Enhancing Preparation of

Higher Education Student’s

Modules Across All Disciplines
RENE C. BAROLA,MAM
Department Head
Professional Education Department
Donsol Community College
The use of the instructional module in college teaching serves as an
independent learning package that emphasizes students' learning
activities rather than teacher activities. Along with independent modular
activities such as reading, writing, discussing, and problem solving,
students can use more class time to write, inquire or explore, learn and
share ideas. Planning a module is a process that requires time,
commitment and a thoughtful, systematic approach.
Preparation of Student’s Modules
Across All Disciplines
Module
A module is an independent learning package
offered to aid students in achieving certain
instructional objectives. An instructional
module, a self-contained and independent unit
of instruction can be highly useful in college
teaching (Giddings,1986).
A self-paced learning module is an orderly set
of instructions designed to facilitate the
learner’s mastery of a body of knowledge or a
procedure(Maile &Cooper,2018).
A module may be compared to a road map which points the
learner towards his or her learning objectives. A useful definition
of a module is “a set of learning activities intended to facilitate the
student's acquisition and demonstration of a particular
competency " (Elam, 1971).
Advantages of Higher Education Modular Instruction

Modular instruction offers the following advantages, namely:

1.the potential of incorporating technology;

2. a broader base for evaluating students;
3. encouragement for independent learners;
4. the individualization of instruction;
5.promotes students' active involvement and responsibility for the
exchange of ideas;
6. Students are informed in advance of unit objectives and are guided to
complete various learning activities to achieve the objectives;
7enables teachers to employ varied strategies and approaches with
students; and
8. permit teachers to enrich existing programs without radical changes.
 THE HIGHER EDUCATION MODULE DESIGN
PROCESS
There are a variety of models for the design of courses
in higher education (Toohey, 1999; Biggs, 1999) and
many of the same issues are relevant in the context of
designing modules. In the process of devising a module,
the key is to forge educationally sound and logical links
between learner needs, aims, learning outcomes,
resources, learning and teaching strategies, assessment
criteria and evaluation.

Figure 1. Framework in Designing Modules for Learning(Roisin

Donnelly and Marian Fitzmauric,2018)
 In Figure 1 a Framework for Higher Education
Module Design and Development is outlined. This
provides an overview of the process, highlighting the
important variables in module design and illustrating
the relationships between them; however it is
important to stress that it is not a linear process.

Figure 1. Framework in Designing Modules for Learning (Roisin

Donnelly and Marian Fitzmauric ,20180
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE HIGHER EDUCATION
MODULES
To be most effective, self-paced learning modules should have certain
characteristics. These include:

• Logical (sequence)—sequential, logical, prerequisite knowledge and abilities, and

difficulty.

• Self-contained—learners can pick up (or access) the module and begin work
without instructor intervention, and can proceed through the module based on
clear instructions about what to do in all likely situations, including what to do at the
end of the module.

• Comprehensive—the module includes the objectives, contents, activities,

assessments or references; all of the content that is relevant to the learning
objectives or competencies.

• Cohesive—the module content is well integrated and contributes to the learner’s

mastery of the competencies within a reasonable time.
Resources for Creating Higher Education Self-Paced Learning
Modules

The following are some possible resources for content you may use or
refer to in your self-paced learning modules:

• Websites
• Video (you create, or find online, or purchase)
• Books, textbooks, and service/repair manuals
• Fact sheets
• Service and/or safety bulletins or updates
• Other curricula
• Personal knowledge/skills
• Digital photographs (such as those you take yourself)
Components/Parts of a Higher Education Learning Modules
1.Cover page/title
2.Information about the module/ module development team/disclaimer
3.statement of purpose/introduction/rationale
4. prerequisite knowledge or skill
5.vocabulary
6.objectives/learning outcomes-stated in behavioral form
7.pre-assessment-preferably multiple choice type of test
8.contents/materials
9. learning activities-at least 2 or 3;1 activity per objective
10. post-assessment-Traditional/Non-Traditional
11.enrichment-Going Further
12.Key to Correction
13.References
Developing Higher Education Modules
Module Introduction/Statement of Purpose/Rationale

