how to write a course content outline

by Arturo Watsica 9 min read

How to create a clear and engaging content outline for your online course

  • Solve a problem. So before you write a lesson plan you have to start with two things. ...
  • Find the steps. With your two main questions answered, now is time to get clear on the steps. ...
  • Give them the roadmap. Inside each module there are going to be things your student needs to know to progress on to the next step.
  • KISS – Keep it simple stupid. ...

  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.

Full Answer

How to create an effective course outline?

Jul 23, 2021 · The creation of an outline that serves as a guide to the course is useful for both student learning as well as for you so you can develop a more effective course. By outlining the most important components—the main modules, lessons, topics, and learning objectives, you can deliver a highly effective, high-quality course in no time.

What are the steps in writing an outline?

A course outline should include mapping your content to specific weeks or modules. This will help inform the creation of a detailed course syllabus. Course Syllabus An online syllabus is similar to one for a face-to-face course, however, research supports that online students need even more detailed instructions.

How to create an online course outline?

Write the course outline Design competency-based course objectives/learning outcomes Select subject matter content Create learning activities Design assessment activities yCorrelate (()p ymatch) competency-based course objectives with your course assessments

What is the best way to write an outline?

How to create a clear and engaging content outline for your online course Solve a problem. So before you write a lesson plan you have to start with two things. Who is this for? What are they... Find the steps. With your two main questions answered, now is time to get clear on the steps. If …

How do you outline a course content?

When creating your course outline there are some essential pieces that you need to include:Course Description from the Academic Calendar. ... Course Goals. ... Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes. ... Assessment Overview. ... Assessment Plan. ... Schedule of Activities. ... Plagiarism Announcement. ... Reading List.

Whats a course outline?

What Is a Course Outline? The course outline is defined for purposes of Middle States Accreditation as the official, approved document that outlines what students are expected to learn in a course and what they can expect in the way of instructional methods, activities, assignments and grading methods.

What is course content example?

Any informational material that is required for participation or understanding content such as assigned readings, video recordings, exams, and any other material needed for learning.

How do you write a course overview?

Course descriptions should:Be student-centered, rather than teacher-centered or course-centered.Use brief, outcomes-based, descriptive phrases that begin with an imperative or active verb (e.g., design, create, plan, analyze)Be clear, concise, and easy to understand (< 80 words)More items...

What is Content outline?

A content outline is an outline of how your content will look. This includes the headings, takeaways, images, relevant statistics, etc you plan on adding to your article. Here's what an outline looks like: In general, a content outline contains the following elements: Title and meta description.Aug 21, 2021

How do you design a course structure?

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

What is the course structure and content?

The course structure refers to the choice of topics and the organization and sequencing of course content. Remember that the choice of topics and their organization should always support the learning objectives for the course.

What is another name for course outline?

Course outlines, or syllabi, are an integral part of course design. They generally summarize our course design plans and serve as a “contract” with our students regarding the course described.

How does a course outline look like?

A course outline should include the following sections: Course Name, Number, Credits and Description. ... Course Evaluation Process, Policies and Grading Scale. Classroom Rules/Code of Conduct Expectations.Jun 9, 2016

Is course outline same as syllabus?

Course Outline is a word document that you can use instead of a full syllabus. It contains the Higher Learning Commission's required information as part of the university's accreditation. The same information is also critical for students during the course registration process.

How can I improve my course outline?

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

What is a good course outline?

A good course outline allows students to assess the course for fit with their learning needs, clearly understand what is expected of them and how they will benefit from the instruction.

What is course description?

A course description is an important part of the course outline. The course description needs to reflect exactly what will be covered in the course and how learning will be assessed by assignments and/or tests.

What is learning outcome?

Learning Outcomes. The learning outcomes are the goals of the course i.e. what the course is meant to teach students. Often it is the learning outcomes that help a student determine if the course will meet their needs. It is important to use language that does not make false promises.

Is a prerequisite a co-requisite?

Prerequisites/Co-requisites. If the course is at an advanced level, it may be wise to request a prerequisite (a course that must be completed prior) or a co-requisite (a course that is taken concurrently). This ensures that students have a foundation level knowledge of the topic before completing the more advanced course.

Why is it important to have an outline?

Having an outline allows you to organize these topics in a way that will make sense to your students. In addition, it prevents you from forgetting to add critical information that is relevant to the topic. Writing out what you plan to cover will also help you generate ideas.

