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Course Design Blueprint

Beginning Course design

Course Approval Process

The following stakeholders will be involved in the approval process, invitations to the relevant session will be sent to those required to attend:

  • Facilitator
  • Course Team
  • Associate Dean
  • Learning Designer
  • External Stakeholder
  • Student Voice
  • Academic Skills Advisor
  • Learning and Teaching Librarian
  • Business Engagement, Careers and Employability
  • Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

A Self Evaluation document based on the 8 top level sections of the Course Design Blueprint must be submitted.

 

The UK Professional Standards Framework

The course design and approval process is also mapped to the UKPSF, enabling explicit understadning of how the process supports teams in enhancement of their learning and teaching practice. 

Timeline

  • Course Proposal Form

     

    • Submitted to and approved by Portfolio Oversight Committee

  • Pre Event Activity

     18 - 20 Weeks prior to submission

    1 hour Introduction to the Course Design Blueprint

    • Kick of the design process
     30 minute student voice activity
    • Session with the Student Experience Ambassadors
    30 minute impact data (re-approvals)
    • Understanding course data

  • Course Design and Development Events

     12 Weeks prior to submission

    4 hours - Core Activities

    Course Storyboard (find out more about storyboarding)
    • Develop the Vision
      • Covering all CDB Sections
      • Course Learning Outcomes
      • Level Learning Outcomes
      • Module Learning Outcomes
      • Skills/Attributes
    • Develop the Narrative
      • Module Relationships
      • Learning Hubs - Objectives
        • Credit / non credit bearing
      • Placement Learning
    • Action Plan

    4 hours - Core Activities

    Module Storyboard

    • Develop Vision
      • Linking theory to practice
    • Link:
      • Learning Outcomes
      • Assessment Strategy
      • Learning Activities
        • Indicative content
      • Scheduling
        • Synchronous
        • Asynchronous

    2 hours - Prototyping

    Module Build

    • Build an exemplar module to meet the Brightspace baseline standards
    • Confirm Action Plan timeline

  • Document Submission

     3 Weeks prior to External Feedback

    Course team to submit final documentation.

  • Externality

     4 Weeks before Approval and Sign-off

    Documentation reviewed by independent external subject expert.

  • Approval / Sign-off

     

    Approval of final documentation by Chair of Quality Committee.

It is useful to begin by thinking about the overall, holistic student experience for your course. This should provide the framework, ethos and vision which will then inform the design and delivery of individual modules. This activity will help you to do this. 

Balancing the Curriculum

Principle: The student learning experience is about more than their experience of the syllabus and the assessment strategy. It includes their experience of being supported and guided, and feeling part of a learning community. 
The purpose of this activity is to help you identify the key features of your module or course. It can be used at the beginning of your module design or for review and evaluation purposes. 

Choose a maximum of 12 cards from the pack which define key features of your course or module. The cards are grouped into four categories : 

  • Guidance and Support (marked GS / coloured Orange)
  • Content and Experience (marked CE / coloured Blue)
  • Communication and Collaboration (marked CC / coloured Green)
  • Reflection and Demonstration (marked RD / coloured Purple)

Now look at your cards you have selected:

  • Are any colours of cards missing or less well represented?
  • If so, what might be the impact on the student experience?
  • Are their any other cards you would like to swap in?
  • What new cards could you add?