[course name] Appendix A: Course Structure Content

Organizer
Use this document to develop your course plans. Replace the provided highlighted text with your
own. Once this document is filled out, email it to your instructional designer.

Overall course goals

By the end of this semester, students will be able to:
 Goal 1 (note: use concrete language when writing goals and objectives)
 Goal 2

Major course projects

 E.g.: Research paper
 E.g.: Group presentation
 E.g.: Final Exam

Other assignments (see appendix B for more detail)

 E.g.: Quizzes
 E.g.: Essays
 E.g.: Discussions

Textbook(s) used (please format in APA reference style)

Breakdown of Course Topics (or “Modules”) & Objectives

Note: Every topic/module covered should have a learning objective associated with it, so that
course content can be aligned with assessments. Some sample objectives are provided below,
for ideas. Contact your instructional designer if you have any questions. Here is an online tool
to help you develop objectives: http://teachonline.asu.edu/objectives-builder/
It might be helpful to number the objectives, to make them easier to track with assessments.

Topic/Module Objectives — to demonstrate mastery of topics, students will be able to:

Topic 1  correctly answer multiple choice questions about XYZ
 describe how this topic fits in with current events using professional
language and original research
Topic 2  find relevant evidence of how topic works within in a set of articles
 create a slideshow of annotated photographs demonstrating XYZ
Topic 3  defend their opinion about XYZ in a debate
 correctly match a list of terms and definitions
Etc.  …
Objectives and Assessment Alignment
Copy the objectives written above into the table below. Then replace the highlighted text in
the Assessments column with assessments to be created.
Objectives Assessment to measure achievement of that objective
correctly answer multiple choice questions about Quiz 1: multiple choice quiz
XYZ
describe how this topic fits in with current events essay question assignment
using professional language and original research
find relevant evidence of how [topic] works within scavenger hunt, or critical analysis essay
in a set of articles
create a slideshow of annotated photographs Prezi assignment
demonstrating XYZ
defend their opinion about XYZ in a debate discussion board debate
correctly match a list of terms and definitions matching terms quiz
Etc. …
Note: In addition to formal assessments, it is recommended to provide some activities with
lower stakes, (e.g. not graded, or for minimal points), to allow students opportunity to practice
the material before they are assessed on their mastery of it. For example, a computer graded
quiz that can be taken multiple times, so they can test themselves on their understanding. Such
lower-stakes activities can be added later, after the formal assessments have been written. But
it’s something to consider

Suggested Schedule
The benefit of a modular approach to course design is that the same course can be easily
modified to fit various schedules. Provide a suggested breakdown of which modules would
belong in which weeks, for different semester lengths. Instructors who teach the course will
choose their own due dates and modify as needed, based on the specifics of that particular
semester, but a guideline to start from can be helpful. Consider that there is often only a short
period of time at the end of a semester to submit final grades, so it may be helpful to have large
projects due a week before the semester ends, to allow time for the instructor to grade.

15-week course
Week Modules to complete Assignments Due
1 … …
2 … …
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14 … …
15 … …

7.5-week course
Week Modules to complete Assignments Due
1 … …
2 … …
3 … …
4 … …
5 … …
6 … …
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6-week course
Week Modules to complete Assignments Due
1 … …
2 … …
3 … …
4 … …
5 … …
6 … …