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 and practice using GenAI as part of the process. 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.
Participants who successfully complete this program earn an Evidence-Based Course Design for Higher Education endorsement.
Our Process
CDI introduces participants to a process called “Backward Design,” a framework outlined in Understanding by Design. While it is tempting to organize a course by deciding what content to cover, “Backward Design” suggests instructors begin by identifying specific, student-centered goals and outcomes before they choose any other elements of the course. The CDI was developed using this process and comprises the following broad topics:
- designing with learning goals and outcomes in mind
- developing assignments and grading rubrics
- organizing teaching strategies and content
- planning for assessment and evaluation
During the CDI, participants review and apply selected materials from the institute’s reading list. Our reading list comprises texts instructors might find valuable, whether designing a new course, redesigning a course or considering how to better support students using evidence-based instructional approaches.
Goal
During a Course Design Institute, participants gain an understanding of how to design a course based on a foundation of goals and outcomes; begin the actual work of course planning, working with a community of peers; and leave with the basic structure for a course and the beginnings of course materials such as a syllabus, assignment drafts, assessment tools and a course outline.
Participant will also learn and practice GenAI prompts informed by the evidence-based resources when designing a course.
Learning Outcomes
Participants who successfully complete a CDI will be able to:
- articulate and align course goals and learning outcomes in a given course
- design appropriate and effective evaluation and assessment tools for select learning outcomes
- make discipline specific decisions regarding course content
- organize content to support student achievement of learning outcomes
- evaluate which pedagogical tools and teaching styles will be most appropriate for the context, goals and outcomes of an individual course
Joining a CDI
A short application, required for consideration to participate, gathers information about the course the instructor will be designing or redesigning during the CDI (which is usually an actual course that you plan to teach, but in some cases, might be a course you hope to teach in the future). The application also asks about motivation and goals for attending.