how to develop a new college course

by Elliot Stoltenberg 9 min read

  • Determine course content. Select the major topics and determine the order in which you will teach them. Select the main topics to be covered.
  • Develop teaching methods and tools. Once you have determined the course goals and content, think about how you will present the content.
  • Select text (s) and other materials. If you are using texts, decide whether the course goals will be best met by using a published text or a course reader that ...
  • Define course policies. Determine how you will grade all required work, including all assignments, papers, exams, and, if applicable, class participation.
  • Develop the course schedule. The tendency is nearly always to try to accomplish too much during each class period. ...
  • Write the course syllabus. At a minimum, the syllabus should contain the following: course title, time, and location; prerequisites; required texts and other materials; course topics; major assignments and exams; ...
  • Refine the Course Design. Course planning is a continual process, as illustrated by the diagram below. ...

To design an effective course, you need to:
  1. Consider timing and logistics.
  2. Recognize who your students are.
  3. Identify the situational constraints.
  4. Articulate your learning objectives.
  5. Identify potential assessments.
  6. Identify appropriate instructional strategies.
  7. Plan your course content and schedule.

Full Answer

How to design a college level curriculum?

May 17, 2019 · Write an effective course description that provides a basic overview of the course material that will be covered in one semester. Submit your proposal to the appropriate faculty members. Write a list of course objectives and outcomes that students should be able to meet by taking the course.

How to create a college course?

To create a new course, you would check the “New course” box. If the course has prerequisites or corequisites, you would also check that box. If it is general education, then check that box. 2. If you are creating a new course AND you want it to be required in a major or minor or graduate program, you will need two course proposals. One will create

How to create an online course?

Include all course policies on the syllabus and plan to review them with students on the first day of class. Develop the course schedule. The tendency is nearly always to try to accomplish too much during each class period. Allow time for active learning to occur during class and for students to complete major assignments and prepare for exams.

Who should inform curriculum development?

New Course Addition. Step 1. The first step in the process of creating a new course begins with the cluster and business partnership council (BPC). Either a faculty member presents his or her idea to these groups or the cluster or BPC as a whole decides to develop a course and assigns member (s) to develop the course.

Can you create your own college course?

Each school will have its own procedures for formally establishing a course before making it available to students and including it in the course catalog. Write an effective course description that provides a basic overview of the course material that will be covered in one semester.May 17, 2019

What are the steps to creating a course?

10 Steps To Creating A Wildly Successful Online Course
  1. Pick the perfect course topic.
  2. Ensure your course idea has high market demand.
  3. Create Magnetic and Compelling Learning Outcomes.
  4. Select and Gather your Course Content.
  5. Structure Your Modules and Course Plan.
Sep 1, 2021

How can I improve my college course?

9 tips for improving your course syllabus — and the way you teach the course
  1. Reflect on how the course contributes to the students' big picture of learning. ...
  2. Align SLOs with course content – readings and assignments. ...
  3. Consider how you can help every student accomplish the goals of the course.
Aug 4, 2014

How long does it take to create a college course?

Think Months Versus Weeks

In the study, 29% of respondents said it took them over 100 hours, while 87% take up to 16 weeks to develop their course. A good rule of thumb is to allow 2-3 months to account for research, designing the course, testing with students and finalizing.

How do I create a PDF course?

  1. Go to Manage Learning Content.
  2. Select Courses.
  3. Click on a specific course in the Course Overview.
  4. You will now be in the Course Curriculum area of the Course Builder.
  5. On the left-hand side, click Add Lesson.
  6. Select PDF.
  7. Name the Lesson Title as desired.

How do you write a course outline?

  1. Rule #1: Use the least number of steps possible.
  2. Rule #2: Use background facts and supplemental details sparingly.
  3. Rule #3: Use simple language and ideas in your outline.
  4. Step 1: Begin with the end in mind.
  5. Step 2: Determine each major step necessary.

How can I improve my course syllabus?

  1. Include more rather than less material. A detailed syllabus is a valuable learning tool for students and lessens their initial anxieties about the course. ...
  2. Provide basic information. ...
  3. Describe the prerequisites to the course. ...
  4. Give an overview of the course's purpose. ...
  5. State the general learning goals or objectives.

