Aligning Curriculum and Evidencing Learning Effectiveness Using Semantic Mapping of Learning Assets

Abstract

The ability to evidence learning effectiveness in virtual learning environments for accreditation purposes has posed as a challenge to higher education institutions who offer online courses. Many instructional designers have tried several methods for retrieving learning object, resulting in varying levels of object quality. For institutions who offer online courses and who are initially applying for or seeking renewal accreditation, rigorous alignment of curriculum to goals to learning objects is paramount. To date, there has been no evidence in the literature of this type of semantic mapping to harvest high quality learning objects that further align to course content to learning objects to course goals and objectives. A research and development team at a fully online higher education institution addressed this challenge by employing an open source repository and semantic engine for analysis and alignment of content, materials, and learning activities to goals and objectives across all courses within the School of Business. The result was a highly detailed, accurate mapping of the programs' knowledge base to established goals and objectives. Discussion, conclusions, and future directions are provided.