How to Design a New College Course Curriculum
- 1). Assess prior knowledge. Consider what your students will come to your class already knowing. You may do an informal or formal assessment once students have entered your class. It's important to consider the core curriculum that must be taught in terms of what students already know so that they are not re-learning previous information.
- 2). Determine where your course will fall in the sequence of the program. For example, does your class precede or come after the general education classes that serve as a foundation for a particular degree? Every college has guidelines for other courses in the same subject area. Examine these guidelines and plan your course to include any pre-requisite skills or knowledge necessary for subsequent classes.
- 3). Plan the cumulative assessment that will occur upon course completion. An idea of where your students should end up will give you a better outline for planning the way they will get there. Look at the cumulative assessment, and plan the skills and activities you'd like to teach leading up to the assessment.
- 4). Select appropriate supplementary materials, such as audio/visual materials and texts. Much of what you teach will be centered on these materials, so they must be appropriate and accessible. Search for materials that have multi-media components and/or websites connected to them to improve their accessibility for all types of learners.
- 5). Create a syllabus or course calendar with all activities and the sequence of instruction. Students will want to know what they will be responsible for and most college courses publish a syllabus in advance of the instruction. College courses have strict time restraints; so, it's important to have a plan for what will be taught and what the students will be responsible for, and to communicate these items clearly.
