Designing Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DeLTA) at SU

DeLTA is a guide towards achieving change in Learning, Teaching and Assessment at Stellenbosch University.

Play Video

A brief video explanation of DeLTA

Being a lecturer involves juggling many responsibilities. There is not one way of understanding teaching, learning and assessment, no master theory or toolkit, no recipe or ten tips. Teaching, learning and assessment cannot be explained by a few key principles that can be applied across a range of contexts. However the DeLTA framework can be used as an organising framework for designing learning, teaching and assessment.

What is DeLTA?

In an attempt to support SU lecturers in their teaching (and learning and assessment) role, the Designing Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DeLTA) process was conceptualised and a resource compiled. The title of the process is the acronym (DeLTA) but Delta is also the mathematical symbol for change and is represented by ∆. The purpose of the process can thus be summarised as a guide towards achieving change in T&L&A@SU. The DeLTA process consists of the following phases:

Outcomes, assessment and design for learning form an integral part of the teaching process that must be aligned. This alignment is referred to as constructive alignment. To read more about constructive alignment, click here:

You can access each of the phases by clicking on the Read more links below.

Designing learning, teaching and assessment process

Curriculum context

This phase is about ensuring that your teaching practice is responsive to the context.

Outcomes

Outcomes are the end goals of the learning process. They are formulated to describe the result of student learning.

Assessment

Assessment is about how well your students achieve the intended learning outcomes.

Design for learning

Learning is about what the students do, not about what you do as the teacher.

Evaluation

This is where you consider whether you have achieved what you had set out to achieve with your module.

Curriculum Context

The point of departure in planning the curriculum is to look at the context within which teaching, learning & assessment will take place. It can also be called the situational or needs analysis.

It is important to take note and be aware of the context on macro-, meso- and micro level. The macro level context includes the external stakeholders for example the industry, employers, professional bodies, higher education, etcetera. The meso level context includes the institutional vision and goals, the rationale for the programme, departmental and disciplinary aspects, available infrastructure, time table, wi-fi, etcetera and the micro level context includes you as a lecturer with your own strengths and weaknesses, and your students with their needs and backgrounds. All these aspects should be taken into account when planning, designing and developing your curriculum.

What are Learning Outcomes?

Outcomes will inform what you teach, how your students learn, and the kinds of assessments you design. The assessments will in turn give you reliable information about whether your students are achieving the learning outcomes. This section consists of the following topics:

Assessment in Higher Education

Assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning process and can be defined as: “the systematic evaluation of a student’s ability to demonstrate the achievement of the learning goals intended in a curriculum” (CHE, 2016).

Design for learning

Learning is an active, cumulative process of knowledge-building, including the attitudes, values and skills that help students develop graduate attributes. The facilitation of meaningful learning, therefore, implies the creation of learning opportunities that will give students access to knowledge and support their own knowledge-building.