Planning and Designing an Effective College Course

Ferris State University

Center for Teaching & Learning
Planning and Designing an Effective College Course
	(T. Doyle, 2000) Step One Determining Major Course Topics First determine the underlying principles of the course—what are the key principles that students must understand, use, be able to apply etc to fully have learned this course material Example in a Hospitality Management course one underlying principle might be always think “CUSTOMER SERVICE FIRST” In a biology course it might be using a SCIENTIFIC THINKING approach to all course problems Ways to Figure out Major Course Topics that Should be in the Course University or Community College Official Course Description Curriculum Guide (Usually found in each department.) The course would have learning outcomes and goals from when it went through the curriculum approval process. Past History – Discussing the course with those that have taught it before. Textbook—be cautious as the textbook may have been written for a specific group of students or for a specific course at another institution and may not clearly reflect the course expectations at your college/university. Your Professional Expertise—Your current, up-to-date knowledge of the subject area based on your industry/professional experience. Other Considerations—The background and level of your students (freshman or seniors or graduates) You may need to back up from where you thought you could start. Check to see what the next course in the sequence is and what that professor will be expecting the students to know. Your Best Guess—those topics that make sense. ACTIVITY It is very helpful to make a map of all of the content topics that must be taught as they relate to the underlying principles of the course and to each other. A simple bubble chart or box chart indicating the level of importance of each topic, its relationship to other topics and to the underlying principles will help when you build a timeline for the course and when writing the learning outcomes. It might also include the major subtopics within larger areas of content. Step Two Developing Learning Outcomes for the Course Learning outcomes are statements that specify what learners will know or be able to do as a result of a learning activity. Outcomes are usually expressed as knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors, thinking abilities or levels of understanding. (http://www.aallnet.org/prodev/outcomes.asp) Learning Outcomes Specify New Behaviors to be Learned Example --Demonstrate empathy towards a client Knowledge, Skills or Attitudes to be Learned Example—Students will be able to write a five paragraph essay Type of Thinking Skills to be Learned Example—Students will be able to apply the scientific method to a specific problem Depth of Learning Example—Students will have a cursory understanding of geological time Samples of Learning Outcomes At the end of this course the learner will be able to accurately complete a P and L (Profit and Loss) statement from one month of a fictitious catering business given its income and expenses for the month. At the end of this course the learner will be able to list in writing the nine reasons why the north won the civil war as outlined in the course. At the end of this course the learner will be able to use change theory to develop family-centered care within the context of a nursing practice. At the end of this course the learner will be able to design improved bias circuits using negative feedback. At the end of this course the learner will be able to demonstrate the safe use of a spot welder tool. The Learning Outcomes are the written plans of what you intend to teach and assess in the class. Course syllabi should contain a list of the major learning outcomes for the class. There is no right number of outcomes but they usually reflect only the major areas of learning. Here are some Additional Learning Outcome Examples Specify what learner’s new behaviors will be after a learning experience Example—At the end of this course you will be able to… discuss, explain, take apart and rebuild, demonstrate the safe use of… State the knowledge, skills and attitudes that the student will gain from the course Example of Knowledge -- At the end of this course you will be able to discuss the role that metacognition plays in reading comprehension Example of Skills - At the end of this course you will be able to play_______ on the piano with less than five errors. At the end of this course you will be able to operate a sewing machine skillfully enough to make a dress from a simple pattern that fits well. Example of Attitude -- At the end of this course you will be able to show concern for the welfare of others, or, at the end of this course you will be able to show interest in a subject both through verbal and nonverbal behaviors. Example of Type of Learning Cognitive learning… recall, analyze, evaluate, apply, synthesize Psychomotor learning: operate, perform movements, dance Affective Learning: shows sensitivity, enjoys helping, appreciates art Communicate the type and depth of learning expected Example… fully explain, perform on your own, teach others, discuss, produce a finished product, and explain in detail. At the end of this course you will be able to teach others how to write questions that promote synthesis thinking for tenth graders. At the end of this course you will be able to explain in detail the workings of a computer hard drive. Example One of a Fully Developed Learning Outcome: Major Course Topic One—Understanding the Reading Process Learning Outcome One At the end of this class you will be able to discuss fully the reading comprehension process. Sub-Topics of Course Topic One Explain the role prediction plays in reading comprehension. Discuss in general terms how children between the ages of 0 and 5 years of age acquire their language skills. Explain fully how an individual's background knowledge contributes to their comprehending what they read. Developing Learning Activities for the Learning Outcomes When developing the learning activities for the course, keep in mind the following: 80% of college students are visual, linear and factual in their learning style. Self-discovery of solutions, meanings, processes etc. is much more powerful than second-hand awareness. Even the best lecturers often lose their audience after 20 minutes. Students (even adult learners) want and need structure in their learning. Direct application of skills, knowledge and processes creates the best opportunity for deep learning to occur. We all like variation in our lives. Include decisions about: What readings students will do What media will you need to teach the lessons What guest speakers you might invite What outside activities might be used—field trips What projects might be assigned