The Course Design Institute is a signature program of the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. In it, Ohio State instructors are introduced to a “backward design” process and strategies that support significant learning. Participants learn about the evidence-based instructional practices and resources to build effective, student-centered courses. Most importantly, the CDI creates the time and space for instructors to concentrate on design work in the company of colleagues and educational developers.
Materials
CDI Workbook — This workbook is used to guide the CDI providing information about all the elements of the backward design process and guiding participants through the activities.
CDI Portfolio — This document provides the instructions and editable space to do the activities associated with the backward course design process.
Getting Started With GenAI — This document provides resources for thinking about teaching and learning with GenAI. Resources include TLRC articles, prompting help, and CDI example prompts.
Active Learning Strategies
Studies have demonstrated that active learning benefits all students and can reduce or eliminate achievement gaps in STEM courses and promote equity in higher education (Theobald et al., 2020(link is external)). Below is a list of some active learning strategies and links to resources for learning more.
- Peer Instruction(link is external) (see it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wont2v_LZ1E(link is external))
- Jigsaw(link is external) (hear about it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrylh_-40ng(link is external))
- Think-Pair-Share(link is external) (hear about it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYoZLcfMHC4(link is external))
- Debate (hear about it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1IeF7D7kkY(link is external))
- Case Studies(link is external) (hear about it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwjx1PV9RjI(link is external))
- Fishbowl Strategy(link is external) (learn about it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1q7WbWc8dE(link is external))
- Lightening Round (hear about it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7_PfCBBcFI(link is external))
- Analogy (read about it https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10691898.2003.11910705(link is external))
- Discussion Boards (read about it https://teaching.resources.osu.edu/examples/effective-online-discussion(link is external))
- Polling (see it https://www.polleverywhere.com/videos/in-the-wild/poll-everywhere-at-university-of-westminister(link is external))
- Gallery Walk(link is external) (see it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPLk_aVhYwg(link is external))
- Simulations/Simulated Discussions (explore it https://www.kent.edu/ctl/simulation-teaching-strategy(link is external))
- Classroom Assessment Techniques(link is external) (CATs)
- Muddiest Point
- Minute Paper
- Entry/Exit Tickets
- Concept Mapping
- Teaching Strategies(link is external) More Classroom Assessment Techniques
Recommended Readings
- Bruff, D. (2010 September 29). Tools for Grading – Sample Rubrics and Spreadsheets. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/2010/09/tools-for-grading-sample-rubrics-and-spreadsheets/(link is external)
- CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines. http://udlguidelines.cast.org(link is external).
- Fink, L.D. (2009). Designing courses for significant learning. New Directions for Teaching & Learning, 2009(119), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.358(link is external).
- Freeman S., Eddy S., McDonough m., +3 , Smith M.K., Okoroafor N., Jordt N., & Wenderoth N.P. Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1319030111(link is external)
- Lovett, M. C., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Ambrose, S. A., & Norman, M. K. (2023). How learning works : Eight research-based principles for smart teaching. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.
- Luke K. (2021). Twelve tips for designing an inclusive curriculum in medical education using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. MedEdPublish, 10(1), 118. https://doi.org/10.15694/mep.2021.000118.1(link is external).
- Nguyen, K.A., Borrego, M., Finelli, C.J. et al. Instructor strategies to aid implementation of active learning: a systematic literature review. IJ STEM Ed 8, 9 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-021-00270-7(link is external)
- Stonybrook University Center for Teaching and Learning Learning Objectives Wheel(link is external) Based on Blooms Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain, Accessed May 4, 2024.
- Theobald, E.J, Hill, M.J., Tran, E., … Freeman, S. (2020). Active learning narrows achievement gaps for underrepresented students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 117(12), 6476-6483. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1916903117(link is external).
- Winkelmes, M. Bernacki, M. Butler, J. Zochowski, M. Golanics, J. Weavil, K. (2016). A Teaching Intervention that Increases Underserved College Students’ Success(link is external). Peer Review.
Teaching and Learning Resource Center
The Teaching and Learning Resource Center (TLRC) has a wide variety of valuable articles. Here are a few that align with CDI topics
- Using Backward Design to Plan Your Course
- Planning Your Course for the General Education Curriculum
- Designing Assessments of Student Learning
- Information Literacy: Concepts and Strategies
- Online Instructor Presence
- Helping Students Write Across the Disciplines
- High-Impact Practices: Enhancing the Student Experience
- Supporting Student Learning and Metacognition
- Beyond the SEI: Collecting Student Feedback on Your Teaching
Additional Readings
- Ambrose, S.A., Bridges, M.W., Lovett, M.C., DiPietro, M., & Norman, M.K. (2010). How learning works: 7 research-based principles for smart teaching. Jossey-Bass.
- Anderson, L., Krathwohl, D., Airasian, P., Cruikshank, K., Mayer, R., Pintrich, P., Raths, J., & Wittrock, M. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Addison Wesley Longman.
- Michael V. Drake for Teaching and Learning. (2020). Drake Institute Reading List. https://drakeinstitute.osu.edu/reading-list
- Fink, L.D. (2003). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approaches to designing college courses. Jossey-Bass.
- Hurtubise, L., & Roman, B. (2014). Competency-based curricular design to encourage significant learning. Current problems in pediatric and adolescent health care, 44(6), 164–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cppeds.2014.01.005(link is external)
- Indiana University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Decoding the Disciplines https://citl.indiana.edu/teaching-resources/course-design/decoding-disciplines/index.html(link is external)
- Reynolds, H., & Kearns, K. (2017). A planning tool for incorporating backward design, active learning, and authentic assessment in the college classroom. College Teaching, 65(1), 17-27. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1126730(link is external)
- Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2013). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.