Discussed during and after the presentation of Ms. Tham Chuey Peng. This blog post is prepared by members of DYOM LC (find more in About Us).

This blog post aims at taking an overview of Design-Your-Own-Module (DYOM) via Group Work with Supervision in AY 2019/2020 and AY 2020/2021. The overview is for awareness and discussion of commonalities, differences and other characteristics of some of the DYOM modules.

Design-Your-Own-Module Learning Community (DYOM LC) discussed the various DYOM via Group Work with Supervision that had been offered in NUS since its inception. This is one of the topics that members of DYOM LC has expressed interest.

These modules are presented in Table 1 (grouped according to the semester they were offered) and Table 2 (grouped according to the host).

Table 1. DYOM via Group Work with Supervision according to the Semester

Table 2. DYOM via Group Work with Supervision according to the Host

Sharing of broad overview of various DYOM opens deeper awareness and interest on the motivation, operationalization, and practices of DYOM. The following points were raised.

1. Awareness Talks & Publicity of DYOM

It was discussed that awareness talks about DYOM would lead to an increase in DYOM topics. For example, when talks were organised to Masters of Halls of Residences and Residential Colleges before the start of AY 2019/2020 Semester 2, there were more topics hosted by Halls of Residences and Residential Colleges. This points to the possibility that there has been interest in pursuing learning flexibly (while earning modular credits) and that awareness talks will inform students and staff that there is DYOM as an avenue.

2. Class Sizes

While a minimum of 10 students is required to start a DYOM, there is no maximum number of students. However, it has been shared through experience that limiting the class-size to 40 students can retain a good learning experience.

3. Student Engagement in Designing the Module

DYOM opens the possibility for students to design the module: intended learning outcomes, assessment tasks, learning activities etc. The level of student engagement in designing the module varies among modules; some modules are driven by students with very little intervention from staff, while some other modules require significant intervention from staff. Many factors may determine the level of student engagement, such as the entrepreneurial and leadership spirit of students who lead the DYOM team. Further study may be pursued about these factors.

4. Student Motivation Taking DYOM

In modules that involve student leaders in residences, one motivation was that some student leaders themselves are keen to have their leadership activities, which they have been doing anyway, be credited. DYOM is a welcomed opportunity to do so, even if it means some extra work. For staff advisors, DYOM provides a platform to bring together student leaders from various halls and afford them the opportunity to learn and discuss about leadership.

In general, the opportunity to learn a topic of interest and the pass-fail grading may be a motivating factor for students to take DYOM.

5. Re-run of DYOM and Taking DYOM across Units

The possibility of re-running DYOM was discussed. While much of the module can be designed like the previous run, some tweaks can be introduced in a re-run.

Furthermore, an idea of taking DYOM across units was discussed. For example, the topic of leadership is popular among student leaders. Some units host DYOM on the topic. Students from other units/faculties, who may also be interested learning about leadership, may not know about the topic being hosted in another unit. This situation may point to the need of publicizing DYOM that are going to run so that students in other units may consider joining. Further study may be pursued about this, including learning how different units conduct DYOM topics that may sound similar.

Closing

Other than the two points for further study (i.e., student engagement and understanding how different units conduct DYOM), another area that may need further consideration is managing the workload in conducting DYOM, as DYOM requires different approach than teaching other modules.

This blog post is prepared by members of DYOM LC (find more in About Us).

This blog post aims at introducing Backward Design to prepare a DYOM.

Wiggins and McTighe (2005) describe a method to designing a module where the learning outcomes are formulated at first. Once the learning outcomes have been formulated, the assessment is designed. Lastly, the learning activities are designed to achieve the intended learning outcomes in a way that allow assessment.

This method has proved successful in a DYOM. This method can be operationalised using the template below.

This blog post is prepared by members of DYOM LC (find more in About Us).

This blog post aims at describing how key study areas were systematically formed from sharing of members of a Learning Community (LC) using Affinity Diagram (AD), a method commonly used in design. The approach was adopted at the initial phase of the LC.

Design-Your-Own-Module Learning Community (DYOM LC) convened to kick start their learning journey. Members of DYOM LC comprise of teaching staff, administrative staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students who have interests and experience in DYOM via group work (National University of Singapore, n.d.).

Gathering of inputs

All members shared their experiences, views, and thoughts about DYOM and had a fruitful discussion. Insights and remarks were ample and nicely set a hopeful and productive atmosphere to kick off their learning journey. Members shared their insights and remarks on an online platform. Like brainstorming, members shared a diverse range of observations, reflections, and queries. The online platform canvas is presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Inputs from members transferred onto an online platform canvas

Analysing inputs

Inputs collated from the members were then systematically analysed using a method called Affinity Diagram (AD), also known as Kawakita-Jiro (K-J) method (Kawakita, 1991) to help make sense of all information gathered and identify key study areas. Through the AD method, main themes were formed through packing and grouping data and relationships among inputs were analysed to draw insightful categorisation (see Figure 2). For this task, steps for the method suggested by Dam & Teo (2020) was adopted.

Figure 2. Grouping of inputs leading to emergence of key study areas

Key areas of study identified

Five key study areas were identified as follows:

_1. What has been helpful in running DYOM

These include various factors that have enhanced DYOM experience, such as:

• • Student-centricity of module design
  • Partnering of students and staff to enhance the teaching and learning experience
  • Collaboration between faculty of different departments to share expertise
  • Self-driven nature of the students, allowing teaching staff to play a supervisory or facilitatory role

Even as these factors have been helpful in DYOM, they may be further studied to understand what make them success factors and how to further leverage on these factors.

_2. Cautions when running DYOM

These include various factors to be considered when running DYOM. Some emerging themes include:

• • Students’ awareness about DYOM
  • Students’ level of motivation
  • Students’ awareness of how to put the module together
  • Importance of the learning environment
  • Contents and modes of assessment from MOOC that can be used as a reference
  • Factors that aid in collaboration between staff and students
  • Criteria of a successful DYOM
  • Measuring the impact of DYOM

_3. Challenges of DYOM

These includes various challenges faced by members in their roles as teaching staff, students, and administrators. Some emerging themes include:

• • Balancing interests of those involved
  • Staff and students having different perspectives and approaches
  • Inclusion of external supervisors

Furthermore, members are keen to further find out (1) the various challenges faced by each member and (2) how each member has (or has not) overcome those challenges.

_4. Frameworks of DYOM

These includes frameworks to enhance DYOM. Students-as-Partners (SaP) framework has been identified and will be explored, while still being open to other frameworks.

_5. Facts about DYOM

These includes information that is of interest regarding DYOM and that can provide perspective about the operationalisation of DYOM, such as:

• • DYOM in NUS across the years (topics, enrolment, organisers, etc.)
  • Feedback about DYOM

Going forward, DYOM LC will pursue these key study areas in the coming months and contribute to enhancement of DYOM.

References

Dam, R. F., & Teo, Y. S. (2020). Affinity Diagrams – Learn How to Cluster and Bundle Ideas and Facts. The Interaction Design Foundation. https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/affinity-diagrams-learn-how-to-cluster-and-bundle-ideas-and-facts.

Kawakita, J. (1991) The Original KJ Method. Tokyo, Japan: Kawakita Research Institute

National University of Singapore. (n.d.). Design Your Own Module. https://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/academic-information-policies/undergraduate-students/design-your-own-module.