Roundtable: Assessing student learning: Using interdisciplinary synergies to develop good teaching and assessment practice

Sydney Masonic Centre

Tuesday September 4, 2007

Title: An Integrated Curriculum Using Distributed Content

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Author: Katina Michael

School of Information Systems and Technology, University of Wollongong

This paper is concerned with practice, specifically, the implementation of a content management system (CMS) for the design of an integrated curriculum. The paper focuses on continuous assessment and how the notion of distributed content can be leveraged to help students become active learners, better integrate their knowledge, and develop critical thinking and professional skills throughout their candidature. Central to the paper is the idea of online resource sharing, reusable content chunks, metatagging, and customised workflows to aid in the coordination of tasks between stakeholders in achieving an integrated curriculum. In developing robust practices in accordance with overarching university and faculty strategic plans, it is hoped that quality in the curriculum can be demonstrated rather than just paid homage. Beyond the use of a ‘tool’ (i.e. content management) and ‘routines’ (i.e. workflows), it is hoped that the implementation of distributed content will foster a positive culture of sharing and learning on its immediate stakeholders.

Keywords: integrated curriculum, content management system, distributed content, workflows