Structured course design

What competencies and abilities do I want my students to have?

Learning goals describe the cognitive level on which a certain concept is expected to be understood. They are not only helpful for students, but also are informative for lecturers, because they set the basis for subsequent courses in the curriculum. 

How can I assess whether my students have reached the learning goals?   

Assignments can be summative or formative: While summative assignments cover all course topics in an intergrated manner and are usually used to grade student performance, formative assignments provide insight into the students' learning progress during the course. Quizzes, in-class questions, exercises (individual or in groups), or mid-term exams are examples of formative assignments.

What should I teach my students to reach the learning goals?

Teaching material is most effective when it meets the following criteria: First, the level of detail has to be high enough to foster comprehensive understanding without deflecting students' attention. Secondly, the language and structure of the material should support conceptual understanding and highlight topical connections. Thirdly, the relevance of the course content for the future career has to be apparent. Here, the scientists working at CAL can assist you in integrating examples of up-to-date research into teaching material in a way that meets the level of student understanding.

Often, it is challenging to adjust the difficulty of the lecture with respect to other courses in the curriculum. Since CAL has been involved in transforming several courses in the biology curriculum, we have a good overview of the topics and can assist in defining course content that is aligned with the rest of the curriculum.