Curriculum Mapping at UToledo
The process of curriculum mapping helps to identify and address gaps, redundancies, and misalignments for the purposes of program design. Once established, the map may also be used to review and improve the overall coherence, and by extension, the effectiveness of the program. As such, curriculum mapping is also a tool used to inform assessment planning. A curriculum map identifies the alignment of program learning outcomes (PLOs) with teaching—i.e. how well and to what extent faculty match course content taught with learning expectations described in the PLOs.
The UToledo curriculum map template prompts faculty to identify signature assignments,
assignments that require students to demonstrate their proficiency in a specific PLO(s),
which are used to assess student achievement at various times throughout the program
to help inform the curriculum review process. The curriculum map is an extension of
the plan of study, and provides additional details to demonstrate the coherence and
alignment between PLOs, courses, and key assessment points within the curriculum.
Curriculum mapping promotes dialog between faculty members to help:
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- identify and verify where program outcomes are covered in a curriculum,
- identify potential gaps in the curriculum (where a course is not addressing any program outcome, or a program outcome is not developed by any courses within the curriculum),
- identify whether the program outcomes need modification,
- identify best opportunities for assessment, and/or
- to start a discussion of potential changes necessary within the curriculum.
For programs that do not currently have a map, below are links to templates and examples. Programs currently using curriculum maps do not need to use the template and may submit their maps in their current format.
If your department would like assistance in developing a curriculum map, please complete the request form below:
Curriculum Mapping Assistance Request Form
Undergraduate Curriculum Map Template
Graduate Curriculum Map Template
Curriculum mapping may also be used as a tool to align service unit activities and
programs to strategic planning goals and institutional student learning outcomes.
Below is a link to a template and example for service units.
Service Unit Curriculum Map Template
The process of mapping a curriculum should prompt faculty to identify the signature assignments (assignments that require students to demonstrate their proficiency) for their programs. If this process prompts new signature assignments or affects existing alignments, these changes will impact your program’s assessment plan. Follow this link to revise your assessment plan, if needed:
Please use the curriculum mapping process, and the identification of signature assignments
to inform future annual assessment reports.
Additional Resources
Curriculum Mapping Glossary of Terms
Resources for Writing Effective Outcomes Statements