Course Design Blueprint

How do we balance theory and practice in curriculum? 

The balance delivery of theoretical content and opportunities to practice or apply skills is essential. Learning experiences should be designed to encourage skill and role development to enable students to take on a vocational identity with confidence and proficiency. 

Most course will require students to develop discipline specific skills within their curriculum (Integrating practice development needs) . This needs to be carefully planned with skill training closely linked to content on how the skills are best employed. 

Planning how content is scheduled into modules and blocks should take the need to build links between practice as theory into account. 

• Modules might be designed to explicitly include both theory and practice. 
• Where the skill sets or practice training needs would form a significantly smaller element of the curriculum than the theoretical aspects of the curriculum, these could be delivered through Learning Hubs.
• The double block model can be employed to couple a theory and practice module together