42 Course Outline
You have now considered most of the major elements that will shape your course. If you haven’t already, it is time to start creating or revising your course outline to match the course you planned. The course outline’s purpose is to communicate the expectations and design of your course to your students. It is meant to provide students with access to the course and institutional information. It is also meant to lay out the rights and responsibilities of both you, and your students. Perhaps most importantly, the course outline is an invitation to your students to learn.
Purpose
The course outline template is a faculty support tool intended to assist with the diverse tasks associated with creating a course outline including logistics, course design, communication, teaching methods, and research. The course outline template will help you to:
- streamline the logistics of adhering to all institutional policies and guidelines
- apply evidence-based best practices in teaching and learning
- present rationale and impact of the course outline components
- offer convenient opportunities for faculty development
- provide adaptable formatting features
- leverage teaching and learning potential
Design
The course outline template uses basic features in Microsoft word to integrate policies, regulations, examples, and resources that are easily accessible and present when needed. The structural design of the course outline template is based on Ken Bain’s model of the “Promising Course Syllabus” and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) educational framework. The course outline presents information in first-person plural to present a collaborative and supportive learning experience. Supplementary examples and resources offer short and digestible pedagogical supports that can easily be implemented to achieve a significant impact in teaching and learning . Teaching and learning considerations are provided on aspects such as learning outcomes, learning routines, feedback, growth mindset, and student engagement.
Exercises
The Teaching and Learning Center at MSVU has created a comprehensive course outline template that integrates policies, regulations, resources, and examples to support faculty with all aspects of course outline development. This Course Outline Example breaks down everything included in the course outline, and provides explanations and examples for each section.
After reviewing, download the Course Outline Template to start building your own.
