Optimizing interfaces and inner faculty discussions: Toward a transparent design of engineering curricula

The modularisation of study programs due to the Bologna Process leads to a growing number of selection choices and an increasing flexibility in the individual curriculum design. This allows students to develop more specific profiles of competences. In order to check whether their individual curricula are consistent, students need to know the requirements (inputs) and acquired competences (outputs) of the single modules and how these are related to other modules. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the transparency of the interfaces and to reveal the interconnection between the different modules. For the evaluation of module interfaces, module outcomes need to be available in a catalogable configuration. Hence we elaborated a revised taxonomy and a tabular approach for the classification of learning outcomes, which allows the comparison of learning outcomes of different modules. Using this approach, we developed a web-based contend management tool for the analysis of module interfaces. Therein module interfaces are gathered, visualised, and analysed. The paper exemplarily shows the corresponding workflow and the resulting opportunities based on an engineering study program. It presents the underlying theoretical concept, including the revised taxonomy for the classification of learning outcomes, and discusses the technical implementation. Revealing the interconnections between the different modules, the tool holds benefits for students and teachers. Based on analysing conflicts at module interfaces, teachers can improve the design of their modules by adapting the content, the order of the topics and the sequence of the modules in the curriculum.