Integrating TEL into Curriculum Design

Integration

Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is a term that embraces the effective use of digital technology for the improvement of teaching and learning. Delivering TEL to a high standard requires that technology use be integrated into curriculum planning, which can allow time for: 

Technology evaluations

Which tool is the right tool for the given pedagogical activity?

Training requirements

How will staff and students know what to do, both technically and pedagogically?

Hands-on preparation time

How much up-front time is required for set up and sustainability?

Resource / activity evaluations

How will course teams plan to gather/use feedback?

A useful checklist

The following checklist presents some key questions for consideration in curriculum planning.

  • How do you intend to use Moodle across the whole course? How will online delivery complement in-person delivery? 
  • How do you intend to structure Moodle spaces across the course?  
  • What elements of consistency and scaffolding should each Moodle space contain? 
  • How will you build in elements of activity or participation to engage students across the course? 
  • How do you intend to induct and train students to use the Moodle environment effectively? 
  • How do you intend to gather feedback on the learning environment across the course? 
  • What plans will you put in place for course management and archiving in Moodle? 
  • Do teachers have the required skills to prepare and deliver using Moodle? 
  • What training is required for your course team? (General digital skills or technology specific). 
  • What opportunities are there in your course to enhance learning using technology? 
  • Can technology opportunities be delivered from existing tools, or are new ones required? 
  • How do you plan to embed technology in the course design? 
  • How will the curriculum be delivered across the course and is the rationale for technology use clear to all? 
  • What digital skills will students need to develop across the course? Are these clearly mapped into the design? 
  • Who will deliver the required digital skills training for students? Is staff training required? 
  • What type of digital resources do you plan to use or develop? (Notes, worked examples, case studies, interactive exercises, collaborative documents, eBooks, Open Educational Resources). 
  • Are staff able to evaluate the available tools to select those most appropriate for resource creation? 
  • Do you have plans to collaborate, share, and store resources centrally for the course team? 
  • What resources, beyond those created by the course team, are available? (Library, Skills Centre, MASH etc.) 
  • How will your digital resources meet legal requirements for accessibility, copyright, and data protection?  
  • What types of activity will you embed across the course to build interest and involve students?  
  • What technologies are available for you to use in the classroom, and online, for students to interact, co-create or collaborate? 
  • What support is required to use technology to teach in different ways? (AV (Audio Visual), DD&T, TEL) 
  • How will you develop existing resources (such as lecture capture recordings) into student-centred activity? 
  • How will you plan for group work to engage students? Which technologies can facilitate this? 
  • How can you identify and support at-risk or struggling learners? (AFL and diagnostics, or analytics)?
  • What opportunities are there for students to be assessed on a range of skills? (Video, audio, coding, portfolio). 
  • What training will be needed to submit (student) and assess (staff) diverse assessments using technology?  
  • What opportunities are there for self or peer assessment? And which technologies can facilitate this? 
  • What opportunities are there to take advantage of technology for formative assessment? (Self-marking, auto marking)  
  • How will feedback to students be planned and delivered across the course, for consistency? 
  • How do you intend to introduce assessment with appropriate support and guidance for students? 
  • What opportunities are there for students to reflect on their learning experience across the course? 
  • Are there sufficient opportunities for students to engage with feedback and feedforward on their learning? 
  • How will course teams engage with student feedback throughout the course?  
  • How does the course team intend to close the feedback loop? 
  • Which technologies can facilitate these activities? 
  • Have TEL and/or DD&T been consulted about your technology requirements? 
  • Has the existing functionality of institutional tools been explored? 
  • Is there a tool on the market that meets your needs or is further investigation required? 
  • Is there resource and time available to develop an in-house solution? 
  • How much lead-time is required to test the new technology, implement it, and train people to use it? 
  • How will ongoing support for the new technology be achieved? Who will be responsible? 
  • Will any new tool be GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) compliant (data protection) and digitally accessible? 
  • Will the new technology retain the right data required of university processes (e.g. assessment)? 
  • Is the new technology likely to last the lifetime of your course? What contingencies might be needed? 
  • Is the new technology a service that is updated regularly and what impact might this have mid-course? 
  • Will the new technology have any impact on student requirements (e.g. updated computers or additional hardware)? 
  • Does budget need to be allocated towards costs of the technology year-on-year (e.g. subscriptions)?