TY - JOUR
T1 - Curriculum development for quantitative skills in degree programs : a cross-institutional study situated in the life sciences
AU - Matthews, Kelly E.
AU - Belward, Shaun
AU - Coady, Carmel
AU - Rylands, Leanne
AU - Simbag, Vilma
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Higher education policies are increasingly focused on graduate learning outcomes, which infer an emphasis on, and deep understanding of, curriculum development across degree programs. As disciplinary influences are known to shape teaching and learning activities, research situated in disciplinary contexts is useful to further an understanding of curriculum development. In the life sciences, several graduate learning outcomes are underpinned by quantitative skills or an ability to apply mathematical and statistical thinking and reasoning. Drawing on data from a national teaching project in Australia that explored quantitative skills in the implemented curricula of 13 life sciences degree programs, this article presents four program-level curricular models that emerged from the analysis. The findings are interpreted through the lens of discipline-specific research and general curriculum design theories to further our understanding of curriculum development for graduate learning outcomes. Implications for future research and to guide curriculum development practices in higher education are discussed.
AB - Higher education policies are increasingly focused on graduate learning outcomes, which infer an emphasis on, and deep understanding of, curriculum development across degree programs. As disciplinary influences are known to shape teaching and learning activities, research situated in disciplinary contexts is useful to further an understanding of curriculum development. In the life sciences, several graduate learning outcomes are underpinned by quantitative skills or an ability to apply mathematical and statistical thinking and reasoning. Drawing on data from a national teaching project in Australia that explored quantitative skills in the implemented curricula of 13 life sciences degree programs, this article presents four program-level curricular models that emerged from the analysis. The findings are interpreted through the lens of discipline-specific research and general curriculum design theories to further our understanding of curriculum development for graduate learning outcomes. Implications for future research and to guide curriculum development practices in higher education are discussed.
KW - curriculum
KW - prediction of scholastic success
KW - study and teaching (higher)
UR - http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/uws:32899
U2 - 10.1080/07294360.2015.1107875
DO - 10.1080/07294360.2015.1107875
M3 - Article
SN - 1469-8366
SN - 0729-4360
VL - 35
SP - 545
EP - 559
JO - Higher Education Research and Development
JF - Higher Education Research and Development
IS - 3
ER -