Method and system for academic curriculum planning and academic curriculum mapping

• US 8,265,968 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackboard Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Blackboard Incorporated
• Inventors: Yaskin, David, Ritter, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): MANSFIELD, THOMAS L
• Application Number:
  US11/404,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,344 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11, 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution'"'"'s organization. In particular, courses and other educational experiences may include material that is aligned with various goals and objectives of different units of the institution. A curriculum mapping feature is provided that identifies a bi-directional alignment between goals and courses such that curriculum gaps may be determined as well.

Claims

1. A method for performing academic curriculum planning involving one or more organizational levels within a multi-level institution, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving first goals relating to a first organization level of the institution;

receiving second goals relating to a second organizational level of the institution;

determining, with a computer processor, a first respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of a plurality of academic courses are aligned to at least one of the first and second goals;

generating a mapping of the first respective alignment;

determining, with a computer processor, whether at least one of the first goals, the second goals, or the plurality of academic courses have been modified; and

updating the first respective alignment by a computer processor in response to a user requesting that the first respective alignment be updated after the determination is made that at least one of the first goals, the second goals, or the plurality of courses have been modified, the updating of the first respective alignment being based on the modification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping is graphically presented concurrently with one or more other related mappings.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more other related mappings is associated with another respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of the plurality of courses are aligned to one or more goals other than the at least one of the first and second goals.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more other related mappings is associated with another respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of the first or second goals are aligned to one or more courses other than the plurality of courses.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing the mapping in a computer-accessible storage medium.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transmitting the mapping to a remotely located computer system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second goals each comprise at least one of objectives and standards.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a second respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of a plurality of educational experiences are aligned to at least one of the first and second goals; and

generating a mapping of the second respective alignment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a particular course is aligned with a particular goal if the particular course includes at least some material designed to satisfy the particular goal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first organizational level is one of an operating unit, a department, a college, a program, and an institution.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second organizational level is one of an operating unit, a department, a college, a program, and an institution.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second organizational level is hierarchically below the first organizational level.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a second respective alignment that indicates which, if any of the second goals are aligned to at least one of the first goals.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

determining if a particular course is aligned with a particular first goal based on the respective first alignment of that particular course with a particular second goal and the respective second alignment of that particular second goal with the particular first goal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the alignment includes each of the plurality of course and each of the first and second goals.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

receiving user input related to a level of alignment, on a multi-level scale, between a particular course and a particular goal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the scale reflects a qualitative measurement of alignment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the qualitative measurement comprises one of:

reinforces, introduces, and emphasizes.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the scale is customizable.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the scale is predetermined based on one of the particular course, the particular goal, a program related to the particular course, a program related to the particular goal, an operating unit related to the particular goal, an operating unit related to the particular course, and the institution.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

presenting a template of the scale to a user; and

modifying the scale to reflect a response received from the user.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

receiving particular input from a user related to defining the scale; and

creating the scale based on the received input.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the first organizational level includes an operating unit of the institution and the second organizational level includes a program.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the mapping includes one or both of:

a) a first mapping of which of the plurality of courses are aligned with a particular goal of the operating unit; and

b) a second mapping of which of the plurality of courses are aligned with a particular goal of the program.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

based on the mapping, identifying a curriculum gap.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the curriculum map comprises a subset of the first and second goals which have fewer of the plurality of courses aligned therewith, as compared to others of the first and second goals.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

identifying additional material based on the subset of first and second goals.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

identifying one of the plurality of courses to associate with the additional material to allow the one course to be aligned with at least a portion of the subset.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

identifying a future course to associate with the additional material to allow the future course to be aligned with at least a portion of the subset.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving input modifying at least one of the first goals, the second goals, and the plurality of courses;

determining a second respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of a plurality of courses are aligned to at least one of the first and second goals, taking in consideration the input; and

generating a mapping of the second respective alignment.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:

determining a difference between the mapping of the first respective alignment and the mapping of the second alignment; and

providing output indicative of the difference.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of courses are located outside of the second organizational level of the institution.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of courses are located outside of the first organizational level of the institution.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

for one of the plurality of courses, receiving input from an instructor of that course that identifies which of the first and second goals, if any, that course is aligned with.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a second respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of a plurality of lesson plans are aligned to at least one of the first and second goals; and

generating a mapping of the second respective alignment.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the second level of the organization includes one of a course or a course section.

74. The method of claim 1, further comprising graphically presenting the mapping to a user.

76. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination whether at least one of the first goals, the second goals, or the plurality of courses have been modified is made automatically using a processor.

77. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating the first respective alignment when it is determined that at least one of the first goals, the second goals, or the plurality of courses have been modified is in response to a user request to update the first respective alignment.

