CHAPTER 2 - SETTING/DEFININF THE CONTEXT (GRAVES)

What is meant by “context” in course design?

Context refers to the specific situation in which a course is taught. It includes information about the people involved, the time available, the physical setting, the teaching resources, and the nature of the course and institution.

Why is context important when designing a course?

The context is important because teachers need information about the situation in order to make decisions about the course. The more information teachers have about the context, the easier it is to decide what to teach and how to teach it.

Why does Graves compare designing a course to designing a house?

Graves compares the two because, just as an architect needs information about the site, the people who will use the house, the budget, the available materials, and the timeline, a teacher needs information about the context in order to design a course that fits that situation.

What does it mean that course design is a “grounded process”?

It means that a course is designed for a specific group of people, in a specific setting, and for a specific amount of time. Therefore, course design needs to be based on the particular context rather than on a generic situation.

What are the main factors that should be considered when defining a context?

The main factors are people, time, physical setting, teaching resources, and the nature of the course and institution.

What information about the students can be relevant to course design?

Teachers may need to consider the number of students, their age, gender, cultures, other languages, purposes, education, profession, and experience. Other stakeholders, such as administrators, parents, funders, and the community, may also be relevant.

What aspects of time should teachers consider?

Teachers should consider how many hours the course has in total, how long the course lasts, how often the class meets, how long each class lasts, the day and time of the classes, how the course fits into students’ schedules, and students’ timeliness.

What physical aspects of the teaching context should teachers consider?

They should consider the location of the school and its convenience and setting, as well as the classroom’s size, furniture, lighting, noise, and whether the class always takes place in the same classroom.

What teaching resources should teachers consider?

They should consider the materials available, whether a particular textbook is required, whether they need to develop their own materials, what equipment is available, such as video or photocopying, and whether clerical support is available.

What aspects of the course and institution are important?

Teachers should consider the type and purpose of the course, whether it is mandatory or open enrollment, its relationship to previous or current courses, whether there is a prescribed curriculum, and whether students have to take particular tests.

Why is it difficult to design a course without information about its context?

Without information such as the students’ level, the length of the course, and where it will take place, it is difficult to judge whether a course design is appropriate or effective.

Why should a teacher not simply design a generic course and adapt it later?

Graves gives David Markus’s experience as an example. When he tried to design a literature course for a generic high-school situation, he found himself surrounded by ideas but without anything concrete to guide his decisions. The lack of a specific context made the course development process unnecessarily difficult.

What are the “givens” of a context?

The “givens” are the resources and constraints of the context that guide teachers’ decisions. Information such as the course length, its purpose, the students, and its relationship to the curriculum helps teachers make decisions about content and objectives.

How can constraints help a teacher?

Although constraints can limit what a teacher can do, they can also help the teacher focus on what is realistic and appropriate. For example, knowing the available time helps determine how much content can realistically be covered.

How can information about resources influence course design?

Knowing what equipment, materials, and support are available helps teachers decide what materials they can use or develop and how much preparation is realistic.

Why can the same type of course require different decisions in different contexts?

Because different groups and situations have different needs and conditions. For example, an EAP course for high-school students may require different topics from an EAP course for adult postgraduates, and a 30-hour course requires different choices from a 60-hour intensive course.

What should a teacher do if they do not have enough information about the context?

The teacher should try to obtain as much information as possible by asking for it, talking to people who have taught in the same context, talking to students who have taken the course, and consulting materials prepared for students.

What are Graves’s three suggestions when teachers have little information about the context?

First, they should try to obtain as much information as possible. Second, they can design the course with a similar group in mind if they have experience with one. Third, they should build flexibility into the course design so that they have more than one option at different stages.

Why is flexibility useful in course design?

Flexibility allows teachers to have several possible topics, tasks, or materials and choose among them as they learn more about their students and their context.

What is “problematizing”?

Graves uses “problematizing” to mean examining what is known about the context and identifying the challenges that the teacher needs and is able to address in order to make the course successful.

What is the purpose of problematizing a course?

Problematizing helps the teacher decide where to start and what to focus on. As the teacher gains more information about the context, the challenges become clearer, making it easier to define and address them.

Does Graves believe there is one “best way” to design a course?

No. He argues that a course must work within the givens of its context and make use of the skills the teacher brings to the course.

What is the relationship between defining context and needs assessment?

Defining the context can be considered part of pre-course needs assessment. Information about students and the curriculum is related to students’ learning needs, while information about factors such as time and setting must also be considered so that the course can address those needs within the conditions of the context.

What can teachers do when they cannot change the whole course or curriculum?

They can adapt the existing curriculum or parts of it to the particular needs of their students. Understanding the context helps teachers identify aspects of the course they can control and change.

What is the main idea of Chapter 2?

Teachers need to understand the specific context in which a course will take place because the context provides both resources and constraints. Understanding these factors allows teachers to identify challenges and make decisions about what and how to teach.