• Offered for Year: 2025/26

• Module Leader(s): Dr Sonia Bussey
• Lecturer: Dr Fiona Clarke, Dr David Thewlis, Dr Sophie Hill, Dr Heidi Bateman, Dr Kye Mon Min Swe, Dr Bryan Burford, Ms Poongothai Shanmugaraja, Dr Emma Black, Dr Anusia Sivaratnam
• Deputy Module Leader: Dr Gwyndaf Roberts

• Owning School: School of Medical Education
• Teaching Location: Off Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

•To introduce students to the principles, theories and practices of curriculum design
•To enhance their ability to design and plan sequential learning experiences
•To provide a framework for considering quality assurance and enhancement for educational interventions within different contexts


Summary:
The focus for this module is the principles, theories and practices around programme design. Within this module, rather than conceptualising teaching as units of activity (see ‘Teaching and Learning in the Classroom’), the focus is on planning sequenced educational interventions delivered over time. Students will be introduced to the essential elements of programme design and related curricula theory. Whilst formative evaluation and assessment are covered in ‘Teaching and Learning in the Classroom’, this module will focus on summative procedures, and accepted doctrine (such as competency-based assessment) will be critiqued.

Outline Of Syllabus

Theories and principles in programme and curricula design
Planning sequential learning experiences
Designing coherent and well-aligned programmes of study
A framework for considering quality assurance and enhancement
Skills audit and development of practice through continuing professional development
Overview of common assessment methods used in medical education
Strategies for increasing the reliability, validity, transparency, feasibility and educational impact of assessments.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The pre-course reading, done prior to the strands, will introduce the students to key concepts, theories and principles of programme design. These concepts, theories and principles will be explored in the strands and provide the foundation for completing the assignments.

The strands will contain a mixture of facilitator input, informal feedback, student–led online group activity, learner synchronous presentations, structured workshop activities (e.g. sequencing learning experiences and mapping programmes), and critical reflection using a facilitated online discussion forum.

In the e-learning activities, and in order to complete the assignment, students will be required to read and engage with relevant literature. Once prepared, students will have online activities to offer the opportunity to revisit identified areas of difficulty and discuss their assignment. Following completion of their assignment students will receive feedback which will identify areas for development and they should use this to consider how learning from this module informs their role in developing programmes in the workplace.

Optional present-in-person study day (repeated and recorded online) will be offered. Although this is an online programme there may be an additional opportunities to attend optional on campus events. For any on campus opportunity an online equivalent session will also be offered.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The summative assessment has two versions that the students can choose from: the practical vs the theoretical version. This is to facilitate students to choose a relevant assessment to reflect their current educational practice.

Reading Lists

• MEE8073's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• MEE8073's Timetable