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Course planning

Go to Course planning with backwards design.

Focus on student learning

Course planning at the MN faculty is centered on the student's learning. Making sure that teaching, assessment and learning outcomes fit together is often referred to as constructive alignment.

You can use backwards design to plan a single lecture, a module over multiple weeks, a whole semester, or even an entire degree.

Please get in touch with KURT if you have problems, success stories or questions about teaching.

Examples of course planning at the MN-faculty

BIOS1110 – Cell and molecular biology

Learning outcome from course home pages: 

After having completed the course you know:

  • the structures that eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells consists of, and how cells communicate and relate to the surroundings.

Specific learning goals: 

After having worked with the topic, you should be able to:

  • describe which structures/organelles that are different in animal and plant cells
  • explain the relationship between structure and function in a cell
  • reason why a specific cell structure is critical for the cell function, and relate your knowledge to specific cell types and organs

Assessment and exam: 

Questions testing if students are able to link structure to function in a cell, and reason why.

Selecting learning activities:

At home: Figures of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells with names for each structure.

Lecture: Discussion based on microscopy images of example cells.

Group work: Using syllabus and digital resources to determine the cell types visible in microscopy images, and provide a reason for thier answer.  

Lab work: Prepare samples for light microscopy. 

MAT1100 – Calculus

Learning outcome from course home pages: 

After having completed the course you:

  1. know about complex numbers and can calculate using complex number in kartesian and polar form. 
  2. can present calculations and simple arguments in a clear and understandable way, with appropriate notation and terminology.

Specific learning goals: 

After having worked with the topic, you should be able to:

  • explain what a complex number is
  • understand the relationship between kartesian and polar form
  • use and reason for using complex numbers to solve different problems
  • present calculations and simple arguments about complex numbers in a clear and understandable way, with appropriate notation and terminology.

Assessment and exam: 

Questions that test if students can calculate with, use and reason for using complex numbers. 

Selecting learning activities:

Lectures: Explain theory about complex numbers. Show clear and understandable presentations of calculations and arguments about complex numbers.

Groupd work: Discussions about complex numbers (e.g. explain to a fellow student what a complex number is). Students perform calculations and reason for why they use complex number, and get training in presenting clear and understandable calculations and arguments.

FYS1120 – Electromagnetism

Learning outcome from course home pages: 

After having completed the course you have:

  • comprehensive knowledge about electrical and magnetic fields, field sources, Maxwells equations in both integral and differential form, and you can calculate the such fields both by using analytical and numerical methods. 

Specific learning goals: 

After having worked with the topic, you should be able to:

  • understand and use the concept of flux on different fields and surfaces.
  • understand surface integrals and know how to calculate them in symmetrical and simple situations.
  • use Gauss' law to find electrical fields and understand the use of symmetry. 

Assessment and exam: 

Questions that lead students to use Gauss' law to calculate the charge on different areas of the space. 

Selecting learning activities:

Group work where students practice calculating flux in different situations. Discussions provide practice using Gauss' law in a physical system with different symmetries, given a hint about how symmetries can be used to simplify the problem.

Further reading

 

Published Apr. 17, 2020 2:48 PM - Last modified Jan. 19, 2024 11:26 AM