how to write course curriculum

by Mabel Feil 9 min read

Determine your vision and intention for the curriculum. Outline your overarching topics. Review any current curriculum to determine what to keep and what to retire. Organize your standards based on the topics and timeline. Write the lessons to provide a comprehensive student learning experience.

How to create a curriculum for your course in 7 steps
  1. Brainstorm desired outcomes.
  2. Identify your target audience and their pain points.
  3. Narrow down your learning outcome.
  4. Create a list of milestones and lessons.
  5. Estimate the time to complete each lesson.
  6. Compile course content, materials, and resources.
  7. Get student feedback.

Full Answer

How to build a course curriculum?

Put simply, this is how to create an outline for your online course:

  • Identify the primary learning outcome
  • List the skills necessary for achieving the primary learning outcome
  • Use the skill checklist to create course modules
  • Set learning goals for your course modules

How do I become a curriculum writer?

How Do I Become a Curriculum Writer. The minimum qualifications you need to become a curriculum writer are a bachelor’s degree and experience in classroom instruction or educational development. Some curriculum writers have master’s degrees in education or a technical subject, as well as several years of experience as teachers.

How to design a course curriculum?

  • 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). ...
  • Pare down and refine your initial list of topics. ...
  • Determine the structure of the course; arrange the topics in a logical order. ...

How to create a curriculum for your online course?

Part 1 of 3: Seeing the Big Picture

  1. Define the purpose of the curriculum. Your curriculum should have clear topic and purpose. ...
  2. Choose an appropriate title. Depending on the learning objective, titling the curriculum may be a straightforward process or one that requires greater thought.
  3. Establish a timeline. ...
  4. Figure out how much you can cover in the time allotted. ...

More items...

What is an example of a curriculum?

An individual teacher's curriculum, for example, would be the specific learning standards, lessons, assignments, and materials used to organize and teach a particular course.

What is included in course curriculum?

"Curriculum" can mean a lot of different things to different people involved in education....Summative AssessmentsTests.Final exams.Written reports.Essays / papers.End-of-class projects.

How do I create an online curriculum course?

How to create an online courseChoose the right subject matter.Test your idea.Research the topic extensively.Write a course outline.Create the course content.Bring your course online.Sell your online course.Market your content.More items...•

What are the 4 types of curriculum?

There are four different types of curricula that educators have to address in the classroom; these four are the explicit, implicit, null, and extracurricular.

What are the 7 types of curriculum?

Seven Types of CurriculumRecommended Curriculum.Written Curriculum.Taught Curriculum.Supported Curriculum.Assessed Curriculum.Learned Curriculum.Hidden Curriculum.

How do you structure a course?

3:158:04How to outline and structure an online course (Make an AMAZING course)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThink about where your student is now and the end result you'd like to create has opposite banks ofMoreThink about where your student is now and the end result you'd like to create has opposite banks of a river what major milestones.

How do I create a PDF course?

How to create an online course PDF checklistOpen up your free (or paid) Canva account.Type “checklist” in the search bar.Select your favourite layout.Adjust colours to your brand colours.Adjust fonts to your brand fonts.Insert your content.Click download as PDF.Upload PDF to your online school.

What is an example of a course of study?

An example of a course of study for a trade school might be an electrician. Electricians have to complete a specific course program and a certain number of apprenticeship hours before being awarded their certification.

What is 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.

How do you make a course plan?

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.

How to design a curriculum?

1. Define the purpose of the curriculum. Your curriculum should have clear topic and purpose. The topic should be appropriate for the age of the students and the environment in which the curriculum will be taught. If you are asked to design a course, ask yourself questions about the general purpose of the course.

What is curriculum in education?

This article has been viewed 566,414 times. A curriculum often consists of a guide for educators to teach content and skills. Some curricula are general road maps, while others are quite detailed and give instructions for day to day learning. Developing a curriculum can be quite challenging, especially when expectations have such a large range.

How to keep a curriculum organized?

