In preparing for course review, consider how you will choose to focus your feedback. The focus of feedback may depend on disciplinary context, the reviewer’s past experiences and expertise, and/or the design of the course under review, etc. The following section provides descriptions and thought questions to help guide Pedagogy Committee feedback.
We recognize that there are various frameworks associated with best teaching and learning practices. The following section focuses on areas highlighted within the Collective Agreement. These areas of teaching and learning can be integrated within a course’s disciplinary context to enhance the learning environment for students.
Pedagogy Committee members can use the following section by picking and choosing questions that are relevant to the focus of their review. It may not be possible to provide feedback on all areas.
Program requirements
To ensure a course is aligned with educational goals, it is important to review the course materials to confirm they effectively meet program requirements (refer to program requirements documentation within your faculty/unit). Below are some things to think about when providing feedback.
Considerations
Do the course level learning outcomes align with program level learning outcomes?
Do the course materials cover the necessary topics and skills as outlined by the program requirements?
How does the course fit into the program’s overall curriculum? Does the course build upon or complement other courses within the program?
Do the assessments effectively measure the course level and program level learning outcomes?
Currency of course materials
Evaluating the currency of course materials is important to ensure they remain relevant and effective. The currency of course materials will vary based on your disciplinary context. Below are some things to think about when providing feedback.
Considerations
Do the course materials reflect the latest trends and best practices in the discipline?
Do the resources incorporate a range of perspectives, including recent research and viewpoints?
Is the course utilizing current technology and tools that are relevant to the discipline?
Do the assessments measure knowledge and skills currently valued and relevant in the discipline?
Do the teaching and learning methods reflect the current pedagogical landscape in post-secondary education?
Do the course materials align with the course learning outcomes?
Are the course materials preparing students effectively for current challenges and opportunities in the discipline?
Universal design methods
UVic is committed to addressing and removing barriers that hinder full and equal participation of students with disabilities. Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and other frameworks of accessible pedagogy expand course accessibility and create a more inclusive learning environment. Integrating accessible learning and teaching strategies can also support students who experience access barriers related to being non-traditional learners, those with socio-economic barriers, students who are multi-lingual and those who come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Accessibility is proactive and strives to recognize and remove barriers during the course design stage to provide increased equitable access. The UDL framework offers a range of specific strategies that can increase students’ feelings of engagement and capacity to participate in the learning process (Kumar and Wideman, 2014). These strategies can enable students to demonstrate their understanding of course content and knowledge in ways that best suit their capabilities and needs (Anderson et al., 2018). There is a myriad of ways to increase accessibility in course design, consider the following questions when reviewing the course.
Considerations
Are course materials designed for accessible content in terms of style, links, images, design, and evaluation (SLIDE) (refer to Creating Accessible Documents through SLIDE)?
Do the course materials support multiple ways to perceive information?
Does the course assessment model provide students with options to communicate their knowledge?
Does the Faculty Member create open communication for students to identify access barriers in their learning?
Does the course use a variety of ways to stimulate student interest and engagement in learning course content?
Are course learning outcomes clearly and frequently communicated to students within the course design?
Is there evidence of time being communicated to students throughout the course design (e.g., timeline for successful completion of course tasks, time for readings, time for assessments)?
References & Additional Resources
References
- Anderson, K., Davis, D., & McLaughlin, M. (2018). Implementing universal design instruction in doctor of nursing practice education. Nurse Educator, 44(5), 245–249.
- Kumar, K., & Wideman, M. (2014). Accessible by design: Applying UDL principles in a first-year undergraduate course. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 44(1), 124–147.
Additional Resources
- Teach Anywhere – Universal Design for Learning Guide
- UVic’s Accessibility Plan (2023)
- CAST – Introduction to Universal Design for Learning
- Incorporating Universal Design for Learning in Disciplinary Contexts in Higher Education
- Cumming, T.M., Rose, M.C. (2022). Exploring universal design for learning as an accessibility tool in higher education: a review of the current literature. Aust. Educ. Res. 49, 1025–1043. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-021-00471-7
Equity principles
The concepts of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and belonging help to inform the removal of barriers, end discrimination and create better learning environments for everyone. EDI in higher education increases students’ academic self-confidence, social agency, critical thinking ability, and encourages self-reflection and recognition of multiple perspectives (Nelson Laird, 2005).
