Course Design Institute for Grad Students and Postdocs

Washington University graduate students and postdocs are invited to participate in The Teaching Center’s Course Design Institute.  The Course Design Institute is designed to help graduate students and postdocs explore learner-centered course design principles in a multidisciplinary group setting with opportunities for feedback as part of a peer-review team.

Participants will:

• Design or redesign a course built on learner-centered design principles using strategies of backward course design;
• Create and revise learning objectives for their course;
• Select instructional materials that contribute to student achievement of stated objectives;
• Draft an assessment plan, including a description of major assignments and exams;
• Develop a draft of a syllabus and discuss course policies that support learning goals;
• Consider aspects of universal course design throughout the course design process.

The Course Design Institute will consist of both online and face-to-face participation.  All participants will perform foundational readings, assignments, activities, and online discussions, beginning on May 14 and extending through June 1.  In addition, the CDI will consist of two three-hour face-to-face meetings spread out over two weeks, held on May  17 and 24, 2018 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Face-to-face meetings will provide participants opportunities to workshop materials as well as receive substantial peer feedback.   Registrants are required to attend BOTH face to face sessions in their entirety, in addition to FULLY participating in the online components of the Institute.

Audience and Registration:

The CDI is intended for graduate students and postdocs who are either scheduled to teach in the near future or who are entering the job market within the next year and need to develop a sample course.  All graduate students and postdocs will be invited to register, with preference given to those scheduled as instructor of record in a course in the immediate future. Registration will be capped at 25 participants.  Registration via The Teaching Center’s website will open on April 16, 2018.  The Course Design Institute will count as one Professional Development workshop in The Teaching Center’s Graduate Student and Postdoc programs.

Link to event and registration.

This institute is being coordinated by Lindsay Meador, Ph.D, Assistant Director of Academic Services, The Teaching Center.  Please contact Lindsay with any questions.