Before you start the curriculum mapping process, there are some important points to consider:
Detailed Preparation
If faculty are reluctant to be involved and you have enough time of your own, librarians can do substantial work to facilitate the process:
References
For full citations, see References and Resources page.
Bullard, K.A. & Holden, D.H. (2006), 1.
Harden, R.M. (2001), 130.
Kopera-Frye, K., Mahaffy, J., & Svare, G.M. (2008), 12.
There are some challenges to keep in mind when working on curriculum mapping.
The curriculum mapping process can take a lot of time for both the librarian and the faculty members. This demand for time and human resources can often be used as an argument against curriculum mapping. However, planning in advance and adapting the process could help with this issue.
Microsoft Excel or Access can be used effectively for curriculum mapping, but there are also other software options available. Some schools have also developed their own in-house software. The choice of technology to be used will depend on the scale of the curriculum mapping project, the time and human resources committed, and the technical expertise of those involved.
Curriculum mapping can be easily applied to programs in which the students have little choice or deviation in the classes they take, such as some professional programs. The more flexibility a program allows for, the more difficult it can be to map, as students may choose courses that result in gaps or overlaps in their skill development. This challenge requires alternative mapping strategies, which could involve focusing the mapping on required courses, or providing students with the means of mapping the skills in their own program of study.
Faculty might be resistant to the idea of curriculum mapping because of the time commitment involved, which they might feel is not feasible on top of their teaching and research workload, or they may see it is an administrative burden. However, curriculum mapping can be adapted to meet different needs.
Faculty might also feel uncertainty or anxiety because they could interpret curriculum mapping as a means of assessing their teaching, course content, or the quality of their information literacy instruction. It is important to address this possible concern by assuring faculty of your intentions for collaboration and integration, rather than evaluation.
Finally, faculty might also consider curriculum mapping to be irrelevant to their courses or programs, if they do not include research assignments or cover any research skills. If met with this kind of resistance, a librarian has an opportunity to have a discussion with faculty about how to incorporate research and information literacy into their courses, and they can work together on developing shared goals.
References
For full citations, see References and Resources page.
Kopera-Frye, K., Mahaffy, J., & Svare, G.M. (2008), 13.
Sumsion, J. & Goodfellow, J. (2004), 334-36.
Tariq, V.N., Scott, E.M., Cochrane, A.C., Lee, M., & Ryles, L. (2004), 78.
Willett, T.G. (2008), 788, 790.
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