Key definitions
(as defined in the University’s Key Concepts of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion):
Equity
is the creation of fair, accessible opportunities so that everyone has equal access to resources and supports that address the diverse needs of the learners.
Diversity
involves the representation or presence of differences in lived experience and intersections of identities within a group.
Inclusivity
is the intentional and ongoing act of creating conditions where every learner can fulfill their potential and bring their authentic selves forward.
Belonging
is an individual’s feeling of being safe and valued as one’s true self. Belonging is felt when there is a sense of acceptance, agency, being seen, and support.
Considerations
Below are some things to think about when providing feedback:
Does the course foster an equity-centered culture by creating an inclusive community that values diversity and challenges dominant systems of power?
Does the course material show value for diverse lived experiences and ways of knowing?
Does the faculty member provide alternatives to purchased resources (e.g., library resources, open educational resources, and other free resources) and/or minimize the number of resources students are required to purchase?
How does the faculty member portray to students the cultivation of an inclusive and welcoming learning environment within the course?
Consider the type of knowledge being prioritized within the course material:
- Whose voices are represented via authorship within the course syllabus and/or reading material?
- Does the syllabus and/or reading material include a diversity of identities, lived experiences, ways of knowing, and perspectives?
- Are there opportunities within the course for students to provide feedback related to equity principles?
References & Additional Resources
Reference:
- Nelson Laird, T.F. (2005). College students’ experiences with diversity and their effects on academic self-confidence, social agency, and disposition toward critical thinking. Research in Higher Education, 4(46), 365–387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-005-2966-1
Additional Resources:
Decolonization and/or Indigenization
The university is committed to continue to orient their work across campus and in communities through Laws and Philosophies (also known as teachings) that have been shared by Local Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community members, which remain adaptable and relevant today (refer to UVic’s Indigenous Plan 2023). Even though these teachings are grounded in local ways of knowing and being, the university’s Indigenous Plan recognizes that:
“diverse Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples of many cultures, languages, faiths, and worldviews carry similar teachings and share similar values”.
The four teachings described in UVic’s Indigenous Plan are:
- Héʔəkʷ ʔə cə čəléŋən ɫtə | HÁEQ ȽTE OL TŦE ĆELÁṈEN ȽTE | Remember our ancestors and birthright
- Nəcəmaat kʷəns čeʔi | ĆȺNEUEL OL | Work together
- Nəwes šxʷ cən ʔay šqʷeləqʷən | ÁMEḴT TŦEN ÍY, ŚḰÁLEȻEN | Bring in your good heart and mind
- Leʔt šxʷ helə ʔə cə məkʷ sčeʔi səʔ | S,HOL EṮ MEQ EN ENÁ SE SĆȺ | Be prepared for the work to come
One of the priority areas within UVic’s Indigenous Plan is “Teaching and Learning”. The university is committed to
“offering a range of academic programs enriched by opportunities to engage with diverse forms of knowledge and to take learning and teaching beyond the classroom. In addition to integrating Indigenous ways of knowing and being, languages, and pedagogies, we prioritize accessible programming that responds to community interests and needs”.
The Collective Agreement frames these commitments by using the terminologies decolonization and/or Indigenization, which is why we are using this language within this section of the guide. In practice Indigenization is:
“a process of naturalizing Indigenous knowledge systems and making them evident to transform spaces, places, and hearts. In the context of post-secondary education, this involves bringing Indigenous knowledge and approaches together with Western knowledge systems. This benefits not only Indigenous students, but all students, teachers, and community members involved or impacted by Indigenization” (Antoine et al., 2018).
In practice decolonization can involve:
“the process of deconstructing colonial ideologies of superiority and privilege of Western thoughts and approaches” (Antoine et al., 2018).
