Designing the curriculum: complexity, coherence and innovation Introduction 13; Mapping curriculum design 13; Contexts 14; Time 14; Participation 16; Choice of educational approach 17; Constructive alignment 19; Content or outcome requirements 20; Modes of delivery 22; Balancing educational, institutional and practical considerations 23; Imagination, creativity and innovation 25;

Curriculum design should be the cornerstone of effective learning and teaching. However, balancing the demands of the discipline with students’ learning needs and the resources, skills and different approaches of staff is no easy task. In the past, curriculum design has perhaps not received sufficient attention from academics; institutional conventions, tradition and basic notions of content and coverage may have shaped practice. More recent conceptions of curriculum design have taken into account research and models about the nature of learning, the need to respond to national and institutional requirements, practical considerations about students and staff time and resources, contextual factors and the need for imagination and creativity. The different ways in which students learn are explored in Chapter 5. In this chapter the focus is on the way the curriculum is constructed, beginning with a map or visual representation of what this task entails, followed by an exploration of the issues identified. Overall, the task facing curriculum planners is one of managing a complex array of factors which impinge on the design, to produce a programme that is coherent but is also flexible and open to innovation.