Course Planning & Design Tools

Creating a structured plan before your class begins can save you time and provide clarity in the long term. In addition to past syllabi, several planning tools can be useful in preparing for, planning, and designing your course. Each planning tool below fills a different niche in planning and designing. They can be used in combination or separately, depending on your needs.

New Inclusive Canvas Setup Guide

Pick and choose steps to optimize your Canvas course for inclusivity and efficiency this fall.

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Course Map

Creating a weekly (or per unit) map of your course can help you align and sequence content. This template offers a framework for creating a detailed week-by-week (or unit-by-unit) plan for a course. It provides a high-level view of content, activities, and objectives. This document provides an outline for a 14-week course for you to adapt.

Screenshot of the Course Map Document that includes a table with columns for week, unit, learning outcomes, reading, assignments, and more.
Click to Preview the Course Map

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Credit Hour

Using our credit hour worksheet can help you better estimate student time and ensure your course meets the credit hour definition and includes regular and substantive interaction. Use this worksheet to estimate how your course components contribute to the standard of 45 hours of learning activity per credit required for your course.

Screenshot of the Credit Hour Excel worksheet that calculates time in hours students spend on regular activities across a semester.
Click to Preview the Credit Hour Worksheet

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Course Rhythm

Diagramming the weekly (or per unit) rhythm of your course can help both instructors and students understand how activities fit together and when time will be required to engage in the course. Establishing a clear and repeatable “rhythm” can help students structure their participation. This document offers a template and several examples.

Screenshot of the Course Rhythm Template that includes columns for days of the week and rows for regular class activities, like lectures, homework, and more.
Click to Preview the Course Rhythm Template

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Course Orientation Module

A course orientation in Canvas usually takes the form of one Module that students can interact with before the course officially begins, whether the course is in-person, hybrid, or online. This helps students be prepared for class on the first day by communicating expectations and norms for your course, which can be especially valuable for students who are newer to higher education.

Screenshot of the Canvas Orientation Module

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Getting Started with Instructional Design

If you have questions about planning or designing your course, we’d love to help. Please request a consultation. We will reach out promptly to learn more and begin designing together. Our work typically starts with one 45-minute virtual meeting.

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