Values‐led curriculum co‐creation: A curriculum re‐innovation case study

Abstract

AbstractPersonal values influence goals and motivate actions. The case study reported in this paper explored whether an understanding of values would provide a useful framework to guide the co‐creation of the undergraduate cognitive psychology curriculum at a UK University. A design team composed of staff and students ran two co‐creation workshops to explore underlying values. These values were translated into curriculum ideas which were then shared via an online survey to students and staff for feedback. The activities revealed a set of values that were salient when imagining future curriculum designs: feeling stimulated, choice and autonomy, developing competence, feeling safe and secure, community and fairness. In addition, a deeper value layer was visible which reflected participants' orientations to learning and education. We describe our process for eliciting values and the intertwined and iterative relationship between value elicitation and a co‐created curriculum. We also reflect on the position of co‐creation within the value landscape of higher education and the social dynamics of staff‐student partnerships. We argue that whilst using values to frame co‐creation allows for deeper insight into how to embed curriculum re‐innovation, it is important to attend to the value system of co‐creation and those who do not participate.