Practical Course Design Methods
Aligning Outcomes, Assessments, and Instruction
When we teach, we engage in two closely related, but distinct, activities.
First, we design the course by gathering information and making a number of decisions about the way the course will be taught.
Second, we engage in teacher-student interactions as we implement the course we have designed.
The concept of Teacher-Student Interaction as used here is a broad one that includes lecturing, leading discussions, running labs, advising, communicating by email, etc. In order to teach well, one must be competent in both course design and teacher-student interactions.
However, of these two activities, our ability to design courses well is usually the most limiting factor. Most of us have had little or no training in how to design courses. In addition during the last two decades, research on college teaching and learning have led to some new ideas about course design that have, in essence, “raised the bar” in terms of what is possible. These include ideas such as active learning, significant learning, and educative assessment. How can college teachers learn about and take advantage of these ideas?
An important consideration when designing a learning experience, course, or program is to ensure assessments and instructional strategies are aligned with the intended learning outcomes (Biggs & Tang, 2011; Maki, 2010). Creating an aligned design focuses instructional strategies on development of knowledge, skills, and values while providing formative feedback and preparing learners for formal assessment.
Some Methods
Designing Significant Learning Experiences (L. Dee Fink)
L. Dee Fink is the author of the book 'Designing Significant Learning Experiences' and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (LEARN! Academy) uses the ideas of the author and his approach to course design as central point in the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ).
The UTQ (Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs, BKO in Dutch) is a proof of teaching skills for university teaching staff, which allows the teacher to demonstrate a proven ability to develop and teach courses at university level. It is recognized by all Dutch universities. LEARN! Academy offers various programmes leading to the UTQ. Which one of these is most suitable for you will depend on your teaching experience, any teaching qualifications you may already possess and how much time you have available. See this page for an overview and to sign up.
The main reasons to use the method of Designing Significant Learning Experiences is that it provides a practical structured method for designing courses (three main design phases), as well as emphasizes course design to aims to engage students as much as possible and urges each course design to also include learning outcomes to develop oneself and to develop societal values. For that purpose, L. Dee Fink promotes to use the Taxonomy of Significant Learning. Finally, the method uses the concept of In-class Activities end Out-of-Class activities to structure courses.
The most straightforward way to learn about the method is the Self-Directed Guide to Designing Significant Learning Experiences.
The Self-Directed Guide is intended to introduce a useful and systematic process for designing courses. It is based on the same components found in most models of instructional design, but it assembles these components into a relational, integrated model rather than a linear one.
Among other benefits, this model provides clear criteria for determining when a course design is a good design. The Guide consists of introductory comments, worksheets, and action questions in each of the three major phases of Integrated Course Design:
INITIAL DESIGN PHASE: Build Strong Primary Components
Step 1. Identify important situational factors
Step 2. Identify important learning goals (see Taxonomy of Significant Learning)
Step 3. Formulate appropriate feedback and assessment procedures (see also information on Larner-Centred Assessment)
Step 4. Select effective teaching/learning activities (see also ABC Learning Design method further on this page)
Step 5. Make sure the primary components are integrated
INTERMEDIATE DESIGN PHASE: Assemble the Components into a Coherent Whole
Step 6. Create a thematic structure for the course
Step 7. Select or create an instructional strategy
Step 8. Integrate the course structure and the instructional strategy to create an overall scheme of learning activities
FINAL DESIGN PHASE: Finish Important Remaining Tasks
Step 9. Develop the grading system
Step 10. De-Bug possible problems
Step 11. Write the course syllabus (see also this information)
Step 12. Plan an evaluation of the course and of your teaching
ABC Learning Design method (developed by University College London)
ABC is an effective and engaging hands-on workshop that has been trialled with great success over a range of programmes. In just 90 minutes using a game format, teams are able to work together to create a visual ‘storyboard’ outlining the type and sequence of learning activities (both online and offline) required to meet the module’s learning outcomes. ABC is particularly useful for new programmes or those changing to an online or more blended format.
ABC is an open source initiative so every institution can use the method and the developen tools.
Please watch the video's below to introduce yourself to the ABC method.
ABC Learning Design Toolkit Videos
Part 1 General Introduction to ABC
Part 2 The ABC LD method
ABC LD Table set up
ABC LD Resources - Toolkist - Cards etc.
Frequently Asked Questions ABC method
ABC FAQ 1 Why was ABC developed?
ABC FAQ 2 How was your distinctive ABC format chosen?
ABC FAQ 3 Why do you emphasise strategic context?
ABC FAQ 4 What is important about post workshop support?
ABC LD FAQ 5 What different types of ABC there are?
ABC LD FAQ 6 How do you work with students?
ABC LD FAQ 7 How has ABC spread beyond UCL?
ABC LD FAQ 8 What does the ‘localisation’ of ABC mean?
ABC LD FAQ 9 What has the evaluation of ABC shown?
ABC LD FAQ 10 How do you see ABC developing in the future?
Want to get an online experience?
Check out this interactive website of the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and click on Thinking Tool.
Other Examples
This tip sheet uses Bloom's Taxonomy to demonstrate how different strategies and assessments align with various levels of the cognitive domain's hierarchy. Examples have been provided for each of Waterloo's six Faculties.
Click on one of the tabs below the table to see different examples of possible learning activities.
References
Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university (4th ed.). Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.
Dee Fink, L. (2003). Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses. Jossey-Bass.
Maki, P. (2010). Assessing for learning: Building a sustainable commitment across the institution. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Young, C., Perovic, N. (2016). Rapid and Creative Course Design: As Easy as ABC? Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. Volume 228, pages 390 – 395 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187704281630 9843?via%3Dihub