CURRICULUM MAPPING AT THE PROGRAM LEVEL:

A STAND-ALONE LAW SCHOOL

Susan Etta Keller

Professor of Law and

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS:

SOURCES FOR LEARNING OUTCOMES Outcomes Assessment for Law Schools

by Gregory S. Munro (2000) http://lawteaching.org/publications/books/

outcomesassessment/ Carnegie Report Best Practices in Legal Education

http://www.albanylaw.edu/media/user/celt/assessment_excerpts_from_best_practices_for_legal_education.pdf

Other Law Schools: e.g.: http://law.du.edu/documents/assessment-conference/Shaw-Developing-a-Comprehensive-Assessment-Plan.pdf

MAPPING LEARNING OUTCOMES

Once Learning Outcomes are established, a Curriculum Map can help you visually chart the progress students make on the outcomes throughout the curriculum.

Can be done concurrently with development of assessment program. Will help focus assessment plan.

Goals: Determining if students progress appropriately with respect to each outcome, discovering holes, redundancies.

CURRICULUM MAPPINGProgram-level Map

Learning Outcomes

Course or Educational Experience

#1

Course or Educational Experience

#2

#3

Outcome #1

I    R

Outcome #2

R R  A

Outcome #3

  R A

Outcome #4

I A  

  I = introduced, R = reinforced, A = advanced

Great Resource: http://www.lmu.edu/about/services/academicplanning/assessment/Assessment_Resources/Curriculum___Outcome_Maps.htm

WSCL’S INITIAL ATTEMPT…

A=Awareness;U=Use; P=Proficiency;E=Expertise

KEY CHALLENGES:

Knowing rather than guessing at skills taught in each course (or each section of a course)

Minimizing puffery Correctly characterizing the degree of

proficiency Navigating difficult policy decisions when

holes are discovered

INDIVIDUAL COURSE OUTCOME MAP

Greater understanding of what is being taught where

Opportunity to reflect on appropriateness of Outcomes

Opportunity for individual faculty to reflect on goals, activities, and their relationship in individual courses.

New Course Outcomes Puffing may become reality!

BENEFITS OF FACULTY PARTICIPATION IN CURRICULUM MAPPING