The purpose of a rationale is to serve as a broad value system for the learning in the module. Module should
do more than add information to students’ stock of knowledge but should be seeking to encourage a deep
approach to learning. Develop a coherent rationale statement for your module. The statement of purpose
should relate the content of the module to the specific educational needs and interests of the student. The
statement may also indicate how the module contributes to the overall course or program of which it is a part;

The task of the module developer is, therefore, to describe the significance of the module. Be guided of the
given questions in writing the module introduction, namely:

1.What are the educational goals for your module?

2. What conceptions do you have of your learners?
3. Why is the subject matter important?
4.What are your beliefs and values about learning and teaching?
Developing Higher Education Modules
Prerequisite Knowledge /Skill

The particular skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed before beginning a module should be stated. The
prerequisites should be of assistance in helping the student decide whether or not he is prepared to undertake
the module.
Developing Higher Education Modules
Vocabulary
These are terms or phrases that need to be defined in order to clearly understand the learning module.
Developing Higher Education Modules
Objectives/Learning outcomes
The clear statement of instructional objectives is the focal point in the development and use of a module.
Module developer must state objectives in behavioral terms. Behaviorally stated objectives define what
observable behaviors are required on the part of the student as a result of completing the module and the
conditions under which the student must perform. Moreover, specific behavioral objectives indicate
acceptable standards of performance (Mager, 1962).
The aim of your module indicates the general
direction or orientation of a module in terms of its
content and sometimes its context within a
program.
A learning outcome/objective is a statement of what the
learner is expected to know, understand and / or be able to do
at the end of a period of learning.

Learning outcomes focus on learning rather than teaching and

are not about what the teacher can provide but what the
learner can demonstrate at the end of a module or course.
Some examples of learning outcomes follow:

On completion of the module, the learner will be

expected to able to/you are expected to:

explain the role of accounting information in

organizations

Successful students will typically be able to:

identify and critically evaluate the strategic options

available to enterprises
The phrases used to start the sentence lead to the use of action verbs and to a focus on
how students will demonstrate their learning. You need to think about how you will ask
your students to demonstrate their understanding. When they are being assessed, students
may be asked to discuss a concept, analyze a situation, describe a process or evaluate
some data.

These are the tasks the student actually does in order to demonstrate
understanding and so these terms can be used to express the learning outcome. Bloom’s
Taxonomy developed in 1956 still remains one of the best aids to writing good learning
outcomes There are no rules on how many outcomes per module or course but some
guidelines have been given on the literature in learning outcomes.

It has been suggested that a module should have between four and eight learning outcomes and an
entire program should have up to twenty five (Moon, 2002).
Developing Higher Education Modules
Content/Material
This focuses on the learning material to be written/made part in the module.
This also involves the strategy on how to deliver the learning material.
In this section, explore a range of teaching methods and
will focus on the methods and combinations of methods
that can best realize the sort of constructive
engagement with learning activities that leads to
understanding (Ramsden,1992).Even the best designed
modules, with very worthwhile defined learning
outcomes, can fail if the teaching strategies employed are
inappropriate to encourage and support the learners
towards meeting the desired learning outcomes.
It is useful to reflect on what we mean by
a teaching strategy. A teaching strategy is … a plan for someone
else’s learning, and it encompasses the presentations which the
teacher might make, the exercises and activities designed for
students, materials which will be supplied or suggested for students
to work with, and ways in which evidence of their growing
understanding and capability will be collected (Toohey,1999).
This definition is very helpful as it emphasizes that
a teaching strategy is fundamentally
about supporting the student’s learning. In giving
consideration to how, as academics,
we can teach in order to ensure that our students
are engaging with the learning process,
it is necessary to focus on the type of teaching
strategies we can employ to achieve this
end.
1. Who are your learners? e.g. lower class/upper class etc.

