Project introduction and background information
This project aims to professionalize mathematics lecturers to enhance
their course curricula through stronger constructive alignment between
learning objectives, teaching practices, assessment, and feedback. By
improving this constructive alignment, expectations for successful
participation and learning will become clearer for students, thereby
strengthening their engagement and supporting steady study
progression. Without constructive alignment, expectations remain
implicit and fragmented, preventing students from recognizing what
counts as valid reasoning and mathematical quality. Hence, a lack in
constructive alignment weakens student engagement, slows
progression, and may lead to a lack in study success or even dropout.
Objective and expected outcomes
To achieve the project goal of preparing lecturers for constructively
aligning course curricula, the project establishes a structured, year-long
professional development trajectory. This trajectory integrates mapping
constructive alignment, the redesign of instructional and assessment
practices related to lecturing, classroom implementation, and
systematic reflection, all within the collaborative setting of a
Professional Learning Community (PLC) of lecturers. Practically, each
participating lecturer develops a course specific action plan that
translates the alignment mapping into concrete adjustments in
instruction, assessment, and feedback. Implementation is then
monitored and discussed collaboratively within the PCL, fostering
collaborative reflection, peer support and continuous improvement.