Course Design and Planning
This collection of resources is designed to support instructors in planning purposeful, student-centered learning experiences. From writing clear and transparent course outcomes to designing daily lessons that promote engagement and deeper understanding, each resource offers practical tools grounded in research and effective teaching strategies. You’ll find guidance on aligning course goals with assessments, scaffolding content to support novice learners, and fostering higher-order thinking through Bloom’s Taxonomy. Additional materials explore how expert thinking differs from novice learning and how to bridge that gap. The Designing College Courses video series introduces the Backward Design model, helping instructors shift from content coverage to meaningful student learning. Whether you're designing a new course or refining an existing one, these resources can help you create more coherent, intentional, and effective instruction.
Communicating Course Outcomes to Students
Clearly articulating course outcomes helps students understand expectations, focus their efforts, and stay aligned with learning goals throughout the semester.
Effective instruction begins with intentional planning. This video highlights the importance of aligning course goals, organizing learning experiences, incorporating student practice, and identifying evidence of learning.
Scaffolding Content for Student Learning
Scaffolding is key to helping students move from basic understanding to deeper mastery. This video shows how thoughtfully sequencing and supporting content can increase clarity, confidence, and student success.
Helping Students Develop Higher-Order Thinking Skills
Bloom’s Taxonomy illustrates a hierarchy of cognitive processes and is often an underlying component
of educational work. This taxonomy is a valuable resource that can help instructors align lectures, assignments, and exams with course goals.
Experts and Novices: Connections Make the Difference
As experts, instructors create and maintain a complex mental network of important facts, concepts, and procedures related to their content area. Learn strategies for helping novice learners make the same important connections.
Designing College Courses Video Series
The Backward Design model will help you create courses that are focused on student learning and understanding, rather than on covering content or following a textbook. This approach shifts the focus from “What am I going to teach today?” to “What are students going to learn today?” It will also help you ensure that your courses are coherent, relevant, and engaging for students.