Designing Effective Courses
Teaching & Learning Guide
Welcome to the Teaching & Learning Guide for Designing Effective Courses!
This guide includes articles, step-by-step roadmaps, links, and resources designed to help you:
Design a course using the backward design process;
Write a course mission statement;
Write (or review) measurable learning objectives;
Create instructional materials and learning activities;
Assess student success in meeting learning objectives;
Reflect on and improve your instruction;
Request support from your Instructional Design Partner and the Technology Service Desk.
Course Design Workshop
Watch the 10-minute video (with closed captions) below to learn best practices in course design.
Backward Design Overview
Learn how to approach your course planning using Backward Design, a process where you begin with the course objectives and design "backward" from there. Backward design can help bring more intentionality, transparency, and efficacy in achieving learning outcomes to instruction.
Step 1: Summarize Your Goals
Think about what you want students to leave class knowing or being able to do.
What are the big ideas and concepts your students should retain after the course?
Start with a 1-sentence Mission Statement for your course
Step 2: Write or Review Objectives
Consider adding Course Level Objectives and Module Level Objectives
Course Level Objectives are goals for the entire course
Module Level Objectives should build toward Course Level Objectives
Step 3: Determine Acceptable Evidence
Before you plan your materials and activities, reflect on what would constitute evidence of student success.
Step 4: Create Instructional Materials and Activities
Consider how you will convey the necessary information and skills to students. Instructional materials might include:
Lectures (written, video, or in person)
Readings
Graphs, Charts or Tables
Videos
Step 5: Assess Student Success
Assessment determines whether the learning objectives have been met.
All objectives and assessments should be clearly stated throughout the course.
Evidence is not necessarily grades. It could be shown in oral and written work, interpretations, application of knowledge, demonstrations of perspective, displaying empathy, and showing meta-cognitive awareness.
Step 6: Reflect on Instruction
Since instructor planning has been intentional, assessing what can be improved is essential to the process
Instructors can continue to plan and implement their role strategically
A Note about Adapting Course Material You Already Have
Go back to Learning Objectives as you review your materials
Break your materials down into smaller sections
Turn longer text into checklists, bullet point lists, and simple review sheets
Keep only content that is relevant to your Course Objectives and consider moving the rest to an Appendix
Next, we will work through each step of Backward Design in more detail. Download or make a copy of the Course Design Worksheet below to follow along.
Course Design Worksheet
Click the image to open the worksheet or make a copy to your own Google Drive.
Write Your Course Mission Statement
The course mission statement is similar to a thesis statement for an essay or a mission statement for a business. It should summarize your goals for the course and use clear language to state what students will be able to do or know at the end of the course.
Example of a course mission statement:
At the end of the course, students will demonstrate effective writing and engage in the writing process themselves.
Course- and Module-Level Objectives
You may already have objectives written for your course. You can log in and search the TWU Course Information Management system to find your course and review the available information, which may include the course's Measurable Student Learning Outcomes. If you need clarification or additional information, contact your academic component leadership.
If your course does not already have clear, measurable course-level objectives, use your mission statement to write them. A well-designed course will include both course-level objectives and module-level objectives. Course level objectives are goals for the entire course. Module-level objectives should build toward course-level objectives.
As you write objectives, keep in mind that you should use words that layout measurable actions. Words that are not measurable include "learn," "know," and "understand."
Examples of measurable objectives:
Demonstrate active reading strategies
Analyze written works for their structure and rhetorical effectiveness
Demonstrate an effective process for inventing, drafting, revising, and editing written work
Write clear essays in accordance to academic writing conventions
Create Instructional Materials
Consider how you will convey the necessary information to students. Think about the best methods of instruction to accomplish your objectives. For example, if your objectives is for students to be able to write essays, instructional materials should focus on the writing process.
Consider also the order of your instructional materials. They should build knowledge and skills sequentially.
Examples of instructional materials:
Lectures (written, video, or in person)
Readings
Graphs, charts, or tables
Videos
Create Learning Activities
Consider what kind of learning activities will help students learn skills and knowledge needed to achieve learning objectives. Think carefully about how activities will help students meet learning objectives. For example, if your objective is for students to be able to write essays, asking students to take a quiz is probably not a helpful learning activity.
Examples of learning activities:
Quizzes
Practice Problems
Games
Presentations
Essays or Papers
Free writes
Worksheets
Lab Projects
Assess Student Success
Assessment determines whether the learning objectives have been met. All objectives and assessments should be clearly stated throughout the course so that students know how they are being assessed. When assessing mastery, consider whether someone not familiar with the course would be able to say whether a student was successful based on the work they've submitted. Remember that evidence is not necessarily grades!
Examples of assessment:
Oral and written work
Interpretations
Application of knowledge
Demonstrations of perspective, displaying empathy, and showing meta-cognitive awareness
Reflect on Instruction
According to the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching, "Learning assessment is like a magnifying glass we hold up to students' learning to discern whether the teaching and learning process is functioning well or is in need of change" (2019). Since instructor planning has been intentional, assessing what can be improved is essential to the process. Instructors can continue to plan and implement their role strategically. Backwards design is a cyclical, rather than a linear process.
Examples of reflective questions:
What worked in the course?
Did the majority of students meet the learning objectives?
What might be improved? Instructional materials? Activities?
References
Bowen, Ryan S., (2017). Understanding by Design. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/understanding-by-design
Combs, K., GIbson, S., Hays, J., Saly, J., & Wendt, J. (2008). Enhancing curriculum and delivery: linking assessment to learning objectives. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33:1, 87-102, DOI: 10.
Dixson, M. (2010). Creating effective student engagement in online courses: What do students find engaging? Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Vol. 10, No. 2, June, pp. 1 – 13.
Herrington, J., Oliver, R., & Reeves, T. (2002). Patterns of Engagement in Authentic Online Learning Environments. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 19, no. 1, 279-286.
Vai, M., & Sosulski, K. (2015). Essentials of Online Course Design: A Standards-Based Guide. New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis.
Wroten, C. (2014, 01 09). 4 Tips For Content Chunking In e-Learning. Retrieved from eLearning Industry: https://elearningindustry.com/4-tips-for-content-chunking-in-e-learning
Resources for Instructors at TWU
Instructional Design Partners
Instructional Design Partners in the Center for Development, Design, & Delivery design and present learning solutions to continually enhance institutional and instructor performance. We collaborate closely with instructors to translate course objectives into meaningful, customized courses tailored to each instructor’s specific needs, leveraging an aptitude for design and development, along with excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
Our technical expertise encompasses a range of programs and best practices, including Canvas, Quality Assurance, Universal Design, and more. Instructional Designers partner with academic components to answer questions about teaching and learning in one-on-one consultations, small group work, symposia, and workshops.
Technical Support
To request technical support, submit a Technology Service Desk email to start a ticket.