 20 DNA Synthesis
III ‑ Eukaryotes and Telomerase ‑ Quiz 4
Week 6: DNA Organization in Eukaryotic Cells:
Chromosomes to Genes
·
Explain
why DNA organization in eukaryotic calls is more complex than viruses and
prokaryotes
·
Predict
how the proteins in chromatin might alter DNA transcription
·
Diagram
and label the components of a eukaryotic gone; describe what each component is
and why it is important
Monday,
September 23 Eukaryotic DNA:
A Packing Problem ‑ THA4 Due
Wednesday,
September 25 Eukaryotic Gene
Structure I
Friday,
September 27 Eukaryotic
Gene Structure 11 ‑ Quiz 5
Monday,
September 30 REVIEW DAY ‑
THAS Due
Wednesday,
October 2 HOUR EXAM I on
Unit 1 Material
UNIT 2: DNA
Manipulation and Mutation
Week 7: DNA Cloning and Molecular Biology
Techniques
·
Define
molecular biological terminology including vector, clone, and library
·
Describe
biological basis of techniques including Northern and Southern blotting, DNA
sequencing. PCR, transformation and transfection
·
Given
a DNA sequence, identify restriction sites and predict sizes of restriction
fragments
·
Given
unexpected results from a cloning experiment, predict the source of the problem
Friday,
October 4 Recombinant
DNA Technology
Monday,
October 7 Library
Construction and Clone Selection ‑ THA6 Due
Wednesday,
October 9 Nucleic Acid
Blotting and Sequencing
Friday,
October 11 Polymerase
Chain Reaction ‑ Quiz 6
Week 8: DNA Recombination, Mutation, and Repair
·
Explain
what homologous recombination is
·
Given
a phenotype, predict what cellular component contains a mutation
·
Evaluate
the mutagenic effects and toxicity of various mutagens
·
Contrast
the effects of mutation in somatic calls versus germ cells
·
Describe
mechanisms used by the call to repair damaged DNA
341‑365
from Chapter 11 in Concepts in Genetics
Monday,
October 14 Homologous
Recombination and DNA Mutation I ‑ THA7 Due
Wednesday,
October 16 DNA Mutation 11 ‑
Quiz 7
Friday, October 18 NO CLASS: Fall Recess!
Monday,
October 21 Damage
Control: DNA Repair Mechanisms ‑ THA8 Due
UNIT 3: Gene
Expression
Week
9 and 10: Storage
and Expression of Genetic Information
·
Using
the genetic code, determine the protein sequence from the DNA sequence or RNA
sequence
·
Compare
and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription
·
Describe
splicing mechanisms in eukaryotic RNAs.
·
List
all initiation components required for translation
·
Evaluate
current research in eukaryotic transcription and translation and identify key
questions
Wednesday,
October 23 The
Genetic Code
Friday,
October 25 Transcription
in Prokaryotes ‑ Quiz 8
Monday,
October 28 Transcription
in Eukaryotes ‑ THA9 Due
Wednesday,
October 30 RNA Splicing
Friday,
November I Ribosomes
and tRNA ‑ Quiz 9
Monday,
November 4 Translation in
Prokaryotes ‑ THAI 0 Due
Wednesday,
November 6 Translation in
Eukaryotes
Friday,
November 8 REVIEW DAY ‑
Quiz 10
Monday,
November 11 HOUR EXAM 11 on
Unit 2 and 3 Material
UNIT 4: Genes and
Human Disease
Week 11: Genetics of Cancer
·
Describe
the roles and interactions of cell cycle regulatory proteins, kinases and
cyclins
·
Evaluate
the role of tumor suppressor genes
·
Distinguish
between oncogenes and proto‑oncogenes
·
Read
and evaluate current cancer research publications
Wednesday,
November 13 The
Cell Cycle and Cell Cycle Control
Friday,
November 15 Tumor
Suppressor Genes and Oncogenes ‑ Quiz 11
Week 12: HIV and AIDS
·
Describe
the lifecycle of HIV
·
Compare
and contrast drugs used for HIV; describe how the drug works
·
Read
and evaluate current HIV research publications
Monday,
November 18 Retroviruses ‑THAI
1 Due
Wednesday,
November 20 HIV and AIDS
Friday,
November 22 Groups 1 and
2: Project Presentations ‑ Quiz 12
Monday,
November 25 Groups 3 and 4:
Project Presentations ‑ THA12 Due
Wednesday,
November 27 Groups 5 and 6:
Project Presentations
Friday,
November 29 NO CLASS:
Thanksgiving Recess!
Monday,
December 2 Groups 7 and 8:
Project Presentations
Wednesday,
December 4 Last day of class!
Review and Wrap‑Up
FINAL EXAM: Monday, December 9,
8:00‑11:00 AM In 106 BerryhIII Hall
Take Home Portion of the Final Exam is due when you arrive.