How long does it take to create an eLearning course?

The idea behind rapid eLearning is where you use every tool and strategy you can to potentially create a course in 2 to 3 weeks instead of taking several months. So within your lessons, outline the exact content you will cover.

What is assessment plan?

Assessment plans fall in line with learning objectives. While your learning objectives identify what the student will learn, the assessment allows you and the student to have a clear picture of how well they have mastered the objectives. Your outline will identify the types and frequency of assessments.

How long should a microlearning lesson be?

Depending on how far down the path of microlearning you are going, lessons might only need to be a couple of minutes up to 10 to 15 minutes in length. There's not too much content in a 2-minute lesson so you really need to get at the heart of the topic and do so quickly if you're going that route.

Can you use a pen and paper for outline?

Like with everything, there are tools you can use to help you outline your course. You can definitely use a pen and paper for this exercise, but it's really nice if your outline is already on a device where you can work with it later. That way you can expand on it when you go from outline to your actual content.

What is course outline?

According to the University of Lethbridge’s Teaching Center, a course outline is a document that benefits students and instructors as it is essential when designing any course. Also known as a syllabus, a course outline serves as a planning tool. As the syllabus is written, it also guides the instructor’s development of ...

What information should be provided about required readings?

Provide specific information about required readings, including title, author (s), edition number and availability (from where they can be purchased or borrowed). It is helpful to the students to indicate how each reading relates to a particular topic in the course. You may also like outline an essay.

What is a syllabus?

Finally, a syllabus also works as a reference for colleagues, administrators, and accreditation agencies.

What is assessment overview?

The assessment overview is a grading guide that allows students to see what weightings can apply to the different assessment elements of a course. An example of an assessment overview is below.

Find the steps

With your two main questions answered, now is time to get clear on the steps. If “Sam” wants to go from A to B, i.e. their current location, where they don’t know what to do, to this fancy schmancy destination, how are you going to get them there?

Give them the roadmap

Inside each module there are going to be things your student needs to know to progress on to the next step. Don’t assume anything about their previous knowledge or experience. Break down a single step into smaller bit size chunks that give them the literal roadmap.

KISS – Keep it simple stupid

At this point you should know the main objective of your course. You should have defined all the modules and all the lessons. But now you need to think about what you will actually teach in each particular lesson.

What is the completion rate of online courses?

A study in the December 8 issue of Educause Review Online (ERO) by Harvard University researcher, Justin Reich, reveals that completion rates of online courses range, between 2 and 10 percent.

Why would someone buy a course?

The only reason someone would purchase a course is to solve a problem they are currently facing or if they believe it will improve their life in some way. Therefore, your first step is to identify their current pain-points.

Project Management Course Outline Template

Creativity is another key issue that needs to be observed. Unique always does not go away without notice. People will always go for an exclusive content. Also, think about your target group. For example, a course outline template for high school should be made in an easy way to help high school students understand.

Sample Business English Course Outline PDF

When any reader wants to develop a training course outline, it is wise that you organize entire document or syllabus. All your work should be easy and simplified to make entire work understandable. People always like presentable work, so to impress them; your guidelines should be in a format that is well to be seen by everyone.

What is program outline?

You may also see program outlines. The outline will show the relationship of your ideas and if they create a single thought. In this way, you can also determine which points should be given importance and figure out the least important ones. This can be useful in writing essays, research paper, stories, etc.

Why do we need an outline for an essay?

You may ask why and dread the fact that it would be another task to accomplish, but having an outline for your content will make everything easier for you. Your outline will help you organize your ideas and make sure they follow the pace you choose .

What is proofreading and editing?

Proofread and edit. This is when you add, subtract or rearrange your data according to the flow of your content. Do not fret if you think that you’re content has become shorter, you can always add more relevant data after you proofread your outline. You may also see How to Write a Rough Outline.

How to write a children's book?

Determine your audience before you start creating. As much as information is important, your content will depend on who you’re writing for. The content on a children’s book is different with that of a young-adult book. The amount of information, choice of words and flow of your content will depend on your target audience. You may also see chapter outlines.

Is writing content overwhelming?

Writing content can sometimes become overwhelming. Too much information about your topic can cause confusion on what to include in your content. To say that it is quite draining is true. But if you have good techniques it can be done easily and efficiently.