2. What kinds of learning are you trying to achieve? e.g. knowledge, skills, attitudes.

3. How are you going to deliver the content through the module?Strategy-5 Es,4As
etc

4. What learning activities can be organized to meet the learning outcomes? e.g
case studies, problem-solving, reflection paper, discussions, etc.

5. What resources are available to you? e.g. handouts, worksheets, visuals

6.Does your teaching strategy support the learner to meet the desired learning
outcomes?

7.Did you conduct review a range of popular teaching strategies in higher education
and the type of learning which each strategy best supports.
Activities in the Higher Education Modules

When determining which activities to include in

your modules, include those that:

• Relate directly to the unit objectives.

• Allow for practice of skills.
• Maintain learner interest.
• Address all learning domains.
• Formative assessments
ASSESSING LEARNERS IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION MODULES

In relation to assessment, it suggests that the fundamental principles are that the
assessment methods should be in accord with the learning outcomes of the module and
should foster a deep approach to learning.

Assessment is generally considered in terms of either being Formative and/or Summative.

Formative assessment is used to inform both student and teacher as to how the learner is
progressing. Integral to this process is the feedback that students receive from the teacher
and this should be used to improve both the learning of students and the teaching
practice. Summative assessment is used to grade students at the end of a module or to
accredit them at the end of a program.

Formative assessment may be used to contribute to continuous assessment but we would

argue that in order for students to have the maximum opportunities to learn in a module,
then there must be some option for a formative assessment which does not contribute to
the final grade. Students can then obtain feedback which will allow them to address any
gaps in their knowledge or skills.
 What knowledge do you want to assess? Refer to
your learning outcomes.

What skills do you want to test? - Have you built in

provision for formative and summative
assessment?

What weighting do you want to give to the final

exam and other forms of continuous
assessment?
Assessment should be given serious consideration and reflection and
the choice of assessment methods should clearly relate to the learning
outcomes. There will rarely be one method of assessment which
satisfies all learning outcomes for a module and we would recommend
that in devising your assessment strategy, a variety of methods is
included.

It is also important for module designers to think about how modularity

may impact upon assessment practices and give consideration to some
of the pitfalls associated with assessment within modular structures.
In designing or redesigning modules, it is vital to bear in mind which parameters of
assessment do you need to agree on as a group, and which can be left to individual
teachers or subject coordinators.

In a modular system, it is important to guard against over-assessing students based

on the unit of study.

Also, there is a tendency in a modular curriculum to crowd the assessments with the
result that students are handing in multiple assessments at the mid way point and at
the end. This is an unacceptable burden for students and it is therefore vitally
important that within a program of study, the timetable of assessment is planned
thoroughly in advance so the students do not face this problem.
Supporting the Learners

In designing modules, consideration should be given to the type of learner support

which will be required for the achievement of the learning outcomes. There are
administrative issues around module design: scheduling of teachers, students,
teaching activities, assessment time and module resources. Many modules are over
ambitious and require more time on the part of students for their completion than is
reasonable. Modules depend for their success on the careful allocation of resources.
References
Biggs, J. (1999) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Buckingham: SRHE/OU Press.

Donnelly,R. and Fitzmaurice,M.(2005) DESIGNING MODULES FOR LEARNING. Learning and Teaching Centre Dublin Institute of Technology

Elam, S.A.(1971) Performance-Based Teacher Education of the Art.American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education ,

Giddings, L. R.(1986) Using Modules in College Teaching.

Maile,C.A & Cooper,MS.(2018) The CIMC Guide to DEVELOPING MODULES FOR SELF-PACED LEARNING A Handbook for Teachers

Mager, R. F.(1962) Preparing Instructional Objectives. Palto Alto, Calif.: Fearon Publishers

Moon, J. (2002) The Module and Programme Development Handbook. London: Kogan Page Ltd.

Ramsden, P. (1992) Learning to Teach in Higher Education. London: Routledge.

Toohey, S. (1999) Designing Courses for Higher Education. Buckingham: SRHE and OU Press.