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Effective Course Design

When preparing or revising course outlines, remember:

    1. Descriptive overview of course
      • Have you provided the 'big picture' of what students will be learning - concepts, themes and issues?
      • Relationship of this course to previous and future learning?
    2. Prerequisites
      • Have you identified prior required learning - as prerequisite courses or concepts?
    3. Learning Outcomes and Abilities
      • Have you provided a clear statement of learning outcomes or abilities which will be developed in this course?
      • Consider significant knowledge, skills and attitudes.
      • Have you clarified linkages between course content and course outcomes?
    4. Assessments and Assignments
      • Have you clearly explained assignments and assessments to ensure that students are able to complete them satisfactorily?
      • Explained how assessment criteria link to the learning outcomes (or how assignments will be assessed)?
      • Weighting of each assignment relative to the assessment total?
      • Enough advance notice of assessments and assignments?
      • Have you included opportunities for student self-assessment, when appropriate?
    5. Instructor expectations
      • Clear expectations regarding attendance, deadlines and classroom participation?
      • Have you told students when, how and why they could and should contact you?
      • Departmental or institutional expectations?
      • Consequences?
    6. Texts and Materials
      • Which are required? recommended?
      • Have you indicated a (tentative) schedule of readings?
      • Items on reserve?
      • Process?
    7. Schedule of classes
      • Time frame (tentative) explaining the planned learning process?
      • Have you explained how the learning experiences are developmental over the semester?
      • Does your schedule of classes provide both predictability and flexibility?
      • Have you incorporated a variety of presentation strategies?
      N. Randall, June 1998, adapted from Producing a Syllabus, Alverno, 1994.

     

To learn more, please see the resources below.

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a a Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom
Charles C. Bonwell and James A. Eison, National Teaching and Learning Forum
A concise research-based article which addresses these active learning questions: What is active learning and why is it important, and how can active learning be incorporated in the classroom?
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a a Active Learning
Kathleen McKinney, Illinois State University
Discusses benefits and drawbacks of active learning and provides wide-ranging examples of in-class active learning processes.
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a a Evaluating and improving undergraduate teaching in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
National Research Council (NRC), Center for Education (CFE)
This report recommends a set of strategies to evaluate undergraduate teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It is based on a study conducted by a National Research Council (NRC) committee charged with synthesizing relevant research in pedagogy and practice.