{"id":10117,"date":"2026-10-05T14:49:26","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T13:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/education-development-toolkit\/?page_id=10117"},"modified":"2026-10-11T21:05:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T20:05:54","slug":"module-and-session-design","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/education-development-toolkit\/module-and-session-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Module and Session Design"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

This page introduces you to the core principles and activities when designing for modules, and for individual sessions. It follows on from the previous Programme Scoping and Programme Design pages.<\/p>\n

The first module design section is for those who act as a module lead, or for those who wish to understand the process of designing a suite of related individual sessions; for example, for Libraries, Student Futures or Student Support. The second Session Design section is for anyone who wishes to learn more about a structured process to designing sessions that are engaging, inclusive and effective.<\/p>\n

Aligned to PSF: V1, V2, A1<\/p>\n

You can develop your understanding of Module Design by engaging with our related workshop, \u2018‘Designing your Module for Effective, Inclusive Learning and Teaching.<\/a> Session design is covered in our workshop Designing for Engaging and Active Learning<\/a>. Find out more on the Cardiff LTA CPD page.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

On This Page<\/h3>\n

Module Design<\/a><\/p>\n

Session Design<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Module Design<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n

Designing a module is both a privilege and a responsibility; and an art and a craft. It involves a range of skills and knowledge of the learning process, awareness of the implications and challenges of assessment and feedback, and the design of inclusive, creative teaching approaches that engage, inspire and support your learners to develop and achieve.<\/p>\n

The core concept of any design process is that the planned module learning outcomes, the assessment and feedback strategies, and the teaching approaches used in individual sessions are constructively aligned<\/em>: that is, that teaching, approaches, learning activities, and assessment must all be deliberately aligned to the intended learning outcomes (Biggs, Tang and Kennedy 2022). In practice, this means that module learning outcomes, content, and assessment tasks are developed concurrently, with each element reinforcing the others.<\/p>\n

\"Shows<\/figure>\n

Figure: Constructive Alignment as a Holistic Interactive System. (Adapted from Biggs, Tang and Kennedy 2022: 97)<\/p>\n

Linking Learning Outcomes and Assessment: Constructive Alignment<\/h4>\n

Learning outcomes (LOs) determine what learners need to do<\/em>, to demonstrate their learning. As such we use \u2018backwards design\u2019 (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005): identifying the end goal, and then designing the module to support our learners to achieve that goal.<\/p>\n

\n

\n Chevron right<\/title>\n <\/path>\n<\/svg> Designing Module Learning Outcomes (expand to learn more)<\/h2>

LOs are normally made up of three elements:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A verb<\/span> to define the specific action that learners to demonstrate their learning.<\/li>\n
  2. A\u00a0subject,<\/span> to specify the subject material you want the learning to cover.<\/li>\n
  3. The\u00a0context\u00a0of the learning.<\/span> This reflects the standard required to pass the module as reflected in your assessment and\/or marking criteria.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Let\u2019s see that in practical terms:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. An\u00a0action\u00a0<\/span>that can be verified empirically, by \u2018the evidence of your eyes and ears\u2019;<\/li>\n
    2. A\u00a0subject:<\/span> the given;<\/li>\n
    3. Performance criteria\u00a0<\/span>which contextualises the learning (may be implicit).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Examples:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Outline<\/span>\u00a0the structure, functions and physiological processes of human tissues and organs<\/span> where relevant to patient care.<\/span>\u00a0(Level 4 module)<\/li>\n
      • Recognise\u00a0<\/span>the effects of anxiety on pain perception and on the individual\u2019s ability to cope with dental interventions.<\/span> (Level 5 module)<\/li>\n
      • Effectively\u00a0communicate<\/span>\u00a0complex information and arguments\u00a0to diverse audiences,<\/span> either individually or collaboratively as part of a team<\/span>. (Level 6 module)<\/li>\n
      • Demonstrate\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0systematic and critical\u00a0understanding\u00a0<\/span>of\u00a0how findings from studies of associative learning in animals can be explained by currently influential theories of associative learning.<\/span>\u00a0(Level 7 module)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

         <\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div><\/div>\n

        Module learning outcomes should always be assessable, so their wording needs to reflect the skills and behaviours students should be able to demonstrate on successful completion of the module: we cannot know if learners \u2018understand\u2019 a concept, so LOs describe what learners will do<\/em>, to demonstrate that they understand.<\/p>\n

        They should also be inclusive, so should not identify any action that cannot be subject to a reasonable adjustment, which might exclude learners under the Equality Act, such as disabled learners, apart from those that are a competence standard for the programme. For example, you would only use \u2018Present complex information verbally\u2026\u2019 if this is a core competence: otherwise you might use \u2018Communicate\u2026\u2019 and enable an alternative assessment as a reasonable adjustment, such as a written piece. You can find out more in our CPD workshop, \u2018Disability and Reasonable Adjustments\u2019.<\/p>\n

        Module learning outcomes reflect the actions students must complete to pass <\/em>the module: the level of success in achieving the outcome, outlined in the marking criteria, determines the grade. You can find more detail on assessment design and marking criteria on our assessment for learning pages.<\/p>\n

        This accessible short recording explains constructive alignment:<\/p>\n