1. Course Design that Begins with the End in Mind: If You Can Dream It, You Can Design It! Part 2: Aligning the Learning to Course Objectives Donna Ziegenfuss, Ed.D. Associate Librarian, Assistant Head of Scholarship & Education Services J. Willard Marriot Library, University of Utah
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

2. At the end of this session you will be able to:
Create an alignment grid that will help you align assessments, and learning/teaching activities to course objectives
Create a communication plan to help you design communication and collaboration into your course and support online learners, and
Use rubrics and checklists to help you evaluate online course
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

3. Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online (Boettcher, 2011)
Be present at the course site
Create a supportive online course community
Share a set of very clear expectations for your students and for yourself as to (1) how you will communicate and (2) how much time students should be working on the course each week
Use a variety of large group, small group, and individual work experiences
Use both synchronous and asynchronous activities
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

4. (Boettcher, 2011) continued
Early in the term - about week 3, ask for informal feedback on "How is the course going?” Create a supportive online course community
Prepare discussion posts that invite questions, discussions, reflections and responses
Focus on content resources and applications and links to current events and examples that are easily accessed from learner's computers
Combine core concept learning with customized and personalized learning
Plan a good closing and wrap activity for the course
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

5. University of Utah Framework (based on Fink, 2003)
(Pedagogical)
(Technical)
University of Utah Framework (based on Fink, 2003)
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

6. 4 Phases of Course Design
The Design phase involves analyzing the course situational factors, design course objectives, and structure the course. Contains 2 Essential Elements:
Course and lesson outcomes stated as measurable objectives
A course organization structure that facilitates usability and student learning

7. 4 Phases of Course Design
In the Build phase, developers create learning activities and the associated media content.
Contains 2 Essential Elements:
Learning activities that engage students in a complete learning process
Course content provided in appropriate media formats

8. 4 Phases of Course Design
In the Teach phase, instructors  support student learning through effective communication and facilitating an active learning community.
Contains 1 Essential Element:
A sense of learning community facilitated through specifically planned communication and student support

9. 4 Phases of Course Design
In the Revise phase, instructors analyze their course learning data and utilize instructional design services to improve learning outcomes.
Contains 1 Essential Element:
Assessment, feedback and evaluation strategies that measure student learning outcomes as well as overall course quality

10. So how does Backwards Design fit into all of this
So how does Backwards Design fit into all of this? It is the process that can guide you through creating a course In an online environment, without a plan and a process to design and develop the plan you can just end up with a collection of information chunks

11. Activity: HO#1: The Alignment Grid
Use the alignment grid to help you brainstorm ideas for course assessments and teaching/learning activities that will align to your course objectives
Provides a visual map of your course
Helps you identify redundancies and gaps
Provides a good starting point for digging deeper into course design
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

12. Design Approach (Backwards Design) Creating Significant Learning Environments Fink, L. Dee (2003)
Identify relevant situational factors and design course objectives/outcomes first
Design activities, assignments & assessments to align to objectives
Structure and sequence course
Develop explicit plan or map for students to follow online
Same for F2F and online
Could be different or the same for F2F and online
Different for F2F and online
Situational Factors

13. Teacher-Centered Approach Student-Centered Approach
Fink, L. D. (2003). Creating significant learning environments. Jossey-Bass

14. Strategies for Student-Centered Learning
Teachers do:
Less learning tasks (students need to do it themselves)
Less telling; students do more discovering
More course design work
More modeling and sharing
More to get students learning from and with each other
Work to create conducive climates for learning
More with student feedback
Weimer’s 7 Principles

15. Strategies for Student-Centered Learning
Learners do:
More focusing on their learning & less on their grade
More connecting of the content for themselves
More discovering on their own
More participating in class
More learning from each other
More self and peer assessment
Provide more feedback to the instructor
Weimer’s 7 Principles

16. Challenges for a Student-Centered Online Classroom
Time constraints
Student resistance
More work for both students and instructor
Can be more threatening & scary for both instructors and students
May require more developmental approaches in the classroom for students lacking confidence

17. Student-Centered Teaching Maryellen Weimer (2002)
5 Key Principles for Changing Practice:
The Function of Content
Role of the Teacher
Balance of Power
Responsibility for Learning
The Purpose and Processes for Evaluation
Maryellen Weimer’s Teaching Professor Blog
Faculty Focus Topics and Free Reports

18. The Function of Content
Teacher-Centered:
Student-Centered:
About “transmitting” or covering information or content
About “using” the content, not just about passively receiving it
Controlled by teacher – instructor is the content expert
Also about how to learn, and reflection on the process of learning
Students construct their own knowledge

