Tip Sheets: Course Design

A practical guide to designing clear, purposeful, and student-centered assignments that align with your course goals.

Explore assignment sequences that progressively develop students’ skills and understanding, creating a more cohesive course experience.

A structured process to designing integrated, learner-centered courses by aligning context, teaching philosophy, and course components.

Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) and Flexible Classrooms (FCs) promote collaboration, engagement, and technology-enabled learning. These spaces encourage peer and team-based learning, shifting students from passive recipients to active co-creators. Effective use involves fostering group work, accountability, and adaptable instructional strategies that enhance participation and deepen learning outcomes.

Learn how to create cohesive course designs by aligning learning outcomes, assessments and instructional strategies.

Learn how to design and facilitate online discussions in asynchronous formats.

Learn to design effective blended learning experiences by integrating online and in-person elements with intention, flexibility, and a focus on student engagement.

Design and facilitate effective online lab experiences with strategies that support hands-on learning, collaboration, and skill development in virtual environments.

Use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a framework to articulate learning outcomes and design assessments and activities based on three domains (cognitive, affective, psychomotor).

Translate Bloom’s Taxonomy into practical classroom strategies with examples of learning activities and assessments aligned to each level of the hierarchy.

Explore how campus partners can collaborate with instructors to create learning experiences that benefit both students and the broader community.

Design engaging flipped classroom experiences with strategies for structuring pre-class preparation, in-class activities, and assessment.

Enhance your course planning by focusing on essential questions related to Intended Learning Outcomes, Context, Content, Teaching Methods, and Assessment Strategies.

Develop clear course outlines with guidance on articulating learning outcomes, assessment methods, and course policies to support student success and transparency.

Design and deliver effective online learning experiences with strategies for organizing content and fostering interaction.

Promote a culture of academic integrity with proactive strategies that support student accountability, transparency, and ethical learning practices.

Support reflective learning and showcase student growth with ePortfolios.

Create a more inclusive classroom by using engagement strategies that recognize diverse student needs, encourage equitable participation, and foster a sense of belonging.

Enrich student learning and community engagement by integrating service-learning projects that connect course content with real world experiences.

Questions to consider when involving students in the creation of an independent study course. Including students in this process fosters collaboration, reflection, and deeper learning. 

Support student success by creating assignments that match their learning level, offer the right mix of challenge and skill-building, and scaffold their critical thinking and disciplinary expertise.

Improve student navigation and engagement by organizing your LEARN site with clear structure, consistent formatting, and accessible resources that support learning, reduce cognitive load, and enhance usability.

Support inclusive learning by proactively addressing accessibility and accommodation needs, designing flexible course materials, and fostering a classroom culture that values equity, empathy, and diverse ways of learning.

How to design resilient courses by building flexibility into content delivery, assessment, and communication, enabling learning to continue effectively during disruptions while supporting student success and well-being.

Strengthen the overall flow of your course by thoughtfully selecting and sequencing material that builds on prior knowledge and helps learners develop a clear and connected understanding.

Promote self-directed learning by guiding students through goal setting, resource identification, strategy implementation, and reflection. This will empower them to take ownership of their learning and adapt to new challenges.

The tip sheet emphasizes the value of learning contracts in fostering student autonomy by prompting reflection, defining clear goals, and establishing accountability through collaborative planning. It also addresses their potential limitations and provides practical guidance for both learners and instructors.

Foster global perspectives by integrating international content, inclusive teaching practices, and intercultural learning opportunities that prepare students to engage thoughtfully in a diverse and interconnected world.

Promote student mental well-being by designing courses that balance challenge with support, offer flexibility and clarity, and create a learning environment that fosters connection, compassion, and a sense of belonging.

Empower students to become self-aware learners by teaching metacognitive strategies that help them plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning.

Develop students’ problem-solving abilities by modeling effective strategies, encouraging persistence, and designing tasks that require analysis, creativity, and reflection to build confidence and transferable skills.

Design effective blended courses by asking key questions that clarify learning goals, align online and in-person components, and ensure meaningful integration that supports student engagement and success.

Good course design involves considering the strengths and needs of all learners. 

Good teaching involves considering the strengths and needs of all learners.

The term universal design (UD) originated in the mid-1980s from the architect Ronald Mace, who is internationally recognized for advancing the concept and design of barrier-free buildings for people with disabilities

Instructors often focus on content when embarking on course design, but it's equally important to think about the net result of a course: student learning. It is helpful to consider essential requirements when creating your ILOs.