Rethinking Program Assessment Through The Use Of Program Alignment Mapping Technique

Curriculum mapping is a well-known assessment tool used to articulate and align a curriculum. The authors present an improved method of curriculum alignment that combines the traditional curriculum mapping with what is often called prerequisite mapping. This improved method of curriculum alignment mapping we label Program Alignment Mapping (PAM) offers the added value of (1) identifying the different points of assessment for each learning benchmark, (2) showing the logic behind developmentally sequenced course offerings, and (3) allowing for the diagnostic identification of sequential errors or "holes'' in a curriculum. Using a case study approach, the authors discuss the utility and versatility of this revised method.