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Basic Course Information

  • Course Name, Number, Credits and Description
    Avoid using cute names that do not clearly indicate the course content. Choose a simple name that conveys the depth and breadth of the subject that will be taught. Assigning course numbers (a 3-4 letter code and/or number) will clearly show potential students the level of the course. Fo…
  • Prerequisites/Co-requisites
    If the course is at an advanced level, it may be wise to request a prerequisite (a course that must be completed prior) or a co-requisite (a course that is taken concurrently). This ensures that students have a foundation level knowledge of the topic before completing the more advanced c…
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How and What Students Will Learn

  • Learning Outcomes
    The learning outcomes are the goals of the course i.e. what the course is meant to teach students. Often it is the learning outcomes that help a student determine if the course will meet their needs. It is important to use language that does not make false promises. For example, “St…
  • Content Breakdown by Session
    Typically this section of the course outline is a session by session breakdown of the topics or course content covered. List the dates of the sessions or refer to each session with phrases such as “week one” or “day one”.
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Course Participation and Evaluation Guidelines

  • Course Evaluation Process, Policies and Grading Scale
    Students will be very interested in how their learning will be evaluated through tests, assignments, projects, etc. List the different evaluation tools to be used with the percent of the final grade they represent. Also include exam writing policies such as whether exams can be taken at a later dat…
  • Classroom Rules/Code of Conduct Expectations
    An outline of consequences should student be caught plagiarizing, cheating or acting out in class is outlined in this section.
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Course Materials

  • Course materials include: 1. Required and Optional Texts 2. Readings both pre-readings and course readings 3. Supplies and equipment needed A well written course outline can be a great course marketing tool, can set clear expectations for student and...
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Course Description

  • It is always important to give the students a brief idea of what the course is all about. This is also the section that informs the students on what subjects they will be taking should they enroll. Some syllabuses also provide a small descriptionof t...
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Course Goals

  • As you begin encoding the syllabus, it is important to ask these questions: What are the big ideas that you are going to cover in your course? What are the essential understandings that students will take away with them after the course has finished? It is imperative to define these course professional goals, as they will help you determine what you expect from your students, and wha…
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Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

  • At the end of the day, it is pointless to have your students taken the course if they have not learned a single thing. Which means formulating a syllabus is easier said than done since you also have to start designing outcomes that the students might achieve during their time in the university, and it is a valuable element to have in your syllabus. The outcomes are usually state…
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Assessment Overview

  • The assessment overview is a grading guide that allows students to see what weightings can apply to the different assessment elements of a course. An example of an assessment overviewis below. Quizzes: 50% Participation: 5% Journal Assignments: 20% Team Assignment: 10% Final Exam: 15% As well as including the overview of grading, a grading scale should be identified for …
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Assessment Plan

  • These assessment plans are built in line with student learning objectives as these indicate what the students will learn. While your assessment plan states how you, as an instructor, will gather evidence for achievement of the objectives. This will detail the type of assessments that will occur within the course structure, how they will be marked, and how they provide evidence of stu…
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Instructional Method

  • Though it is not always required, indicating on how the course is going be taught from here on is not really such a bad idea whether they would be lectures, seminars, video presentations, etc. But along the way, it is important to be evaluated by the very students you teach before the end of the semester as it also helps you grow as a teacher to see how your students feel on how you teach…
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Required Course Materials

  • Provide specific information about required readings, including title, author(s), edition number and availability (from where they can be purchased or borrowed). It is helpful to the students to indicate how each reading relates to a particular topic in the course. You may also like outline an essay. It is never a bad idea to go to the library as it provides access to course materials, both pr…
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Schedule of Activities

  • This portion of the outline should be built once the plan has been made. Once you understand how you want to assess your students, you can create activities that help facilitate the learning that needs to be done to help students achieve the objectives. Course activities should work in parallel with the assessment plan. If students need to provide evidence of learning by completin…
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Plagiarism Announcement

  • Students have the tendency to be lazy and due to that, they might end up copy-pasting someone else’s work and making it their own. With that said, you have to inform your students that a plagiarism detection service such as Turnitin will be used to ensure original quality work from the students. But should they request an alternative method of plagiarism detection because of priv…
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Reading List

  • This section will serve as a guide for the students on the textbooks and other educational materials during the entirety of the course. Listed below is an example of a course outline. Course Code: ENGL 105 Course Title: The Dynamic World of Neil Gaiman Course Description: Neil Gaiman is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books and graphic novels. His notable works i…
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