Backward design approach | Learning outcomes | Course and program maps

You are the expert in your field. You know the knowledge and skills students must learn in order to become proficient in the given subject area. We can help you guide your students' learning journey.

The Continuum Learning Design team employs a dynamic backward design approach to all course and program design and development. This means we start with elaborating the end goals: what your students need to know and be able to do by the end of your course or program. We work with you to articulate these end goals, or learning outcomes, or refine existing ones, so that they are authentic, measurable, and clear. We help you articulate them in ways that are student-centered and transparent, and that will be shared on Canvas.

The well-crafted learning outcomes are then used by the course developer/instructor and the learning designer to build comprehensive course and/or program maps that determine the subsequent lesson learning objectives, lesson content, and assessments. Using maps helps ensure that the learning outcomes and lesson objectives, content, and assessments are all aligned, and they help with envisioning course structure. The maps may even be useful for your department when working on future course revisions, curriculum updates, and accreditation reports.

Examples

Canvas materials (student-facing)

Course Maps