Overview of Course Design
Comfortable shoes, effective zippers, and umbrellas that glide open with ease in a downpour, are regular reminders of well-conceived design principles and features. Course design, similarly, follows well-established evidence-based design principles and practices.
Course design is a collection or set of deliberate, thoughtful, and creative processes that all instructors employ when renewing, designing, or developing a course. It’s the thinking and reflection work, the organizing and mapping work that happens well before stepping into the classroom.
To help build the most effective learning experiences for learners, the instructor must consider and integrate various good and emerging elements of course design.
Most often, course design or renewal is initiated and in response to:
- instructor insights on shifting learners’ needs and expectations
- informal and formal student feedback
- stakeholder feedback through a program review process
- the introduction of new instructional formats, approaches, or technologies
Curriculum changes, at the course or program level, are often guided and informed by:
- realignment to vocational and industry standards
- the instructor’s personal belief system and teaching philosophy
- the instructor’s understanding of how students learn
- evidence-based curriculum design principles and emerging practices
” ‘Good’ course design makes it more likely, by design, that when you teach you are more goal focused and more effective ” — Grant Wiggins.
Whether tasked with re-designing an existing course or building a brand-new course for any form of delivery — blended, online, or in-person — there are many design considerations.
In this Course Design module, we will explore three fundamental design principles that guide the course design process at Niagara College. As an entry point, we will also provide an overview of considerations for creating and fostering inclusive learning environments and practices.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Identify the fundamental principles that shape course design at Niagara College
- Describe the critical components of constructive alignment and integrated design
- Determine the contextual and situational factors of a course
- Describe the key principles of Universal Design for Learning
- Describe key considerations for creating inclusive learning environments
Pause and Reflect
Before we begin, take a few moments to consider your own course design process, approach, and practices. Using a notepad or the worksheet below, write down your ideas.