37. A system for performing academic curriculum planning involving multiple organizational levels within an institution, comprising:

a programmable computer configured to;

receive first goals relating to a first organization level of the institution;

receive second goals relating to a second organizational level of the institution;

determine a first respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of a plurality of academic courses are aligned to at least one of the first and second goals;

generate a mapping of the first respective alignment;

determine whether at least one of the first goals, the second goals, or the plurality of academic courses have been modified;

and update the first respective alignment in response to a user requesting that the first respective alignment be updated after the determination is made that at least one of the first goals, the second goals, or the plurality of courses have been modified, the updating of the first respective alignment being based on the modification.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the mapping is displayed concurrently with one or more other related mappings.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein each of the one or more other related mappings is associated with another respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of the plurality of courses are aligned to one or more goals other than the at least one of the first and second goals.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

store the mapping in a computer-accessible storage medium.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

transmit the mapping to a remotely located computer system.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein the first and second goals each comprise at least one of objectives and standards.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

determine a second respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of a plurality of educational experiences are aligned to at least one of the first and second goals; and

generate a mapping of the second respective alignment.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein a particular course is aligned with a particular goal if the particular course includes at least some material designed to satisfy the particular goal.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein the first organizational level is one of an operating unit, a department, a college, a program, and an institution.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein the second organizational level is one of an operating unit, a department, a college, a program, and an institution.

47. The system of claim 37, wherein the second organizational level is hierarchically below the first organizational level.

48. The system of claim 37, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

determine a second respective alignment that indicates which, if any of the second goals are aligned to at least one of the first goals.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

determine if a particular course is aligned with a particular first goal based on the respective first alignment of that particular course with a particular second goal and the respective second alignment of that particular second goal with the particular first goal.

50. The system of claim 37, wherein the alignment includes each of the plurality of course and each of the first and second goals.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

receive user input related to a level of alignment, on a multi-level scale, between a particular course and a particular goal.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the scale reflects a qualitative measurement of alignment.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the qualitative measurement comprises one of:

reinforces, introduces, and emphasizes.

54. The system of claim 51, wherein the scale is customizable.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the scale is predetermined based on one of the particular course, the particular goal, a program related to the particular course, a program related to the particular goal, an operating unit related to the particular goal, an operating unit related to the particular course, and the institution.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

present a template of the scale to a user; and

modify the scale to reflect a response received from the user.

57. The system of claim 54, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

receive particular input from a user related to defining the scale; and

create the scale based on the received particular input.

58. The system of claim 37, wherein the first organizational level includes an operating unit of the institution and the second organizational level includes a program.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the mapping includes one or both of:

a) a first mapping of which of the plurality of courses are aligned with a particular goal of the operating unit; and

b) a second mapping of which of the plurality of courses are aligned with a particular goal of the program.

60. The system of claim 37, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

identify a curriculum gap based on the mapping.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the curriculum gap comprises a subset of the first and second goals which have fewer of the plurality of courses aligned therewith, as compared to others of the first and second goals.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

identify additional material based on the subset of first and second goals.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

identify one of the plurality of courses to associate with the additional material to allow the one course to be aligned with at least a portion of the subset.

64. The system of claim 62, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

identify a future course to associate with the additional material to allow the future course to be aligned with at least a portion of the subset.

65. The system of claim 37, the programmable computer further configured to:

receive input modifying at least one of the first goals, the second goals, and the plurality of courses;

determine a second respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of a plurality of courses are aligned to at least one of the first and second goals, taking in consideration the input;

and generate a mapping of the second respective alignment.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

determine a difference between the mapping of the first respective alignment and the mapping of the second alignment; and

provide output indicative of the difference.

67. The system of claim 37, wherein at least some of the plurality of courses are located outside of the second organizational level of the institution.

68. The system of claim 37, wherein at least some of the plurality of courses are located outside of the first organizational level of the institution.

69. The system of claim 37, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

for one of the plurality of courses, receive input from an instructor of that course that identifies which of the first and second goals, if any, that course is aligned with.

70. The system of claim 37, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to:

determine a second respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of a plurality of lesson plans are aligned to at least one of the first and second goals; and

generate a mapping of the second respective alignment.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein the second level of the organization includes one of a course or a course section.

72. The system of claim 38, wherein each of the one or more other related mappings is associated with another respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of the first or second goals are aligned to one or more courses other than the plurality of courses.

75. The system of claim 37, wherein the programmable computer is further configured to display the mapping to a user.

73. Computer readable media containing programming instructions for performing academic curriculum planning involving one or more organizational levels within a multi-level institution, that upon execution thereof, causes one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving first goals relating to a first organization level of the institution;

receiving second goals relating to a second organizational level of the institution;

determining a first respective alignment that indicates which, if any, of a plurality of academic courses are aligned to at least one of the first and second goals;

generating a mapping of the first respective alignment;

determining whether at least one of the first goals, the second goals, or the plurality of academic courses have been modified; and

updating the first respective alignment in response to a user requesting that the first respective alignment be updated after the determination is made that at least one of the first goals, the second goals, or the plurality of courses have been modified, the updating of the first respective alignment being based on the modification.