Making Great Links In A Topic
What makes a great link between concepts within a topic? Consider three concepts, A, B and C, where for example:
A = Multiplying single digit integers. For example: 2 × 3 = ?
B = Multiplying double digit integers. For example: 11 × 13 = ?
C = Multiplying triple digit integers. For example: 210 × 103 = ?
A good link between concepts would satisfy the following:
- If the student is successful on (B), it proves that they would be successful on (A);
- If the student is unsuccessful on (B), it proves that they will be unsuccessful on (C).
If both conditions are met, then a pre-requisite linking is appropriate:
Pre-Requisite Links Between Topics
During the Concept-Linking step you are encouraged to consider linking concepts within and outside the topic. For example:
Notice that a Pre-requisite link exists between two concepts in completely different Strands:
Strand: Statistics and Probability > Topic: Presenting and Analysing Data > Concept: Pie Charts
Strand: Geometry and Trigonometry > Topic: Synthetic Geometry > Concept: Angles.
Why?
> If a student is successful in an assessment on Pie Charts we have good evidence that they would be successful on Angles, because you need to understand Angles to be able to read and present data in a Pie Chart format. This is a good backward link.
> If a student is unsuccessful in an assessment on Angles we have good evidence that they would be unsuccessful on Pie Charts, because if you fail an assessment on Angles you are missing one of the key skills needed to read data when it’s presented in a Pie Chart. This is a good forward link
Multiple Pre-Requisite Links
It is possible that a single concept can have multiple links. Consider the example from above, Pie Charts. The final map proposed by the SME actually contains three pre-requisite links for Pie Charts, two of which are in different strands/topics:
Rules
Behind the best practices outlined above there are some rules that must be followed for the curriculum map to function. These are:
- A concept cannot be a pre-requisite of itself. This would create a recommendation loop.
- Every concept must be linked to at least on other concept. Failure to do this will create orphan concepts which will never be recommended to users.
- If your product contains additional concepts for students on a higher curriculum, these concepts cannot be pre-requisites for ordinary curriculum concepts.
- If different concepts have different 'Recommended Years of Study' it is important that a concept for Year 4 students is a Pre-Requisite for a concept appropriate to Year 3 students.
> These are important principles of Curriculum Linking. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your Project Lead at Adaptemy to arrange a session.