Will students keep a portfolio What homework assignments will be given Examples of Learning Activities for Learning Outcome One –Teaching the Reading Comprehension Process The leaning activities are designed to facilitate the students’ understanding of the course content. The activities are developed from the perspective of “will this help the student to learn the content”. The activities should engage the learner in active participation in their own learning. The activities should be directly related to the learning outcomes of the course. Beginning Activity--Brainstorm to check background of what students already know about reading comprehension process. Activity Two--Discuss with class using overheads on how the reading comprehension process works. Activity Three--Have students read a difficult passage from John Paul Sartre and share with the whole class the process they used to try and comprehend the passage Activity Four--Homework read article Comprehension-The Basis of Learning and write a 600 word summary. This process of developing learning /teaching activities for each topic and subtopic of the course content is called lesson planning. The process needs to be repeated for each day that the course meets. Example Two: Sub-Topic One --Teaching the Role of Prediction in Reading Comprehension Beginning Activity--Discuss strategies for how a teacher can check a student’s background knowledge of a subject to be read. Activity Two--Give a brief lecture on the role of prediction in reading comprehension Activity Three--Have students read and complete Ordeal by Check activity in groups of three. Activity Four--Homework Students are to observe their reading for 15 minutes and write a brief description of how you make predictions when you read. Sub-Topic Two--Teaching the Role Background Knowledge Plays in Reading Comprehension Beginning Activity--Brainstorm to find out how much students know about a certain topic (checking their background knowledge) Activity Two--Using overheads have a discussion of role of background in reading comprehension Activity Three--In groups of two read How to Ruin an Organization and be prepared to share understanding of the essay Activity Four--No Homework Sub-Topic Three--Influence of the Text/ Reader/Environment has on the Reading Process Beginning Activity--Ask students to describe the environment where they read and study Activity Two--Discussion of handout on role text features and the reading environment plays in the comprehension process Activity Three--Homework Students need to read IRA’s Paper on Teaching Reading in the Content Areas and be prepared to discuss it in the next class. Assessment of Learning Outcomes The manner in which students will be assessed to determine if they have learned the content , skills etc. set forth in the course learning outcomes is as important a part of the course planning as writing the outcomes. An ideal way to develop assessment tools is to give students the opportunity to show you what they have learned through their best ways of doing so. For some students this may be through writing, others oral presentation, others tests. Four things should determine how you plan to assess each outcome: The depth of the learning that you have required. Do you seek a basic or cursory understanding, an ability to explain things to others, a deep and complete understanding. The depth an instructor wants is reflected in their teaching and their assessments. The nature of the learning—for example are you assessing a skill or a thinking processes or just factual knowledge Availability of assessment tools The time you have to do the assessment When and how often to assess is also an important aspect of effective course planning Factors to be considered in determining the number of assessment: Amount of information to be assessed Students need feedback on a regular basis—the younger the students the more this is true Early in the semester assessment is vital to giving students a perspective of how effective their efforts and understanding is with regards to the course material. Number of major topics or units in the course. Recommendation--More is better than less. An instructor wants many “snap shots” of what students know to have a clearer picture of their overall level of learning. Assessment can be simple and need not always be graded. Examples of some Types of Assessments Quizzes PowerPoint presentation Mind maps Tests Oral presentations Essays Summaries, Journals Small group work Group presentation Homework questions Take home tests Cases analysis Example of an Assessment of Learning Outcome Topic One (as described above): All of Topic One will be assessed on quiz one and later assessed again on test one. Homework also will used to evaluate students’ understanding. (See website files on Test Writing for more information on assessment) Developing a Timeline for the Course A timeline that outlines the specific topics to be covered in each class meeting should be developed. This timeline gives students a structure and organization that is important to their dealing effectively with the course. It allows them to know when tests and quizzes are to be given so to better plan study time with their busy lives. The timeline helps the faculty member to be better organized and insures that there is a logic and continuity to the flow of the course. A timeline gives students the ability to see the connections between what they are learning today and what will be taught tomorrow. Example of Timeline--Timeline for Teaching Topic One Day One--Overview of Reading Process, Reader/Text/Environment relationships and what is comprehension. Day Two--Discussion of role prediction and background play in comprehension, Ordeal by Check, and How to Ruin an Organization activities. Day Three--Discussion on language acquisition skills ages 0-5. Small group discussion of the awareness each student has of how they comprehend text material. Review of Writing Learning Outcomes Learning Outcomes specify what the learner’s new behaviors will be after a learning experience. They state the knowledge, skills and attitudes that student will gain through your course. Writing Learning Outcomes Always begin with an action verb Describe something observable or measurable These outcomes are not necessarily obtained by a specific instruction in a lesson but may be woven throughout the course. Learning Outcomes: Define the type and depths of learning students are expected to achieve. Provide an objective benchmark for assessment Clearly communicate expectations to the learners Guide and organizer the instructor and the learner. Define the units of learning
Faculty wanting further information about any of these topics are encouraged to contact Terry Doyle at doylet@ferris.edu Check back for updates! Website comments? Contact danielsl@ferris.edu