Lesson 3: Constructive Alignment

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you must have:
 explained the meaning of constructive alignment.
 drawn the implications of constructive alignment in the teaching-learning process.
 critiqued the constructive alignment of a lesson plan in Filipino.

Introduction
CHED Memo 46, S.2012 mandates outcomes-based education (OBE) standards for
higher education institutions. The enhanced Basic Education Curriculum, more popularly
called the K to 12 Curriculum of the Department of Education, introduced content
standards, performance standards and competencies in the K to 12 Curriculum Guide. The
Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) used competency standards in its
Training Regulations long before CHED talked about OBE and before DepED introduced its K
to 12 standards and competencies.
Meaning of OBE
OBE stands for outcomes-based education. It is an education that is anchored and
focused on outcomes. It is a student-centered approach to education that focuses on the
intended learning outcomes resulting from instruction (Nicholson 2011, as mentioned by
Corpuz, 2015). It is an approach in planning, delivering and assessing instruction. It is
concerned with planning instruction that is focused on outcomes, choosing methodology
that leads to the intended outcomes and an assessment process that determines the
attainment of intended outcomes.
 ACTIVATE

Instructions: Answer the question below.

How important is the coherence of the teaching and learning activities and assessment
methods to the learning outcomes intended to be achieved by the students? Explain your
answer.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________.

ACQUIRE

Elements of Constructive Alignment

Advance Organizer
 Constructive alignment is an outcomes-based approach to teaching which is based
on two principles: constructivist psychology, which posits that students construct their
knowledge through appropriate learning activities; and curriculum theory, which posits that
optimal learning is achieved when teaching and assessment methods are aligned to the
learning outcomes that it is intended students are to achieve. Students are thus encouraged
to engage in learning activities that are relevant in achieving that outcome. Teaching focuses
on what students are intended to do after they have learned the curriculum topics.
The goal of constructive alignment then, is to support students in developing as
much meaning and learning as possible from a well- designed, coherent, and aligned
course. Courses are congruent and coherent in an explicit way when there is good fit and
flow between a course’s intended learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities, and
assessments of student learning (Biggs, 2014).

As developed and defined by John Biggs  (2014), Constructive Alignment involves:

 Thoughtfully determining intentions for what students should learn and how they
will demonstrate their achievement of these intended learning outcomes, and
clearly communicating these to students;
 Designing teaching and learning activities so that students are optimally engaged
in achieving these learning outcomes; and
 Creating assessments that will allow students to demonstrate their attainment of
the learning outcomes and allow instructors to discern how well these outcomes
have been achieved.
The framework of constructive alignment is represented in the University's recommended approach
to unit design:

1. Identify the intended learning outcomes

2. Design assessment tasks to measure attainment of the learning outcomes
3. Plan learning activities to enable students to develop the skills, knowledge and
understandings described in the intended learning outcomes and measured by assessment
4. Choose the content (topics/examples/resources/materials) required to support the learning
activities
 APPLY

Instruction: Apply your learning from the inputs provided and from your own readings by
answering the questions below.

1. As prospective Filipino teacher, how do you ensure the constructive alignment in planning
a lesson?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________.

ASSESS

Instructions: Have a copy of a lesson plan in Filipino. Make a 3-page (750 words) evaluation
of that plan. Critique the coherence of the learning outcomes, teaching and learning
activities and assessment method/s. Discuss its strengths and weaknesses according to the
principle of constructive alignment. You may mention how you would modify the lesson to
observe alignment. Consider the rubric below in making your critique. (Attach the screen
shot of the lesson plan).
 Name/Group: _____________________ Class Schedule: __________

Date: ______________________

Rubric for Critique Paper

Outstanding Very Good Good Satisfactory Unacceptable

5 4 3 2 1
Judicious choice of All relevant Enough critical Most Some critical
details, details details presented important details missing,
Appropriate maximizes presented, but for details unnecessary
details interest and details not understanding included but details present
understanding critical to may include
understanding too much or
omitted too little detail
All relevant for easy
 details presented understanding
Most important
details included
but may include
too much or
too little detail
for easy
understanding
Writer's Clearly Evaluation Good attempt at Some attempt Few attempt at
evaluation articulated, well includes evaluating some at evaluation, evaluation,
of supported positive value of coherence, comments comments valid
the study statements of study as well as strengths, valid but not but not
Writer's coherence, clearly weaknesses, and necessarily necessarily well
evaluation of strengths, supported revisions of the well supported
the plan weaknesses and explanation of plan supported
possible revisions shortcomings Some
of the plan Evaluation statements in
includes positive evaluating
value of study as coherence,
well as strengths,
clearly weaknesses
supported and revisions of
explanation of the plan
shortcomings
Evaluation
includes positive
value of study as
well as
clearly
supported
explanation of
shortcomings
Evaluation
includes
statements of
coherence,
strengths,
weaknesses, and
revisions of the
plan
Overall Overall purpose of Overall purpose Overall purpose Overall purpose Major sections
organization the critiquing of the critiquing of the critiquing of the critiquing missing or lack of
clearly stated; clearly stated; clearly stated; clearly stated; logical flow
seemingly logical flow easy most of possibly some
effortless and to follow presentation awkwardness in
seamless logical flows logically logical flow
flow
Clarity of Sophisticated use All explanations Most Overall Serious difficulty
explanations of language clear and easy to explanations meaning is explaining ideas,
maximizes understand, clear and easy to understandable major factual
interest and factually correct understand, ; possibly some errors; lack of
 comprehension; mostly factually areas of slight comprehensibility
explanations very correct confusion or
clear, factually minor factual
correct errors
Writing Clear sentence easy to read Good basic Mostly basic, Serious errors
style structure, but writing style, writing style, correct writing and
with 1-3 errors in well- practiced easy to read, few style, relatively awkwardness,
grammar and/or and polished use errors, almost few errors and excessive use of
spelling of language but entirely in little quotation in place
still with 4-6 writer's own awkwardness, of author's own
errors in words words, excessive
grammar and/or paraphrasing
spelling