ABC Curriculum Design (TEST)

At the University of Lincoln we offer the ABC (Activity Blended Curriculum) design process for all module/programme/school teams to use. This method focusses on a blended learning design approach and is based on Dianne Laurillards conversation framework. By using activity types, we can ensure that all students get a rich diet of learning experiences through interactivce, discrusive and collaborative methods. This method helps to ensure that each course:

  • Uses a Blended learning approach
  • Is developed with the student at the heart of the course (a student-centred approach)
  • Created opportunities for group and individual work
  • Supports a constructivist and socio-constructive ideology
  • Has a wide range of activity types weaved through the learning design

To find out more information about the ABC method and activities that can be used, please use the button below. You will also find a link to our new ARC workshop, which works independently or in conjunction with ABC and focusses on assessment design and embedding employability skills

If you would like to download the tool or find out how we can run supported workshops with you and your team, please find information at the bottom of the page.

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ARC Workshop

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ABC & Activities

Benefits

ABC workshops can be useful for both Programme level and Module level designs to ensure that the course includes all the necessary components and work well as a cohesive hole. Some of the benefits for curriculum design are:

Programme Design

  • Enables you to confidently map your modules to your programme outcomes
  • Links with our ARC design tool to ensure consistency across programme & module assessment design.
  • Gives key in-depth detail of what the students are learning, when they are learning and how they are learning.
  • Enables you to get an overview of the programme structure through a wider lens to ensure consistency
  • Can be used to highlight student development opportunities and key skills throughout cohorts and levels
  • Can highlight the range of assessment and teaching activities found through the course
  • Enables your programme team to work collaboratively to ensure opportunities and developments of practice is considered.

Module Design

  • Enables you to highlight where key learning objectives are being met throughout the course
  • Highlights the key teaching and learning strategies that are being utilised throughout the course
  • Information developed from this course can be used as a planning map to build your VLE conent
  • Enables sudents and staff to prioritise learning, see the clear strands of activity and how they all inter-relate to their learning outcomes.
  • Can be used to review courses or design new courses dependent on your needs
  • Highlights key questions and guidance to consider as development occurs such as:
    • EDI
    • Formative and Summative assessment opportunities
    • Feedback
    • Key methods of delivery

What do Academics say about the ABC workshop?

Click on the tabs below to find out how academics have used ABC within their schools and why they have found it beneficial

We have so far run 200 + module workshops with academics across various programmes. When asked what they liked about the workshop they replied:

“Presented so well by an excellent communicator. Useful content I will use to plan my new module”

“Pace and support, plus being innovative with enthusiastic facilitation “

“It was very interesting and entertaining. The presenter was very engaging and friendly”

“Engaging and productive”

“This is so useful for new members of the teaching team who may be limited in their knowledge of teaching approaches and the expectations of planning modules”

“It was a brilliant new way of looking at planning learning and assessment opportunities – I loved how visual it was – it really worked well for me”

Downloading the tool & Organising workshops

We have two different versions of the ABC & ARC workshops available to support you with curriculum development and design. This falls into the categories of supported and independent workshops. Please find more information about what each of these workshops entailed below.

If you would like support with ideas, embedding digital pedagogy or working with a programme team to develop several modules, we can offer you and your team a consulutation session and workshop. Our team will work in conjunction with you and your module/programme team to highlight what support and guidance you may required. We will then customise and help you set up workshops with your team.

If you would like to access this level of support, then please contact our team to arrange an ABC consultation meeting.

Email | Link to email the Digital Education Team 

The ABC curriculum mapping tool can be used independently by you and your team to enable curriculum design. The ABC tool using excel and has supporting videos as well as help and support guides built into the tool. These resources will help you redesign, reshape and review your current curriculum offering.

Please note: The Office for Quality and Student Partnerships (OQSP) will accept the ABC map as supporting evidence for module applications.

Accessing the tool

If you would like to access the tool to use independently or with your module team, it can be accessed via the link below. You will be invited to complete a small survey, then at the end of the survey you will be given a link to download the tool.

Survey & Tool Download | External Link to Survey & Tool Download