A Design-Based Approach to Course Planning and Development

Year 2018, Volume: 3 Issue: 2, 78 - 87, 23.12.2018

Antti Rissanen

https://doi.org/10.22596/erj2018.0302.78.87

Abstract

The aim to refine
education often leads to changes to curriculums, and the planning and implementation
of educational changes can be approached in methodological and process-oriented
ways. This study investigated how Bologna
process requirements and local needs were considered when courses were planned
for the Department of Military Technology at the NDU. The data was gathered from
three courses related to science and technology, and a design-based research
(DBR) concept guided the project.

Specifically, work
from 2007 to 2017 was examined, including preplanning and educational DBR cycles
used to plan six courses, and team of different disciplines worked on the
project. The purpose of planning courses was to construct a new science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program for officers’ education;
the aim was to offer officers adjustable but well planned, student centred, and
interactive instruction. In principle, course planners were aware of the generic
skill profile of the officer profession. Knowledge of STEM education from an earlier
curriculum was provided to the officers by regular teachers. The use of a
modern learning material portal (LMP) was considered for a student-centric teaching
approach. Moodle was utilised, and a systematic student evaluation of teaching
(SET) was conducted to assess the success of implementing the planned courses. DBR-framed approach gave useful guidance for
the project. In the course development feedback from students offers necessary
evidence but requires support from other sources for genuine and innovative
educational re-engineering.

Keywords

design-based research, instruction, learning by doing

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