Instructors at Wayne State University come to course design from multiple perspectives.  Sometimes you're handed a syllabus from someone who has taught it before and you don't have much lead time before the class launches.  Or maybe you're teaching a course with multiple sections and use a common syllabus where you don't have a lot of latitude in the course design.  And sometimes you might create the course from scratch.  

Elements from course design and development are useful for each of these cases.  Even if the outcomes and readings are predetermined, there are still ways to think about implementing the course that takes these attributes into consideration.  Every instructor has some latitude in creating student-centered, engaged learning environments.  A key component of course design, implementation, and assessment is a focus on student-centered teaching and learning strategies.  (We'll talk more about this in the "Student-centered classrooms" section, but all of these frameworks forefront student-centered active learning.)  

Course design is not a linear and sequential process, it will often require reviewing, updating and improving on previous versions.  Wherever you are in the course design process we think these frameworks will help you be more confident and more efficient in your approach to teaching and learning.

Our #1 goal in course design is creating and sustaining teaching and learning environments that promote the success of all of our students and match the academic rigor and expectations of the disciplines.  It's a balance of academic rigor and promoting the success of all of our students.