Flexible Course PlannerThis Flexible Course Planner is intended to help you think through your course (re)design as you progress through the Center for Teaching & Learning’s (CTL) website modules shown below.

While you can certainly view each module independently, they are organized in a sequence that is reflected in this document. The table of contents will take you to the planning activities associated with each module.

Within each module section, we identify content you’ve written that can be integrated into your course syllabus or learning management system (LMS), such as Moodle or Blackboard. The next page provides more details about how the planner information can be translated into your syllabus.

Table of Contents

Reflection.......................................................................................................................................3

Outcomes & Structure....................................................................................................................5

Assessment & Feedback...............................................................................................................7

Engagement...................................................................................................................................9

Inclusive & Equitable Teaching....................................................................................................13

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Integrating the Planning Activities into Your SyllabusThe image below shows how completing each module’s planning activities can assist you in developing language to incorporate in your syllabus.

INTEGRATE ITWithin the activities we signal to you what information can be used in your syllabus or your learning management system using this INTEGRATE IT box.

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REFLECTIONIn this section, you will reflect on the strengths of your courses in spring 2020, as well as your pinch points (persistent sources of struggle for you and your students) in order to help you design a flexible course for the fall.

Strengths of Your Spring 2020 Courses

1. What worked well during face-to-face instruction? Why?

2. What worked well during remote teaching? Why?

3. Was there something about your face-to-face instruction that you/students missed when you shifted to remote instruction?

Pinch Points in Your Spring 2020 Courses

4. What were pinch points for you in remote teaching? Why?

5. What were pinch points for students? Why?

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Now categorize each of your reflections by what area of the course or your teaching it addresses. If you find that you have blank cells, reflect again on this area. Think about additional sources for reflection:

Student feedback (e.g., Forward FOCUS, MAP, SRTI, informal discussions, exit tickets, “Muddiest Points”, FAQs) Reviewing student work (major projects, exams, papers) for patterns of confusion and excellence

By categorizing your pinch points in particular, you may decide which additional modules to explore on the website.

Category Strengths Pinch Points

Outcomes & Structure

Assessment & Feedback

Engagement

Inclusive & Equitable Teaching

Unsure / Other

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OUTCOMES & STRUCTUREIn this section, you will identify learning outcomes for your course, analyze the effectiveness of your outcomes, and consider course structures and online features that will support your intended learning.

1. In Table 1, draft/paste the learning outcomes for your course (Column 1).

Table 1: Learning Outcomes and Course Structure

LearningOutcomes

Content (knowing)

or Skills (doing)?Bloom’s Taxonomy

DimensionsMain Course Topics

and SkillsSAMPLE: “Demonstrate the ability to identify ecological problems in wetlands, evaluate various options for problem mitigation, and suggest clear, science-based solutions to policy makers.”

Skills FC: ComprehendingHOS: Applying, Evaluating

Wetlands vegetation, public engagement

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

2. Now, categorize each outcome by:

a. whether it reflects content (knowing) or skills (doing) (Column 2).

b. the dimensions for cognitive learning according to Bloom’s Taxonomy (Column 3). Dimensions include:

Foundational Content (FC): remembering, comprehending

Higher-Order Skills (HOS): applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating

c. possible course topics and skills (Column 4). This is when you are beginning to “chunk out” your topics.

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3. Reflect on your course structure by asking yourself:

Do the outcomes suggest a course structure? Can they be arranged thematically? See our tip page Writing Learning Outcomes and Choosing an Online Course Structure for some possible structures for your topics. Keep in mind that the structure of your course will be linked to how you want to assess your outcomes. (For example, if the goal is for students to work on a collaborative final project, your structure ought to include incremental steps toward that outcome, such as early assignments that focus on group cohesion and later assignments that require more complex work tasks.)

Is there a way to move from foundational understandings to higher-order understandings and skills? Do the outcomes suggest entry points? End points? Points where earlier understandings can be revisited and built upon?

Do you have too many outcomes, or too few? Will students have enough opportunities to practice each outcome?

Do the topics suggest a sequence? Given the nature of what you are teaching, would a time sequence work? Or moving from theory to practice? Or starting with the familiar and ending with the unfamiliar? Again, see our tip page Writing Learning Outcomes and Choosing an Online Course Structure for some possible ways to sequence your content.

4. Refine your learning outcomes in preparation for Module 2 by asking yourself:

Are they specific and measurable? You should have criteria that make it relatively easy to tell if students have met your goals.

Are they written in a way that students can understand them? Your outcomes should address the learner, and should be understandable to them from their perspective.

Do your outcomes strike the right balance between “knowing” and “doing”? Typically, lower-level courses are focused more on building knowledge, while higher-level courses focus on building skills.