How can you improve your learning quickly?

10 Proven Ways to Learn Faster
  1. Take notes with pen and paper. ...
  2. Have effective note-taking skills. ...
  3. Distributed practice. ...
  4. Study, sleep, more study. ...
  5. Modify your practice. ...
  6. Try a mnemonic device. ...
  7. Use brain breaks to restore focus. ...
  8. Stay hydrated.
Nov 21, 2018

How do you increase student satisfaction?

The following are suggestions by Gould and Padavano for improving student satisfaction:
  1. Post the course syllabus on the Web. ...
  2. Administer a learning-styles inventory. ...
  3. Explain the importance of group work. ...
  4. Use team contracts. ...
  5. Use a variety of assessments. ...
  6. Be flexible. ...
  7. Provide frequent interaction.
Feb 26, 2009

How much time does it take to create an online course?

It can take anywhere between 3 days to 2 months to create an online course, assuming that you are working on it full time. A mini-course covering a very narrow topic can be produced in only 3 days or less, while a complete in-depth 20h masterclass covering all levels can take several months to produce.Feb 18, 2022

How many hours does it take to develop a course?

A average 1-hour interactive elearning course will take 197 hours to develop. But development of a 1-hour elearning course can range between 49 hours for the low end of the range of a “basic” course to 716 hours for the high end of the range of an “advanced” course.

How many hours does it take to develop one hour of curriculum?

Time to Develop One Hour of Training
Type of Training per 1 hourLow Hours Per hour of Instruction (2009)
Text-only; limited interactivity; no animations93
Moderate interactivity; limited animations122
High interactivity; multiple animations154
E-learning Developed within a Template
13 more rows
Dec 6, 2017

How to teach a new course?

Begin the process early, giving yourself as much time as you can to plan a new course. Successful courses require careful planning and continual revision. Consult with colleagues who have taught the same or similar courses to learn from their strategies and their general impressions of the students who typically take the course. If you are team-teaching, you and your teaching partner (s) should begin meeting well in advance to discuss course goals, teaching philosophies, course content, teaching methods, and course policies, as well as specific responsibilities for each instructor.

How to prepare for a college class?

Develop the course schedule. The tendency is nearly always to try to accomplish too much during each class period. Allow time for active learning to occur during class and for students to complete major assignments and prepare for exams. When preparing the schedule, consult the relevant academic calendars, and keep in mind major religious holidays and significant campus events (for example, Homecoming and Thurtene Carnival).

What should be included in a syllabus?

At a minimum, the syllabus should contain the following: course title, time, and location; prerequisites; required texts and other materials; course topics; major assignments and exams; course policies on grading, academic integrity, attendance, and late work; and contact information for instructor and assistants to instruction (if applicable).

How to evaluate student learning?

Determine how you will evaluate student learning: Plan assignments and exams. The evaluation must go hand-in-hand with course goals. For example, if one course goal is to improve problem-solving skills, the exam should not contain only questions that ask students to recall facts; it should contain questions that ask students to solve specific and well-chosen problems. By the same token, homework and class activities leading up to the exam must include some questions that require problem-solving skills. Consider the following questions:

How to get a list of course topics?

Select the main topics to be covered. To obtain an initial list of course topics, look in current textbooks or the current literature (for a special-topics course). Determine whether there is a consensus concerning the necessary topics by obtaining previous course syllabi and discussing potential topics with colleagues. Refine your list by considering your course goals and the characteristics of your students. At the same time, use the desired content to refine the course goals.

How to teach chemistry?

Teach students problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Demonstrate how chemistry is used in other fields and in everyday situations. Teach students the beauty of chemistry. Determine course content. Select the major topics and determine the order in which you will teach them. Select the main topics to be covered.

How to structure a course?

