How do I design a course unit or session?
In a nutshell
A good place to start when designing a session or a whole unit is to think about the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs).
These describe what students should be able to do at the end of the session or course unit. They should link to the programme level ILOs. For more on ILOs read this Guide to Writing Aims and Intended Learning Outcomes.
After writing the ILOs, the next thing to think about are the methods of delivery and assessment (both formative and summative). Different methods of delivery are covered in How do I deliver a course unit? and assessment is covered in How do I devise effective assessment?
It’s important to ensure that your teaching is inclusive, enabling every student, whatever their background, the opportunity to succeed on their programme.
Factsheets and links:
- Inclusive Teaching and Learning
- How Students Learn
- Guide to Writing Aims and Intended Learning Outcomes
- Guidance on Student Study Hours (docx, 34 KB)
Key research / evidence / case studies
- A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, H. Fry, S. Ketteridge, S. Marshall
- Teaching for Quality Learning at University, J. Biggs and C. Tang.