INTEGRATE ITYou can now take your refined learning outcomes and integrate them into the Course Description/Learning Objectives sections of your course syllabus and/or in your LMS. Once you have solidified a course structure with your topics and sequence of learning the concepts, you can add that information in your Course Schedule section of your syllabus and/or LMS.

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ASSESSMENT & FEEDBACKIn this section, you will align your summative and formative assessments to your learning outcomes and develop a plan for providing feedback to your students.

1. In Table 2, column 1, list your refined learning outcomes for your course (see step 4 from the Outcomes & Structure module).

2. In column 2, list the course’s formative assessments (i.e., informal touch points on how students are learning that give them practice with the content and skills you want them to master). Think about how these formative assessments (e.g., discussions, low-stakes quizzes, problem sets) could be implemented in face-to-face and online environments.

3. In column 3, consider how you will provide feedback to students on their performance of your formative assessments (e.g., rubrics, checklists, personalized messages, summary of themes from a formative assessment in a weekly email to all students)

4. In column 4, list the course’s summative assessments (i.e., the formal end-of-course assessments you will use to evaluate students’ overall mastery of the content and skills identified in your learning outcomes). Keep in mind that one summative assessment (e.g., project, paper, exam) may address multiple learning outcomes.

5. In column 5, consider how you will provide feedback to students on their performance of the summative assessments (e.g., rubrics, checklists, personalized messages, summary of themes from a formative assessment in a weekly email to all students).

Table 2: Learning Outcomes, Assessment, and Feedback

Refined Learning

OutcomesFormative

AssessmentsFeedback on Formative

AssessmentsSummative

Assessments Feedback on Summative

Assessments

Outcome 1

Outcome 2

Outcome 3

Outcome 4

Outcome 5

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INTEGRATE ITYou can take your list of summative assessments, add more description (i.e., purpose, task, criteria) and integrate that information in the Assignments section of your course syllabus and/or in your LMS.

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ENGAGEMENTIn this section, you will identify the types of interactions you aspire to have in your course, align your engagement activities to your learning outcomes and assessments, and develop a plan for communicating your expectations with your students.

1. What types of instructor-to-student interactions do you think you might use in your course?

Your Ideas:

Possible Instructor-to-Student Interactions: Weekly Preview of what students are going to learn that

week (you could use email, announcements, or video for this type of communication).

Weekly Recap of the main points at the end of the week or unit (you could use email, announcements, or video for this type of communication).

Strategies for Success, such as how students should interact with the content or how they should study particular concepts.

Clarify Confusion on course topics, using email, announcements, or a video lecture.

Reminders sent weekly to students of any due dates or work to complete.

Words of Encouragement to students recognizing the work they are doing.

Create a Discussion Forum where students can post their questions so you don’t have to repeat your answers.

Hold Zoom Office Hours on a weekly basis where students can drop in to meet with you.

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2. How will you establish a communication pattern with your students (e.g., how often and when will you log on to your LMS, when will you email or post announcements, or hold Zoom office hours)?

Your Ideas:

3. What are your expectations for student engagement (e.g., frequency of signing into the LMS to engage with the content, how they should engage with the content, how they should participate in discussions and/or demonstrate respectful dialogue, or other criteria you have identified as important)?

Your Ideas:

INTEGRATE ITYou can take your answers from Step 2 and 3, add more description, and integrate that information in the Attendance, Participation, and Course Expectations sections of your course syllabus and/or your LMS.

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4. What types of student-to-content interactions will you include in your course?

Your Ideas:

Possible Student-to-Content Interactions: Varying Course Content by providing content in different

formats like text, video, audio, images.

Creating Engaging Videos about key concepts that integrate some sort of engagement activity that asks them to do something with the information they just learned in the video.

Ask Students to Create Content by finding real-world examples that reflect the content and then have them create a video, post in a discussion forum, or post in social media using a hashtag for your course to share with the rest of the class.

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5. What ways can you encourage student-to-student interactions in your course?

Your Ideas:

Possible Student-to-Student Interactions: Create Small Groups for discussion or Zoom breakout

rooms, in which students will work together on a task, a scenario-based problem, or developing a response to a thought-provoking discussion prompt.

Get Students Collaborating on a shared document, project, or annotating a text.

Vary How Students Interact when responding to a prompt or an activity. Maybe they write a response, record a video, or record an audio response, which allows them to add a little humanity into their interactions.

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INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE TEACHINGIn this section you will identify practices and learning activities that you will use to develop your students’ sense of connection and belonging.

1. How do you plan to foster high quality relationships with your students?

Your Ideas:

INTEGRATE ITIf you choose to do so, you can integrate photos, your Who I Am Section, and your Hopes and Vision Statement into your course syllabus and/or your LMS.

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Practices that Foster High Quality Relationships: Add a photo of yourself (and of your teaching assistants if

you work with some) to your syllabus and/or LMS.

