| Bloom's Taxonomy

Defining Expectations in Curriculum
How our we define expectations courses and programs
 

At MJC, the curriculum development and review process is in place to ensure that courses are developed in a manner that is compliant with state codes and regulations in the California Educational Code (Title 5) and other regulatory guidelines.  In fact, Title 5 decrees that a Curriculum Committee must in place to oversee that process.  The Curriculum Committee has developed a process that facilitates curriculum development so that it is compliance with those regulations. At MJC, curriculum falls into two classifications; courses, and programs.  

Official Expectations of Learning in Courses

Courses and the Curriculum Process

To ensure that courses are not only developed, but are offered in a manner respectful of regulations, Title 5 requires that each course have a course outline of record. The institution is required to offer the course in a manner that matches the course outline of record. The course outline, therefore serves as a contract with the student.  Per Title 5, the student is entitled to the course experience as detailed on the course outline. In fact, if a student believes that the course is offered in a manner that violates the course outline of record, the student is able to petition that violation. Every instructor is required to honor the course outline, unless it needs adjustment. At that point, with the consent of colleagues in the discipline, the course outline may be revised through the curriculum process.

 

The Course Outline and Objectives, Assessment, Outcomes, and Evaluation

Recognizing the course outline as contract with the student,  the course outline becomes a logical place for identifying essential learning in a course. In fact, MJC course outlines already detail essential learning.  The current MJC outline identifies discrete learning goals that describe what observable knowledge, skills, behaviors and attitudes student will take from a course assuming all things go as planned. In addition, the MJC course outline provides a course goal, which describes how those skills will coalesce into a broader course level experience for students. The course goal helps reveal how the course fulfills the goals of the programs to which it is attached. In addition, courses require a particular assessment for the course, for example, 6000 total words of oral presentation in the semester meeting specific criteria, or a capstone project fulfilling a specific objective.

 

Looking for a starting point from which to define your measurable expectations?
Look at the course outline for your course, and discuss the expectations on the course outline with your colleagues. You will want to determine whether the objectives can be observed and measured, and if so, what is the best assessment through which those skills can be measured.

 

Official Expectations of Learning in Programs

Programs, when observed by the curriculum committee, follows the Title 5 definition of a program.

55000 Definitions

(b) "Educational program" is an organized sequence of courses leading to a defined objective, a degree, a certificate, a diploma, a license, or transfer to another institution of higher education.

 

At MJC, the curriculum committee observes programs as degrees, certificates, sequences that lead to a particular objective. Currently, there are specific regulations that pertain to the creation of degrees and certificates. The SLO Committee believes that this would be a logical place to develop student learning objectives for those degrees and certificates, as well as sequences.

The content of this page is provided by the MJC Student Learning Outcomes Committee
For questions regarding the content of this page contact Letitia Senechal, MJC SLO Facilitator.