Use of radar plots for curricular mapping: Defining cape-2013-compatible conceptual regions in a radar-plotted curriculum map

• Published in: Currents in pharmacy teaching and learning Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 220 - 225
• Main Authors: Dintzner, Matthew R., Nemec, Eric C., Tanzer, Kim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-03-2016
• Subjects: Assessment; Bloom’s taxonomy; Curriculum; Mapping; Curriculum; Bloom’s taxonomy; Mapping; Assessment
• ISSN: 1877-1297; 1877-1300
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2015.12.011

To expand on the concept of using radar plots for curricular mapping and assessment by defining regions within the plot based on the three learning domains of Bloom’s revised taxonomy: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.
Each of the ten core competencies (Core Comps) of our program were categorized as cognitive, affective, or psychomotor by aligning their associated learning outcomes with Bloom’s taxonomy of learning. The Core Comps were then re-ordered to define regions within a circular radar plot. The radar plot was used to map the curriculum to the Core Comps and Bloom’s learning domains. Similar radar plots were used to map the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) 2013 outcomes to our Core Comps and Bloom’s learning domains.
Reordering the Core Comps around a radar plot by grouping them into one of three learning domains (cognitive, affective, or psychomotor) enhanced the mapping process by defining three distinct regions within the circular plot.
A strategically ordered radar plot is a visually descriptive framework for curricular mapping—not only for mapping courses or standardized learning outcomes to programmatic competencies, but also to conceptual learning domains.