Since arriving at Hearltand, I've been providing the technical support to help you get started with Canvas. This is mainly the development process and not so much the design. We have been focusing on developing because Canvas is new and we are migrating away from Blackboard. However, now that the semester has started, I wanted to take some time to reflect on why designing a course is the most valuable part of teaching and learning.
There are various tools that can help you map you course such as flow charts, tables and other graphical interfaces.
At Heartland, I have implemented a course mapping process that gives you the opportunity to design, align and reflect on critical course components. Course mapping, as a step in the curriculum mapping process (Jacobs, 2004), offers faculty new pathways to meet shared outcomes. The five principles of curriculum design (Fink, 2003) inform the development of learning experiences that are structured in such a way that they scaffold student thinking and progressively move them toward the desired course outcomes. A course should: (1) challenge students to higher level learning; (2) use active forms of learning; (3) give frequent and immediate feedback to students on the quality of their learning; (4) use a structured sequence of different learning activities; and (5) have a fair system for assessing and grading students. In addition, employing the principles of backward design, we can (1) provide more relevant and meaningful learning experiences; (2) ensure that the required course outcomes are met; and (3) prepare students to perform successfully on their final assessment. One starts with the end—the desired results (goals or standards)—and then “derives the curriculum from the evidence of learning (performances) called for by the standard and the teaching needed to equip students to perform” (Wiggins & McTighe, 2000). Course mapping, as a step in the curriculum mapping process (Jacobs, 2004), offers faculty new pathways to meet shared outcomes. The five principles of curriculum design (Fink, 2003) inform the development of learning experiences that are structured in such a way that they scaffold student thinking and progressively move them toward the desired course outcomes. A course should: (1) challenge students to higher level learning; (2) use active forms of learning; (3) give frequent and immediate feedback to students on the quality of their learning; (4) use a structured sequence of different learning activities; and (5) have a fair system for assessing and grading students. In addition, employing the principles of backward design, we can (1) provide more relevant and meaningful learning experiences; (2) ensure that the required course outcomes are met; and (3) prepare students to perform successfully on their final assessment. One starts with the end—the desired results (goals or standards)—and then “derives the curriculum from the evidence of learning (performances) called for by the standard and the teaching needed to equip students to perform” (Wiggins & McTighe, 2000).
I'd like to introduce you to Hearltands Course Map tool; please download and share with others as you see fit. This template will help faculty design their course through a critical thinking process, first, prior to diving into Canvas and copying/pasting resources over with no idea of organization or proper alignment.
One of the first items asked on the Course Map template is to identify what your course learning objectives are and to document those. Then, to document what your module-level outcomes are and ensure proper alignment. Some departments mandate the course-level objectives however, most departments allow faculty to manage their own module-level outcomes.
While you may find this process to be time consuming, I firmly believe that by completing this first, the development process is much more smooth and easier to process. I encourage and recommend to use the Course Map template the next time you begin to think about designing a course. As always, contact me for help in integrating this into your teaching and learning!
~Anna
References:
Fink, L.D. (2003). Creating significant learning experiences. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Jacobs, H.H. (2004). Getting results with curriculum mapping. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Kenny, N., & Watson, G. (2014). Course alignment table. Open Learning and Educational Support, University of Guelph. Retrieved from http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Meyers, N. M., & Nulty, D. D. (2009). How to use (five) curriculum design principles to align authentic learning environments, assessment, students’ approaches to thinking and learning outcomes. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 34(5), 565-577.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
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