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Designing a Course… Backwards?

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Opening Activity

Take 2 minutes to list in order the key steps you use to create a lesson plan for a single class or unit.

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Traditional Lesson Planning

Plan your lecture/in-class activities
Develop your tests and assessments
Grade students

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Backward Design

What do you want students to be able to do by the end of the class/course?�(Learning Objectives)
How will you measure if students can do that?�(Aligned Assessment)
How will you prepare students for assessments?�(Design Instruction)

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Learning Objectives

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Learning Objectives

…articulate the knowledge and skills you want students to acquire by the end of the course�https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/learningobjectives.html

…describes what the student will be able to do.�Dick, W. & Carey, L. (1996). The Systematic Design of Instruction. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

…what students will gain or take away from your course�http://bokcenter.harvard.edu/syllabus-design

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Activity

What words describe an effective objective?

Post in the chat.

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Developing Learning Objectives

Objectives have two parts

An Action Verb

Content

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Make your Objectives S.M.A.R.T

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Workshop Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

list the steps of the backward design process in order
write S.M.A.R.T. learning objectives for their Lesson Plan
apply Bloom’s Taxonomy in writing a learning objective

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Common Objective Verb Faux Pas �(non-measurable)

Know
Comprehend
Understand
Appreciate
Familiarize

Be aware
Become acquainted with
Gain knowledge
Realize
Believe

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Common Objective Verb Faux Pas

Participants will understand the backward design process.

vs.

Participants will

list the steps of the backward design process in order
write S.M.A.R.T. learning objectives for their Lesson Plan

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Example: AASM 2019 Sleep Board Review Course

Goal: To pass the sleep recertification boards

Objectives: At the end of this lecture the learner will:

list the diagnostic criteria for insomnia
describe the current guidelines for the evaluation and �work-up of insomnia
describe the current practice parameters for insomnia pharmacotherapeutic options
apply the current practice parameters for insomnia behavioral therapeutic options

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Choose the S.M.A.R.T. Objective

At the end of the class the learner will:�

Be given opportunities to learn effective communications skills.
Communicate effectively in a professional environment through technical reports and presentations.
Have a deeper appreciation for good communication practices.
Understand principles of effective communication.

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Choose the S.M.A.R.T. Objective

At the end of the class the learner will:�

Communicate effectively in a professional environment through technical reports and presentations. ��Specific! - Starts with an action verb that defines the level of�learning; provides context to ensure the outcome is specific and measurable �
Be given opportunities to learn effective communications skills.��Not an outcome - This describes the program content, not the attributes of successful students.

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Choose the S.M.A.R.T. Objective

At the end of the class the learner will:

Have a deeper appreciation for good communication practices.��Vague! - Does not start with an action verb or define the level of learning;subject of learning has no context and is not specific.�
Understand principles of effective communication.��Less Vague BUT Not Specific - Starts with an action verb, BUT does not define the level of learning; subject of learning is still too vague for assessment

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Introduce the concept of Bloom’s taxonomy. How it can help in choosing verbs for objectives.

Source – our friends at Vanderbilt

From II - Bloom’s taxonomy helps instructors align the level of the course with the level of their instruction and the types of assessments used to measure student learning. The framework represents a continuum from lower order thinking skills to higher order thinking skills. Instructors teaching an introductory level course may expect students to remember and understand content. Mid-level courses might require students to apply their knowledge or analyze data. In an upper level course, students may be asked to evaluate information or develop ideas or theories based on examination of evidence.

https://cer.jhu.edu/files/InnovInstruct-BP-12_blooms-taxonomy-action-speaks-louder.pdf

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Activity

Write 2-3 learning objectives for a class or unit in your course

Work individually
Debrief in small groups (3-4 around you)
CER staff and facilitators will give feedback during next session

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The Teaching Academy�Preparing Future Faculty

The Teaching Academy offers Ph.D. students and Post-doctoral Fellows from all divisions across Johns Hopkins University, college teacher training and academic career preparation opportunities through courses, workshops, teaching practicums, teaching-as-research fellowships, and individual consultation.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Educators

PROVIDE OVERVIEW OF LOCAL CIRTL PROGRAMS & CROSS-NETWORK EVENTS�

https://cer.jhu.edu/teaching-academy

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