Use of a Weighted Curriculum Map to Guide Programmatic Improvements in CSD

Abstract

The Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is nationally accredited and trains future speech language pathologists. This project aims to evaluate and improve the curriculum map for the program. A curriculum map shows how each course contribute to the student learning outcomes (SLO). To facilitate the process, the department’s educational coordinator met individually with each instructor to complete a “Course Map” for their course(s). Each course map aligned the class assignments with the SLOs, as assignments are the meaningful and measurable deliverables of students learning. Faculty also indicated how each assignment emphasized the target SLOs by assigning a weight. All weighted course maps were then merged to create a weighted curriculum map, which provided information on which SLOs were significantly addressed in the program and which were addressed with less emphasis. Outcomes of faculty discussions of weighted curriculum map included: recognizing course redundancy, combining courses to increase learning opportunity and using faculty time more effectively, rewriting of SLOs to better match accreditation standards and required student competencies, as well as a new assessment project focusing on the SLO related to professionalism.