Add a ‘Who I am’ section to your syllabus, introducing yourself to your students (i.e., your background, interests, passions, hobbies).

Add a ‘My Hopes and Vision for the Course’ section through which you share your teaching philosophy.

Create a brief ‘Welcome Video’ and send a ‘Welcome Email’.

Ask your students to complete a brief ‘What I Want You to Know about Me’ Intro Survey about their interests, needs, strengths, prior knowledge, relevant experiences, and skills. Include a couple of fun questions!

Throughout the semester, reach out to the “tails,” encourage those in the middle, and congratulate the ones who are succeeding. For larger enrollment courses, you can use email templates and mass merges to reach out to groups of students.

Open live class sessions early and stay on for a few minutes to provide students with opportunities to chat with you.

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2. How do you plan to cultivate a learning community throughout the semester?

Your Ideas:

Practices that Cultivate a Learning Community: Create a ‘Café’ or ‘Watercooler’ Forum on

Moodle/Blackboard for non-course-related chats.

Create a ‘Does Anyone Know’ Forum on Moodle/Blackboard where students can ask each other course-related questions.

Create Virtual Homerooms/Study Groups on Moodle/Blackboard based on some common interest, geography or affinity groups to promote connection among students.

Create a first Introduction Assignment through which students introduce themselves to the class asynchronously. Offer multimodal options, such as video, audiocast, a collage, something written.

Develop Class Participation Agreements/Netiquette collaboratively.

Choose some fun Icebreaker Activities to create bonds between you and your students, capture the attention of the class, and brighten the mood. Do these any time throughout the semester! Identify some that can be done synchronously, asynchronously, or in a blended format. Can you connect icebreakers to class topics?

Choose consistent Opening/Personal Check-In activities to gauge how your students are doing.

Choose consistent Closing/Reflection/Feedback activities to wrap up a class session.

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3. How will you demonstrate caring and interest in your students’ success?

Your Ideas:

Practices that Demonstrate Caring and Interest: Provide a comprehensive online Inclusive Syllabus.

Add an Inclusive Learning and Disability Accommodation Statement to your syllabus.

Add Orientation Sections on your Moodle/Blackboard, such as:

General Orientation to the Course: i.e., structure of the course, expectations, technology needs.

How to Navigate the Course Site: consider creating a brief screencast video touring the course site.

Online Learning Tips

Words about Self-motivation, Discipline and Time Management

Available Supports: Instructor Support, Moodle/Blackboard Orientation Sessions, 24/7 Tech Support, Q & A Forum

Tutorials for digital technology tools: teach students how to do things.

Have a Housekeeping Slide for live class sessions that explains to students how to participate.

Have flexible deadlines for assignments when possible: set a suggested due date and build in an automatic extended deadline for full credit.

Connect students with UMass Amherst Well-being Initiatives.

Have a link on your Moodle/Blackboard to the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health (CCPH) webpage devoted to helping students with Coronavirus-related anxiety.

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4. How will you make learning relevant for your students?

Your Ideas:

Practices that Make Learning Relevant: Connect course material to students’ identities, cultures,

communities, and real-world issues.

Select high-interest examples.

Use TED talks, YouTube or Vimeo videos, podcasts and content from other educational sites to show multiple perspectives on a topic.

Ask students to identify values and goals related to the course and discipline.

Ask your students to apply what they learned in class today to some aspect of their life.

Offer choices and options for readings, topics, or assignments. Consider what is necessary to do for all and what can be optional to achieve the intended learning outcomes.

Update course materials based on current events and students’ interests.

Design an assignment through which students can share content with each other that they researched.

Bring in guest speakers, either remotely through pre-recorded videos or podcasts in which you interview the speaker or for a live discussion.

Ask alumni and community members to provide remote mentorship, career discussions, and virtual internships.

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5. How will you design your course for learner variability by offering multiple ways for students to engage in their learning?

Your Ideas:

Practices that Consider Learner Variability: Identify various ways through which you can present

content beyond written text. Supplement with videos, podcasts, graphic representations, images, examples, models, etc.

Allow for multiple methods for engaging with the content and demonstrating understanding (i.e., writing, online discussion forum, VoiceThread assignment, concept mapping)

Integrate supports for learning (i.e. guided, notes, using a study buddy system, connecting students with the Learning Resource Center, inviting the Writing Center to present a guest lecture).

Use synchronous and asynchronous course delivery flexibly by offering various modes of engagement.

Be intentional about how you pre-record presentations, lectures, and tutorials: choosing the portrait format with split screens for pre-recorded lectures and tutorials provides a parallel space for students to take notes, to look up concepts, to process the subject, or to work along in a tutorial.

Check the digital technology tools you use for accessibility.

Encourage the use of adaptive technology. Create accessible documents and presentations. Record live class sessions, close caption the videos and

provide transcripts.

Use online collaborative documents for note taking.

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