Make a template. Curricula are usually graphically organized in a way that includes a space for each component. Some institutions ask educators to use a standardized template, so find out what is expected of you. If no template is provided, find one online or create your own template. This will help you keep your curriculum organized and presentable.

Why do teachers need to evaluate students?

Students need to be evaluated on their performance. This helps the student know if they were successful in understanding the content, and it helps the teacher know if they were successful in delivering the content. Additionally, assessments help the teacher determine if any changes need to be made to the curriculum in the future. There are many ways to assess student performance, and assessments should be present throughout each unit.

What do you learn in a summer playwriting class?

For example, in your summer playwriting course, you might want students to learn how to write a scene, develop well-rounded characters, and create a storyline.

What are unit topics?

Organize your brainstorm or state standards into unified sections that follow a logical sequence. Units can cover big ideas like love, planets, or equations, and important topics like multiplication or chemical reactions.

What are learning goals?

Create learning goals for each unit. Learning goals are the specific things that students will know and be able to do by the end of the unit. You already gave this some thought when you first brainstormed ideas for the class, now you have to be more specific. As you write your learning goals, keep important questions in mind. What does the state require students to know? How do I want my students to think about this topic? What will my students be able to do? Often, you can pull learning goals right from common core standards.

How to make sure your curriculum is effective?

To make sure your curriculum is effective, you'll need to measure student achievement in relation to the objectives and goals set up for your class. Include information about what kinds of assessments you're going to use throughout the year - whether they be chapter quizzes, student projects, or final exams - so you're prepared to check out what your students are learning.

What is a curriculum template?

Curriculum templates are useful tools that allow you to plan out the topics you're going to teach over the school year or semester. These templates should include the educational standards you're basing your instruction on, expectations for student learning, specific information about instructional units, and strategies for assessing student ...

What does it mean to enroll in a course?

Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams.

How to break the school year down into units?

You should also break the school year down into educational units. Give each unit a title, record how much time you intend to spend on it, and go over what you expect your students to learn. You can also record what materials (textbooks, extra handouts, online tools) you plan to use for each unit.

Can you research curriculum development?

You can research tips for creating your curriculum before you get started. Study.com offers a Curriculum Development for Teachers course that can help you review the steps in the curriculum planning and development processes, the different types of curricula, strategies for selecting learning goals, and tips for choosing the right assessments. You'll be able to watch the video lessons in this course whenever you like, and you can work through the quizzes at your own pace. You can even contact educational experts if you have any questions about what you're studying.

What is the purpose of developing a curriculum?

Developing a new curriculum gives you a chance to set the tone and pace for a class, but you're also the one responsible for ensuring that students are meeting the goals you set for them. To effectively plan a class curriculum, you'll need to account for the standards or goals for the class, use good judgment when grouping the units of information and allow for fluid change in your plan.

How to minimize the loss of knowledge while students are away from class?

Pay attention to natural breaks, such as holidays or special events, and plan your curriculum so you assess your students right before those breaks. This can help minimize the loss of knowledge while your students are away from class.

How to keep your class moving forward?

Once you have a set of standards broken into topical units, pull out the calendar. Whether you have a few weeks, months or an entire year, you'll need to be mindful of the amount of time you spend on each topic to keep your class moving ahead on time. Pay attention to natural breaks, such as holidays or special events, and plan your curriculum so you assess your students right before those breaks. This can help minimize the loss of knowledge while your students are away from class.

How to address standards?

The simplest way to address standards is by grouping them according to topic. It will make more sense to your students if you teach topics in a logical way rather than randomly. Before you begin planning a calendar, place similar ideas into units.

Do you have to meet curriculum standards?

Instead, you will be required to meet certain curriculum standards through your curriculum. While the delivery method may be open to interpretation, hitting the standards is the way to make sure your students meet their academic goals.

What is a course description?

A course description introduces your class to potential clients and participants. It’s an essential marketing device, like a business card or LinkedIn profile. But how do you write one? #coursedescription #curriculum #trainingdesign #trainingdelivery #marketing #training

What is the learning objective section?

