This page consolidates teaching resources that support Principle 1 of Montclair State University’s Teaching Principles: Clear Course Design.
Courses that follow this principle have appropriate learning goals and measurable outcomes that are aligned with departmental and programmatic expectations to serve both students and discipline. Student expectations are best when clearly stated and easy to understand. Feedback designed to make clear students’ progress towards meeting course expectations is most useful when offered in a timely manner to help students succeed. Clear expectations and goals help provide scaffolding for student academic growth and establish trust between the instructor and student.
The resources below will help you through different stages of course design and planning.
Propose a New Course
A series of three documents that support writing new course proposals that will meet the University’s requirements and lead directly into practical application: creating a course.
Plan Your Course
Using backward design ensures the essentials of a strong course: learning outcomes, a course outline, assignments, assessments, and learning activities.
Write Your Syllabus
Effective syllabi communicate essential information about the course and instructor, learning objectives, required materials, and assessments, and course calendar.
Create Assignments and Assessments
Refresh and expand your repertoire of strategies for supporting student learning through varied assignments and assessments.
Choosing Course Materials
Advice for choosing course materials that support diversity and inclusion, and using course reserves and open educational resources.
Designing Your Online Course
Online modalities require a more fully developed Canvas course and more attention to organization, clarity, technological integration, and accessibility, as well as some different approaches to engaging in active learning.
Planning a Compressed Course
Compressed or accelerated courses need special attention to course design to ensure a robust course that is manageable for both students and instructor.
Plan for Grading
Develop a strategy for grading that leverages grades to maximize learning without putting yourself into an impossible workload situation.
Academic Honesty
Strategies to cope with academic dishonesty begin with the course and assignment design but do not end there: review suggested practices as you design your course.
Practical Responses to Generative AI
ChatGPT and other AI present new challenges and opportunities for teaching and learning.
Attendance
Options and considerations as you develop your attendance policy and respond to special situations.
Plan for Disruption
Making a plan for disruption saves stress later.
Student Support Resources
Use campus resources to connect students with academic and other support offered by campus partners.
Canvas Universal Guidelines
Information about what all courses must include on Canvas.