Facilitating deep learning in an information systems course through application of curriculum design principles

Abstract

This article reports on the incremental improvement of assessment, learning, and teaching activities in a large first-year undergraduate course. The changes, made over 3 years, resulted in the implementation of a student-centered (though individual) assessment strategy that included students in developing and applying the assessment criteria themselves. The outcome was a student centered course design that required students to engage in deep approaches to learning. Using an action research framework, Meyers and Nulty's (2008) five curriculum design principles for facilitating deep approaches to learning (the development of which was guided by Biggs's [2003] 3P model) are used to illustrate how the course was incrementally improved to facilitate deep learning approaches. The article provides an illustration of how others may pursue similar curriculum design improvements adapted for their own contexts.