Determine the structure of the course; arrange the topics in a logical order. Developing a rationale that guides the structure of the course can help you explain the material more clearly to the students. In other words, you can discuss how and why you have organized the material in a particular way, helping them to see, for example, how one topic builds on, illustrates, or offers a different perspective on another. Articulating the rationale behind the course structure also increases and maintains the students’ interest in the course content. Determining the course structure can help you decide which texts are most appropriate.

Why create a new course?

Create a New Course. Creating a new course involves steps to ensure that the new course is a necessary course for the College's curriculum. There are many reasons new courses are developed - changing degree needs, student interest, or new subject areas.

Is course development done in isolation?

Course development is never done in isolation and course additions/revisions may trigger additional curricular actions. Keep this in mind and be sure to submit other curriculum changes as necessary.

How to present a course?

Presenting specifics about a course will take you a step closer to approval. Take the time to show how the course will fit into an existing academic program, as well as how well this course will overlap with classes in other departments. Specify the course credit hours and name of the course, and provide a sample syllabus, schedule, and other details that a university requires.

How to get students interested in a course?

Acquiring the number of students who want to take a given course may be a challenge, but you can start by asking previously- and currently-enrolled students concerning their interest. You may also want to send out a survey to students enrolled in specific degrees.

What is the key to writing effective learning outcomes?

The outcomes should be student-centered rather than instructor-centred. The key to writing effective learning outcomes is the selection of active, measurable verbs.

Why do you need a syllabus?

Develop a syllabus early on in the process of creating a new course. The syllabus will help you structure the course and give the department chair a course overview.

Do you have to give up one thing to get another?

Sometimes we need to give up one thing in order to gain another. This will not always be the case when going through a course approval, but letting go of wish-list items might be required in some situations. You might want to take the time to think about what are some of the tradeoffs you are willing to make in order to receive course approval.

Does Stukent offer courseware?

Stukent knows the pain professors go through when they need to create course material from scratch. That is why we offer courseware such as variety of business and marketing disciplines that provides everything you need to teach a course such as digital or social media marketing. Our courseware is loaded with free instructor resources, including customizable syllabi, student projects, quizzes, lesson plans, recorded video tutorials and lectures by industry experts. Click here for free instructor access.

How to design your own major?

According to The Wall Street Journal, “Designing your own major takes a lot of effort, plus skill in selling yourself and your major. At most universities, students must persuade at least one professor to sponsor and advise them. They must tie their major to a specific field of work or future study. Most are required to produce a weighty final project or paper. Self-designed majors hinge on a theme, such as women’s health, international relations, or environmental sustainability. Students then pick classes to support their topic. Advisors may suggest (or require) a certain foundation of classes, but students generally have plenty of freedom in their selection.”

Why would a student want to create their own major?

Why would a student want to create their own major? Usually they want to pursue a course of study not available at their institution, but instead of settling or transferring, they stay put and build their own course of study.

What is an individualized major?

An individualized major is typically highly interdisciplinary and combines at least two distinct areas of knowledge. Generalizing here, an individualized major usually goes one of three directions: 1. A wide variety of courses across many disciplines; 2. A very specific set of courses going more in depth in a particular field than what is available in a broader major or when the major is not offered; or 3. A combination of two fields of study without actually trying to double-major (full course completion in two majors, usually resulting in the need for many more than the minimal number of credits to graduate).

Why do you need an advising office for individualized majors?

If courses have been a struggle (i.e., bad grades), then it seldom works for that student to propose an individualized major—there would need to be an advising office to help convince the academic powers that the struggle is because of the need for an individualized major.

How many credit hours are there in a bachelors degree?

For the most part, an academic curriculum for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) totals around 124 credit hours (though it varies) and consists of credit hours spread out with one-third general education courses, one-third major courses, and one-third elective courses.

What is self designed major?

Self-designed majors hinge on a theme, such as women’s health, international relations, or environmental sustainability. Students then pick classes to support their topic. Advisors may suggest (or require) a certain foundation of classes, but students generally have plenty of freedom in their selection.”.

How many credits do you need to declare a major?

Even though schools ask you to declare a major before you step foot in the door, colleges generally don’t let students officially apply for a major until they have a defined number of completed credits (say, 60 credit hours—late sophomore or early junior year). The early “declaration” is usually so an advisor from the field and/or some introductory courses in the named field can be scheduled.