19. Shank, P. (2013). More on Designing and Teaching Online Courses with Adult Students in Mind, copyright © by Faculty Focus, a division of Magna Publications Online at:

20. The Role of the Instructor
Teacher-Centered:
Student-Centered:
Teacher is the “Sage on the Stage” – center of attention
Teacher is the “Guide on the Side” when online
Only “expert” in the classroom
Instructor is a resource for learning – not the only expert
Focus is on grading students and judging students
Model & mentor

21. Balance of Power Teacher-Centered: Student-Centered:
A classroom hierarchy climate
A community of learners – more collaborative
No questioning, flexibility
Students have more con-trol over their own learn-ing and do more to either help/hinder their learning
Teacher makes all decisions
Higher expectation for the students & can be harder for the students

22. Responsibility for Learning
Teacher-Centered:
Students partner with instructor in the learning process (work together to improve learning)
Teacher provides content; student responsible to learn it
Students take some responsibility for their own learning process
Laying blame - students say it is the teacher’s fault they did not learn; Teacher says they taught the material but students didn’t learn it
Self-assessing
Learning other skills – beyond facts
Student-Centered:

23. The Purpose & Process of Evaluation
Teacher-Centered:
Students learn to assess their own learning and learning process
Summative assessment only (autopsy model won’t work online)
Self, peer, and expert perspectives (multiple methods of assessment)
Instructor judges
Instructor “gives out grades”
Students “earn grades”
Assessment integrated with the learning process
Evaluation is separate from the learning
Student-Centered:

24. Variety of assessment works best online
Will not work online
Variety of assessment works best online

25. Structuring and Sequencing
Think about your course objectives:
Are they focused on concepts/content?
Are they process oriented?
Is there a sequence?
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

26. Sequencing Structuring Tips
Think of your course in chunks
Get students ready or prepared for later work (practice, scaffolding, modeling)
Give them opportunities to practice—with prompt feedback—doing whatever it is you want them to learn to do
Assess the quality of their performance
Allow them to reflect on their learning

27. Activity: HO#2: Designing Active Learning Activities
In an online environment, it is more important to design “engaging” and “applied” assignments/assessments
A complete learning unit has four components:
Statement of student learning outcomes
Presentation/demonstration of new information or processes
Practice opportunities with feedback and coaching
Assessment of student learning related to the outcomes
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

28. Activity: HO#2: Designing Active Learning Activities (cont.)
Goal Big dream for the course
Objective For the course (what students will know at the end of the course)
Outcome Focused on specific the student learning competencies
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

29. Activity: HO#3: 5 Strategies for Developing a Communication Plan
Lay out the rules for online teaching and learning so that students will know what to expect
Clearly define the preferred communication methods
Support each other and learn in a social environment
Provide opportunities for community building and regular interact with other students/instructors, materials
Make it clear to students where to turn for technical support
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

30. Activity: HO#4: Evaluating an Online Course
Does your course design embed the 6 Essential Elements of the Quality Course Framework?
How does your alignment grid, communication and individual active learning lessons score on the rubrics?
Does your course align to other online course checklists and rubrics?
Quality Matters, Chico Rubric, Sloan Pillars
University of New Mexico | College of Nursing Faculty Development Series

31. References Fink Materials
Fink, L. D. (2003). Creating significant learning experiences. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass
Fink, L. D. (2005). A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning. Online at:
Dee Fink’s Website | Book
IDEA Paper - Synopsis of Fink model
Free chapter 1 of his book
Fink’s 5 principles of good course design
Nursing course on Fink’s Design Learning website
Designing Better Learning Website
Other Backwards Design Models
W. K. Kellogg Foundation(2004). Logic Model Development Guide. Battle Creek, MI: Available online at:
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.

32. References Other Valuable Course Design/Teachng Websites
University of Utah Quality Online Course Framework blog
Angelo, T.& Cross, P. (1993) Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers, 2nd ed. San Francisco: Wiley & Sons. (50 CATs)
Barr, R. B. and J. Tagg (1995, Nov/Dec). From teaching to learning - A new paradigm for undergraduate education. Change, (article)
Huba, M.E. & Freed, J.E. (2000). Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses: Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning. Allyn and Bacon Publishers
Huber, M., & Hutchings, P. (2004). Integrative learning: Mapping the terrain. Washington, DC: The Association of American Colleges and Universities. Retrieved March 29, 2007 from
Weimer, M. (2002). Learner-centered teaching: Five key changes to practice, San Francisco: Jossy-Bass (book summary)
Weimer, M. Teaching Professor Blog and Faculty Focus Topics and Free Reports (sign up for free and get access to free reports and short articles
Shank, P. Designing and Teaching Online Courses for Adult Learners