There is a deceivingly simple process for writing a killer course description:
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In writing a course description, be sure to include the following information: What will students learn in the course (i.e., knowledge, skills, attitudes, as opposed to topics)? Why will learning this matter to students? How will the course help students develop as scholars, learners, future professionals?
Course Development Process. It might be helpful to think of the course development process as consisting of five, often overlapping, stages: initiation, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The Initiation Stage In this stage, you formulate a broad course plan and prepare proposals to support the project.
Course descriptions appear in individual Course Outlines and in the Program of Studies (POSs) for individual programs. Course descriptions should: Use brief, outcomes-based, descriptive phrases that begin with an imperative or active verb (e.g., design, create, plan, analyze) Course descriptions should avoid:
Refine the Course Design. Course planning is a continual process, as illustrated by the diagram below. Each of the steps is necessarily undertaken with the others in mind, and each will necessarily undergo revision each time you teach a particular course.
Course Description Guidelinesshould be no longer than 125 words.should begin most sentences with a verb.should be student-centered and explain how the reader would benefit from the course.should be written in the present tense and active voice.
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...•
A course description is. a short, pithy statement which informs a student about the subject matter, approach, breadth, and applicability of the course. focuses on content ...
Attention Grabbing eLearning Course DescriptionsStart off with a thought provoking or compelling statement. ... Include keywords that are relevant and engaging. ... Avoid complicated vocabulary or industry-specific jargon. ... Use action words or phrases. ... Avoid redundancies. ... Keep it short and simple. ... Address them directly.
10 Steps To Creating A Wildly Successful Online CoursePick the perfect course topic.Ensure your course idea has high market demand.Create Magnetic and Compelling Learning Outcomes.Select and Gather your Course Content.Structure Your Modules and Course Plan.More items...•
The following are tips for writing a course description:The course description should be no longer than 100 words.Write from a student-centered perspective.Use present tense and active voice.Use clear and simple sentence structure and language.Use gender neutral language.More items...
A course description is usually written in paragraph form with complete sentences. A syllabus often contains timelines, calendars, outlines, bullet points and tables or infographics that quickly and concisely relay important information.
Why Do You Need Compelling Course Descriptions?Provide Catchy and Concise Course Details. ... Include a personal benefit for the learner. ... Clarify the benefit. ... Get a bit more specific on what will be taught. ... Add a sentence that speaks to a desire, fear, need or curiosity. ... Include a clear call to action.
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.
The Evaluation Stage. Evaluation is a continuous part of the course development and delivery process. Fundamentally it involves knowing what you want students to learn and using clear criteria to assess and evaluate their work toward these learning goals.
McGraw’s Online Learning Environments team will partner with you to create blended, flipped and fully online courses in line with the best practices for online pedagogy. It might be helpful to think of the course development process as consisting of five, often overlapping, stages: initiation, design, development, implementation, and evaluation.
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.
Course planning is a continual process, as illustrated by the diagram below. Each of the steps is necessarily undertaken with the others in mind, and each will necessarily undergo revision each time you teach a particular course. As you plan and revise courses, remember the importance of teaching core concepts and critical-thinking skills.
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.
When you define the course goals, focus on student learning. One way to formulate these goals is to determine what students should be learning in terms of content, cognitive development, and personal development. Be as specific as you can and make sure that the goals define learning in ways that can be measured.
Instructors often plan initially to teach more material than they can cover in the allotted time. 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.