How to promote your new course?

If you have the time and resources, engage with local media, publish PowerPoint presentations and videos on your program specific YouTube channel. We understand that not every school will have the resources to do all of this for each new program, but the more channels you can promote your new course, the more positive the enrollment results will be.

How to make a course mobile?

Here are a few best practices to keep in mind for your mobile course page: 1 Reduce loading speed 2 Ensure text is clear and easy to read 3 Optimize menus for easy navigation 4 Keep CTAs front-and-centre 5 Ensure all buttons are clickable 6 Disable popups

How to contribute to other blogs?

Contributing to other blogs, be they internal to your institution or external, with a link back to your pages is also effective. Get into the practice of making announcements or promoting events, always on your pages, or externally with a link back to your pages for best results.

What are the principles of a good program page?

They include: use clear, informative content, telling your story. plan for the user experience on your page. professional images. videos describing your program (if possible) testimonials.

What is the last step in persona development?

The last step in persona development is “concerns” —also known as the things which prevent a person from applying, or, in other words, the things they most certainly aren’t looking for in a school:

Why are colleges creating new programs at record rates?

As a result, colleges and universities are creating new program offerings at record rates as schools scramble to launch courses that today’s prospective students want.

Is it important to take full advantage of your institution's online website when promoting a new course?

It is important you take FULL advantage of your institution’s online website when promoting a new course, including the online full-time calendar, part-time and continuing ed calendars—whichever your new course will fit into. Make sure you are cross referenced everywhere possible in terms of program listings .

How do faculties respond to this challenge?

Faculties are responding to this challenge by turning their attention to long neglected issues. They are doing so as a practical means of both attracting and retaining more students, ensuring their success, and producing high quality, fair outcomes for everyone.

What is the purpose of the curriculum and course design handbook?

This handbook applies theory to practical issues of curriculum and course design and assessment. Intended first for faculty members but also for department chairpeople and administrators concerned with curricula and courses, the book describes a design model that has been used in diverse institutions and that produces “visible results in the shortest possible time” (p. xvi). Topics include deciding whether and how to start the design process, the relationship between courses and curriculum, the design process; course design, including defining intended outcomes, developing a plan for assessing their achievement, and designing an instructional process; communication between instructors and students, including the use of syllabi; dealing with student diversity in terms of developing intended cross-campus instructional outcomes concerning diversity; and course and programmatic assessment, evaluation, and improvement. The book also discusses trends in improving the quality of education and “major lessons about course and curriculum design” the author has learned. The author suggests ways in which the scholarly work involved in modern curriculum and course design can be documented for purposes of recognition in the institution. Checklists, case studies, examples of materials from various institutions, and nine resource appendices support text.

How to eliminate dumbing down of curricula in response to increased student diversity and underpreparedness?

Obviate the dumbing down of curricula in response to increased student diversity and underpreparedness by providing firm, clearly identified outcome standards and by requiring the educational process to change in response to altered student needs.

What is academic advising?

Academic Advising – An effective curriculum – one that produces the results it claims in all of a college’s diverse students – depends for its success upon a high-quality program of academic advising. Modern academic advising is developmental, starting with each student’s values and goals, and helps all students design curricular ...

Why is empirically based education important?

Current empirically based education theory is essential to effective instruction and thus the improvement of curricular quality. For example, there is little evidence that using traditional lectures will develop in students the higher-order cognitive abilities a faculty may value.

What is the purpose of curriculum?

Curriculum is the heart of a student’s college or advanced learning experience. Curriculum is a college or university’s primary means of guiding students directions. Curricula should be reviewed and revised on a regular basis, better to serve the changing needs of both students and society. We are often urged to reassess the quality ...

Is lecturing still the predominant method of instruction in most institutions today?

Nevertheless, lecturing is still, by far, the predominant method of instruction in most institution s today. Sequence – Educational activities are carefully ordered in a developmental sequence to form a coherent curriculum based on the stated intended outcomes of both the curriculum and its constituent courses.

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