Designing Courses in Communication Sciences and Disorders Using Backward Design

Abstract

PurposeTo ensure that students are learning the most important information and developing the most important skills and to make certain that any externally mandated standards are met, professors need to intentionally plan their courses. This tutorial will provide a description and comparison of three classes of course design (forward, central, and backward) and two well-regarded frameworks for facilitating efficient and effective backward design (Integrated Design and Understanding by Design). Explanations of key terminology and examples from the redesign of a graduate voice disorders course will be provided.ConclusionsFollowing the Understanding by Design framework for backward course design not only resulted in a well-organized course that facilitated achievement of a learner-centered, knowledge and skill–centered, and assessment-centered environment but also greatly increased the confidence of the instructor and the participation of the students. Intentional course planning can facilitate more efficient and effective learning sessions, resulting in both instructor and student satisfaction. The information provided in this tutorial can be adapted for any communication sciences and disorders course and with any level of faculty experience.