Subject design

Local resources

• Subject outline checklist
  Section 2.9 in the Teaching and Assessment Code of Practice contains a 25 point checklist that lists the requirements for items that must be included in undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate subject outlines.

• Do it yourself guide to designing your subject [PDF]
  A locally developed guide outlining the stepwise process of starting with culminating outcomes, writing enabling outcomes, selecting appropriate teaching and learning activities, choosing assessment tasks and writing explicit assessment criteria.

Journal articles

• Lessons learned from three projects to design: learning environments that support ‘generic' skill development
  This article from the Journal of Learning Design reports on three case studies from RMIT and CQU where academics substantially changed their subject designs to accommodate graduate attributes, to shift to more student-centred teaching, and from content to process orientations. The case studies are varied; scientific communication in Physics, professional skills in Business, and across-institution capability-based curriculum. Additionally, the paper offers well-grounded frames for effecting change in university settings, and evaluates the projects in terms of Kotter's (1996) eight stage process. The final section consists of 8 recommendations for changing design.

• Using conceptual mapping as a tool in the process of engine ering education program design
  This article from the Journal of Learning Design looks at the use of conceptual mapping to change designs of engineering subjects. The approach is a version of constructive alignment, and the authors provide on pages 47-49 an excellent set of guidelines and definitions of key terms in subject design.
  

Books

• Teaching for quality learning at university : what the student does
  The second edition of this seminal book by John Biggs (2003) contains the chapters: 1. Changing university teaching -- 2. Constructing learning by aligning teaching: constructive alignment -- 3. Formulating and clarifying curriculum objectives -- 4. Setting the stage for effective teaching -- 5. Good teaching: principles and practice -- 6. Enriching large-class teaching -- 7. Teaching international students -- 8. Assessing for learning quality I: principles -- 9. Assessing for learning quality II: practice -- 10. Using educational technology: ET not IT -- 11. Some examples of aligned teaching -- 12. The reflective teacher -- 13. The reflective institution: quality assurance through quality enhancement.

• Creating significant learning experiences : an integrated approach to designing college courses
  This book by L. Dee Fink (2003) contains the chapters: 1. Creating Significant Learning Experiences -- 2. A Taxonomy of Significant Learning -- 3. Designing Significant Learning Experiences I: Getting Started -- 4. Designing Significant Learning Experiences II: Shaping the Learning Experience -- 5. Changing the Way We Teach -- 6. Better Organizational Support for Faculty -- 7. The Human Significance of Good Teaching and Learning -- App. A. Planning Your Course: A Decision Guide.

• Designing Courses for Higher Education
  This book by Susan Toohey (1999) contains the chapters: 1. Pressures for Change -- 2. The Course Design Process -- 3. Beliefs, Values and Ideologies in Course Design -- 4. Thinking about Goals and Content -- 5. The Structure of the Course -- 6. Making Learning Opportunities More Flexible -- 7. Deciding on Goals and Objectives for Units of Study -- 8. Choosing Teaching Strategies -- 9. Assessment -- 10. Implementing the New Course.

• Design of University Courses and Subje cts: A Strategic Approach
  This HERDSA guide presents one of a number of possible systematic approaches to the planning, organisation and management of course design, where the scope ranges from whole degree programs to individual subjects. It is intended to assist the work of faculty or departmental curriculum committees, teams engaged in the planning of course programs, small working parties, and even individuals concerned with the detailed design and production of subjects. It describes a strategic approach to course design, argues for the benefits of such an approach, and then provides a systematic account of the proposed scheme which focuses on the outcomes of each step and their desirable outcomes. It offers a comprehensive guide to one strategy for designing courses and subjects, without seeking to be rigidly prescriptive.

Websites and documents

• First words on course design
  This text based resource from Oxford-Brookes University provides a very practical guide to course design covering writing aims and learning outcomes, structuring and sequencing content and learning activities.

• Course Design
  The site from the University of New South Wales outlines a student centred approach to course design based around constructive alignment.It contains useful sections on Developing Learning Outcomes, Developing Learning Activities, Assessing Student Learning, and Evaluating your course.

• Self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning (Word doc, 36 pages)
  Based on his book Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses (2003) L. Dee Fink provides this 12 step model of course design including introductory comments, worksheets, and action questions at each stage.