Curriculum design is a process involving visioning, developing learning outcomes, curriculum mapping, constructively aligning assessments and teaching methods, and ongoing analysis and review. The following resources and references can help you move through the various stages of this process.
Getting Started
- Process for Strategic Curriculum Design (Kustra): a general guide to help you get started on designing your curriculum.
- Learning Outcomes Resources: a collection of resources to support the development of learning outcomes.
- Curriculum Development (Howard): a discussion of the theoretical and practical background for curriculum development
Curriculum Mapping
Curriculum mapping provides a visualization of the elements of a curriculum and how they are related. It involves collecting, recording, and organizing data about curriculum structure, outcomes, methods, and assessments , and depicting this information visually for analysis. The resulting maps facilitate both summative reporting for accreditation and IQAP purposes, as well as formative planning and enhancement by making it easier for Departments and Faculties to identify gaps in their programs, bottlenecks or trouble‐spots that students face, as well as areas of program strength. The following are a few resources to help you in your curriculum mapping process.
- Curriculum Mapping Primer: this document provides an introduction to what curriculum mapping is, the benefits of mapping, how to get started etc. (Skene, Stewart, Kustra)
- Curriculum Mapping Aid (CuMA): this online tool contains an archive of Senate-approved learning outcomes at the University of Windsor, as well as functions for creating curriculum maps and reports. Learn more about CuMA and how to use it.
- Survey for Collecting Data for Curriculum Mapping: this excel survey designed by Iain Samson can be adapted for managing the collection of information regarding course teaching methods, assessments and contributions to program learning outcomes
- Program Curriculum Mapping and Analysis Guide: this provides a step-by-step checklist and guide to mapping and analyzing your curriculum (Stewart & Kustra)
- Hypothetical Curriculum Map Samples: this provides a screen capture of hypothetical sample maps from the CuMA tool and excel templates
- Curriculum Mapping Glossary: this document provides definitions of commonly used terms in curriculum mapping (Stewart & Kustra)
- Curriculum Map Excel Templates: templates for those who prefer to use Excel to map curriculum
Integrating Assessments
Introducing high quality assessments into your curriculum design deeper levels of learning. Resources related to different types of assignments that promote student self-direction and engagement with course material can be found using the links below:
Curriculum Review
Curriculum review allows for ongoing improvement in curriculum design. It is also part of the Quality Assurance process.
- Obtaining Feedback from Students to Refine a Program (CLL). Feedback from students is one way to gather information about a program for curriculum review.
- Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP) requires Departments and Faculties to conduct regular cyclical self-studies
- For IQAP forms, please visit the Office of Quality Assurance website for guidance
- Quality Assurance Framework – Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance requirements for program approvals and reviews.
Selected References
Biggs, J. (1999). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Buckingham, U.K.: SRHE and Open University Press.
Gaff, J. G., and Ratcliff, J. L. (eds.) (1996). Handbook of the Undergraduate Curriculum. San Francisco: Jossey‐Bass.
Goff, L., Potter, M. K., Pierre, E., Carey, T., Gullage, A., Kustra, E., Lee, R., Lopes, V., Marshall, L., Martin, L., Raffoul, J., Siddiqui, A., Van Gastel, G. (2015). Learning Outcomes Assessment: A Practitioners Handbook. Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Joyner (Melito), H. S. (2016). Curriculum mapping: A before-and-after look at faculty perceptions of their courses and the mapping process. Journal of Food Science Education, 15: 63-69.
Metzler, E., Rehrey, G., Kurz, L. and Middendorf, J. (2017). The aspirational curriculum map: A diagnostic model for action-oriented program review. To Improve the Academy, 36: 156-167.
Uchiyama, K. P., & Radin, J. L. (2009). Curriculum mapping in higher education: A vehicle for collaboration. Innovative Higher Education, 33, 271-280. doi: 10.1007/s10755-008-9078-8
Wolf, P. (2007). A model for facilitating curriculum development in higher education: A Faculty‐driven, data‐informed, and educational developer–supported approach. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 112: 15‐20.