Course Design Quick Tips

Originally published December 2024

Design with Purpose

We know time is tight as you wrap up your fall courses and prepare for the winter break and the January term. Whether you’re looking to refine an existing course, refresh your approach or start anew, the following three key principles of course design can provide a template for building an engaging and effective learning experience:

• Start with the end in mind: Decide what you want students to know, do, or value by the end of your course (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Intentionally focusing on the endpoint of student learning and understanding helps guide decisions about assessments and activities.
• Consider the context: Understanding the specifics of the course such as class size, the classroom you will be teaching in, level, and modality, as well as students’ prior learning, background knowledge and expectations supports the planning and successful design of a course. Contextual awareness, including a course’s role within the overall program, helps instructors make informed decisions about course content.
• Align learning outcomes, assessments, and activities: When students see a clear connection between their activities, assignments, and the intended learning outcomes, they become more invested in their learning, leading to deeper understanding, and overall success (Biggs, 1996; Biggs, 2012).

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