Consider the following Indigenous pedagogies drawn from Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers, which can help guide the development of course materials and teaching approaches to support student learning through the integration of Indigenous ways of knowing and being, languages and pedagogies.
Personal and holistic learning focuses on “the development of a human being as a whole person”, which can involve engaging students in reflection on the four dimensions of knowledge: emotional, spiritual, cognitive, and physical.
Experiential learning emphasizes “learning by doing”, so creating opportunities for students to share and learn from direct experience (e.g., observation, action, reflection, and further action).
Place-based learning (also known as land-based learning) involves creating opportunities to “learn about the local place and to learn in connection to the local place”.
Intergenerational learning involves integrating Indigenous language into teaching practices and seeking opportunities to engage with Elders.
When reviewing course materials, the Collective Agreement suggests providing support on decolonization and/or Indigenization. It may be helpful to think about what these areas of teaching and learning look like within your discipline. Below are some things to think about when providing feedback.
Considerations
Does the course and subsequent course materials include/foster:
practices and/or teachings that integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, as well as emphasize and value Indigenous teachings, languages, lands and protocols?
practices and/or teachings that deconstruct and critically examine western/colonial knowledge structures and challenge oppressive and inequitable systems or policies?
learning experiences that allow students to bring their lived experiences and demonstrate inclusion and equity for Indigenous identities?
opportunities to engage students in Indigenous pedagogies such as personal and holistic learning, experiential learning, place-based/land-based learning, and intergenerational learning with Elders?
References & Additional Resources
Reference:
- Antoine, A., Mason, R., Mason, R., Palahicky, S. & Rodriguez de France, C. (2018). Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers. Victoria, BC: BCcampus. Retrieved from Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers.
Additional Resources:
Assessment methodologies
Assessments are any activity used to measure and evaluate student achievement of learning outcomes. Examples of assessments include the following: case studies, ePortfolios, essays or papers, lab reports, discussions, presentations, problem sets, projects or posters, simulations, tests/quizzes or exams, etc.
When reviewing assessments during the course review process, the Collective Agreement suggests looking for evidence of key principles of effective assessments. It may be helpful to think about what assessment methodologies look like within your discipline and within parameters of the course (e.g., class size, resources, administrating assessment support, teaching assistant/grading support, etc.). Below are some things to think about when providing feedback.
Model
- Is there a variety of assessment types within the course?
- Are assessments scaffolded?
- Are students provided opportunities to practice content and skills?
Content and format
- Are the assessments aligned with learning outcomes and instructional strategies?
- Are students provided with a variety of assessment methods and opportunities for choice to maximize their engagement and demonstrate their learning?
- Does the course material ensure representation of diverse perspectives through assessment content, scenarios, and questions?
- Are expectations and instructions clearly communicated to students so that they understand what, how, and why they are being assessed?
- Are students provided authentic assessments that integrate elements of realism, cognitive challenge, and evaluative feedback (refer to Authentic assessment: creating a blueprint for course design)?
- Do the course assessments foster academic integrity?
- Does the assessment content and format align with key topics and skills taught within the course?
- Are students provided adequate support for assessments that involve technology/additional tools or resources?
Feedback
- Are evaluation criteria (e.g., rubrics, grading schemes, instructions) provided for assessments to ensure grade consistency and provide feedback to students to foster their learning?
- Does the Faculty Member use rubrics and sample assessments/modelled answers to make it transparent what excellent work looks like and to identify clear criteria for grading?
- Is feedback from the Faculty Member and peers scaffolded so that students can self-monitor the quality of their work to foster their learning?
Additional Resources
- Lindstrom, G., Taylor, L., & Weleschuk, A. (2017). “Guiding Principles for Assessment of Student Learning” Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning Guide Series. Calgary, AB: Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning at the University of Calgary. https://studentassessment.ucalgaryblogs.ca/files/2018/07/Student-Assessment-TI-Guide-2018UPDATE-UPLOAD-1.pdf
- Wiggins, G. P. (1998). Educative assessment: designing assessments to inform and improve student performance (1st ed.). Jossey-Bass.
