CPI Curriculum Mapping & Alignment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When conducting a backward design curriculum map, which step comes FIRST?
- Write daily lesson plans
- Identify desired learning outcomes (Correct answer)
- Select instructional materials
- Choose assessment formats
Correct answer: Identify desired learning outcomes
Backward design begins by identifying the desired results (outcomes) before planning instruction or assessments.
Question 2: A curriculum map that shows what is taught in each course across a program is best described as which type of alignment?
- Vertical alignment
- Horizontal alignment (Correct answer)
- Diagonal alignment
- Spiral alignment
Correct answer: Horizontal alignment
Horizontal alignment ensures consistency in what is taught across different courses or sections at the same level.
Question 3: Which tool is most commonly used to visually display the relationship between course objectives and program-level outcomes?
- Gantt chart
- Curriculum matrix (Correct answer)
- SWOT analysis
- Affinity diagram
Correct answer: Curriculum matrix
A curriculum matrix (or alignment matrix) maps course-level objectives against program outcomes to show coverage and gaps.
Question 4: In curriculum alignment, 'congruence' refers to the degree to which:
- Students agree with course content
- Taught content, assessments, and standards match (Correct answer)
- Instructors follow the same schedule
- Learning materials are up to date
Correct answer: Taught content, assessments, and standards match
Congruence in curriculum alignment means that what is taught, how it is assessed, and the governing standards are all in agreement.
Question 5: A CPI instructor notices that the same foundational concept is taught in three separate courses without building complexity. This is a problem of:
- Over-assessment
- Lack of vertical alignment (Correct answer)
- Redundant horizontal alignment
- Bloom's taxonomy mismatch
Correct answer: Lack of vertical alignment
Lack of vertical alignment occurs when content does not progressively build upon prior knowledge across levels.
Question 6: Standards-based curriculum mapping requires that each unit's objectives be traceable to which anchor document?
- The instructor's syllabus
- Adopted content standards or competency frameworks (Correct answer)
- The course textbook's table of contents
- The institution's accreditation report
Correct answer: Adopted content standards or competency frameworks
Standards-based mapping explicitly links every unit objective back to recognized content standards or competency frameworks.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes 'curriculum compacting' in the context of mapping?
- Reducing total course hours to save budget
- Streamlining content for advanced learners to avoid redundancy (Correct answer)
- Combining two courses into one semester
- Removing outdated units from the map
Correct answer: Streamlining content for advanced learners to avoid redundancy
Curriculum compacting adjusts pacing and content for learners who have already mastered certain objectives, eliminating unnecessary repetition.
CPI Curriculum Mapping & Alignment 2
When conducting a backward design curriculum map, which step comes FIRST?