How to develop a curriculum map

Approach #1: Conducting a Curriculum (or Syllabus) Analysis. Curriculum analysis involves a systematic review of course syllabi, textbooks, exams, and other materials to help you clarify learning outcomes, explore differences and similarities between courses and class sections of courses, and/or assess the effectiveness of instructional materials. It offers a way to document which courses will cover which objectives and helps in sequencing courses within a program.

Approach #2: The survey approach (better with larger groups). Develop a survey of faculty members’ courses that requests each faculty member to identify the program’s learning outcomes they address in the classes they teach and how they address each learning outcome. Compile the responses into a matrix.

Approach #3: The retreat approach (better with smaller groups). Prior to the retreat, create a Matrix on the wall, either using a white or blackboard, or a big piece of paper. If you have the ability to use a projector, you can create an empty matrix in Excel, and project it onto the wall. The matrix you create would contain all of the learning outcomes down the left side, and all of the curricular and experiential requirements (starting with those in the department, but also including those requirements outside of the department).

Then, there are a variety of ways to fill in the matrix. With smaller groups, you would discuss each of the courses and whether (and/or how) the learning outcome is addressed in the course. This leads to a rich discussion of what faculty are covering in their courses, how they are covering material, and clarifies assumptions and expectations. The facilitator would mark the cells for the learning outcomes that are covered in each course either using markers or chalk on the whiteboard, or typing into the Excel program projected on the wall. Depending on the length of conversations, and number of learning outcomes and requirements, faculty might need a few one to two-hour meetings to complete the map.