Most teachers put a lot of time into thinking about what topics they want to cover, but the design of the course doesn’t get as much thought. It is all too easy to slip into thinking that the way to teach the subject is to follow the logic of topic sequence, a practice aided by textbooks.
But the logic of the content need not correspond to the logic of the teaching sequence. In fact, there are other, and better, ways to conceptualize the course to enable deeper understanding by students that lead to better learning outcomes. Such planning comes under the heading of backward design or idea-based design, and involves starting from the desired end point (What do I want my students to really understand once the course is over and how will I know if they have attained that understanding?) and work backward to formulate the scope and sequencing of the content.
At the next UCITE session, participants will learn how to set about doing this and get started on this process for their own courses.
Join us for this discussion July 21 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Herrick Room, which is on the ground floor of the Allen Building immediately on the left if you enter through the Euclid Avenue revolving door.
Pizza lunch and sodas will be provided at this session; RSVP to ucite@case.edu.