Mapping Your Course
Match them correctly:
- Learning Outcomes
- Assessments
- Learning Experiences
- Ways of Learning
a) What students should be able to do by the end of the course.
b) Activities or projects that allow students to practice skills.
c) Hands-on tasks, discussions, and inquiries to engage students.
d) Evaluations to measure how well students have achieved objectives.
*Solution at the bottom of the page
Charting the Path to Student Success
Creating a course map is like planning a road trip—you start with your destination (learning outcomes) and chart the best route to get there (instruction, activities, and assessments). A well-structured course map helps you align your teaching methods with learning objectives, ensuring students have a clear path to success.
What is a Course Map?
A course map visually aligns course goals, assessments, and activities. It helps instructors:
- Ensure all learning objectives are addressed.
- Identify gaps or troublesome areas in the course.
- Plan meaningful learning experiences.
Using Backwards Design, you start with the end goal (learning outcomes) and design assessments and activities that lead students to mastery.
Backwards Design Basics
Backwards Design asks instructors to start with what they want students to know and be able to do (learning outcomes) and then design course assessments and learning experiences to help students achieve those outcomes.
Step 1: Identify what students should know and be able to do by the end of the course (Learning Outcomes).
Step 2: Determine the evidence you will use to measure how well students have learned. What do students need to do to demonstrate their learning? Design the assessments that will allow students both to practice and also to demonstrate to you their knowledge and skills. These could include papers, problem sets, examinations, and many other kinds of activities.
Step 3: Structure the course instruction to help students achieve the Learning Outcomes. What learning experiences will students engage in to help them practice and master the knowledge and skills needed to achieve the learning outcomes?
Mapping a Course
Using the course map template, list the primary course learning outcomes in the far left column. Then, work from left to right for each learning outcome. If you want to think about these concepts in a less linear way, feel free to use a Jamboard or even a pencil and paper and be creative!
Steps to Create a Course Map
Column 1: Course Learning Outcomes
Ideally, a course will have 3-5 learning outcomes that communicate to students what they can expect to know or be able to do by the end of the course. Learning outcomes create a shared understanding about the purpose and expectations of the course, and guide the instructor’s decisions about course assignments and instruction.
Column 2: Level of Course Outcome
At what level in the progression of learning is the course designed? Identifying the levels will help the instructor appropriately .
- Introduce: Introduce basic knowledge, facts, or concepts.
- Reinforce/Practice: Students have the opportunity to develop and strengthen their knowledge and skills. Students have a fuller understanding of the material but may need support in applying their knowledge or skills.
- Master/Become Proficient: Students are able to demonstrate integration of all knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to accomplish the outcomes. Students can apply their knowledge independently.
Column 3: Assessment
- What is the primary evidence that will be used to measure how well students have learned these outcomes?
Formative Assessment is a low-stakes, “checking in” point to provide feedback that students can use for improving their learning strategies, correct misconceptions, and determine needs for additional instruction. Classr