This section, traditionally called “learning objectives,” is usually in bulleted format, beginning with a stem sentence reading “Participants will: …”. This section should give specific details about what you intend to deliver and do in the class.

What to do after writing a curriculum plan?

After writing your curriculum plan, go back and read it with fresh eyes. When writing anything, but particularly curriculum, I find it helpful to write a messy first draft, put it away, and then come back to it the next day. This gives me a chance to really take a break, then approach my writing with a new perspective.

Is there a right way to develop curriculum?

While there is no “right” way to develop curriculum, you can use these suggestions to get started and develop a curriculum sample template of your very own.

Is curriculum development a good field?

Whether you’re looking to start some side hustles for teachers or want to use your unique teaching experience to find jobs for teachers outside of the classroom, curriculum development can be a great field to pursue.

Do you need a curriculum sample to apply for a job?

When you apply for curriculum development jobs, you sometimes will be asked to send a curriculum sample. If you don’t have one on hand, don’t fret! Creating a sample curriculum plan can be a great way to hone your skills and develop an exemplar of your work.

What is a revised curriculum rationale?

Revised program curriculum rationale. As with revised course proposal s, these rationales should describe the changes being made and an explanation for each of them. Program changes may be: due to modifications in departmental curricular priorities, in response to new developments in professional or academic practice, or.

Does rationale need to address how the course has changed or is changing since it was offered experimentally?

Further, the rationale does not need to address how the course has changed or is changing since it was offered experimentally, but rather should treat the course as a new proposal with the particulars (in terms of course description, prereq, syllabus, etc.) provided.

What is the process of developing a curriculum guide?

The development of an effective curriculum guide is a multi-step, ongoing and cyclical process. The process progresses from evaluating the existing program, to designing an improved program, to implementing a new program and back to evaluating the revised program.

What is curriculum guide?

curriculum guide is a structured document that delineates the philosophy, goals, objectives, learning experiences, instructional resources and assessments that comprise a specific educational program. Additionally, it represents an articulation of what students should know and be able to do and supports teachers in knowing how to achieve these goals.

How to write a syllabus for a course?

Getting Started with Writing a Syllabus 1 Check how your course contributes to your department, program, or graduate field curriculum and learning outcomes. Certain programs may have requirements set by their accrediting organizations (e.g. ABET in Engineering). 2 Review syllabi for the same course from previous instructors. Consider meeting with them to discuss how they have taught the course in the past, what has gone well, and what has been challenging for students to learn. 3 Find out which students typically enroll in this course (year, major) and how many? 4 Search online for sample syllabi for the same or similar courses created by colleagues at other universities. Some disciplinary societies provide online resources for common subjects in introductory courses. 5 This Course Decision Guide can guide you in the process of designing your course.

Why is a syllabus important?

In particular, it: sets the tone for the course. communicates what, when, and how students will learn.

Is a template required for Cornell?

This template is not required at Cornell, but it provides links to many other campus resources and guidelines.

Can you import a syllabus template into Canvas?

to review some recommended best practices for syllabus construction. From the Canvas site, you can import a syllabus template into your own Canvas course or download a Google Doc to customize when constructing your own syllabus.

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Research The Standards

Group by Topic

  • The simplest way to address standards is by grouping them according to topic. It will make more sense to your students if you teach topics in a logical way rather than randomly. Before you begin planning a calendar, place similar ideas into units. Include ways to assess learning, such as quizzes, tests or discussion time, and allow for review so st...
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Consider The Timeline

  • Once you have a set of standards broken into topical units, pull out the calendar. Whether you have a few weeks, months or an entire year, you'll need to be mindful of the amount of time you spend on each topic to keep your class moving ahead on time. Pay attention to natural breaks, such as holidays or special events, and plan your curriculum so you assess your students right b…
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Leave Room For Change

  • You need a plan, but your plan cannot be inflexible. Change happens naturally in a class. Your schedule will be affected by special events, illness, weather or even celebrations. Don't plan so much in a single session that you are unable to finish and repeatedly fall behind. By the same token, keep a list of "if I have extra time" activities, so your students have something to do if the…
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