How to Create a Course Map

William Swann
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6 steps
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30 seconds

Sharepoint

There may already be course outcomes for your course provided by your department, program, or accrediting body. If so, obtain those outcomes and list them here **(C1., C2., C3., etc.)**. If not, develop a (preferably short) list of course learning outcomes. When doing so: - Consider the broad, central topics and questions addressed in your course. - Ask yourself what you would like students to be able to do after completing your course that they could not do prior to it. - Compose a phrase for each objective that begins with a verb (see [Bloom's Taxonomy](https://unmm.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/tsdl/EWFHL-Z8L3NGku_BJivJW9sBpGUHPhYPGc4PXonNRMKPIA?e=YwdCQv) for a list of action verbs).

Based on your identified course outcomes, determine how you can assess your students so as to verify they are meeting course objectives. You might begin with any larger assessments, such as course projects or major exams. Then identify smaller activities and assessments that support sub-skills students will need before tackling the larger assessments. Space the major and minor assessments at regular intervals in the term, and list them in the **Assessments columns** for the appropriate modules.

Based on the assessments you have identified and listed in the module tables (see Step 2), write **module-level learning outcomes** for each module. List them in the **Module Learning Outcomes column** in each module table. They should align with your assessments – e.g., the assessments test for student meeting of the module learning outcomes.

Based on the module learning outcomes and assessments for this module, develop or identify materials that support students in meeting the listed module objective. List them in the **Materials column** of each module table.

Determine how the module learning outcomes in this module correspond to course outcomes. List the relevant course outcome in the **Course Outcome Alignment column** (e.g., a cell in the column might have C2 in it, to reflect that the module outcome in that row supports the second course outcome).

Identify a general descriptor for the materials in each module and add it to the module title (e.g., replace **\[Topic\]**).