Republication of “Principles of effective course design: What I wish I had known about learning-centered teaching 30 years ago”

• Published in: Journal of management education Vol. 45; no. 6; pp. 834 - 854
• Main Author: Whetten, David A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.12.2021; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Business Administration Education; Business education; Course Content; Course Organization; Curriculum development; Educational activities; Evaluation Methods; Higher education; Instructional Design; Learning Activities; Learning Experience; Learning outcomes; Outcomes of Education; Pedagogy; Predictor Variables; Student Centered Curriculum; Student Educational Objectives; Student Evaluation; Teaching Methods; Undergraduate Students; University professors; student learning; course design; learning-centered teaching; learning objectives; learning assessment; learning activities
• ISSN: 1052-5629; 1552-6658
• DOI: 10.1177/10525629211044985

Ten years ago, after 20 years as a university professor, I was asked to direct the teaching and learning support center at my university. I quickly realized I had almost no knowledge of the published scholarship on this subject. From my reading of this literature, I found the research on the predictors of student learning particularly informative. In particular, I gained an appreciation for the impact of course design. In this article, I summarize a framework for designing “significant learning experiences.” In discussing the three key components of course design (learning outcomes, learning activities, and learning assessments), I offer tips and give examples relevant for the field of management. My intent is to share the most important information I have learned from a decade of conversations with experts on student learning—the things I wish someone had taught me 30 years ago.