ABSTRACT
Course design is to teaching what oxygen is to the body. This chapter demonstrates how backwards course design influenced by the taxonomy for significant learning (foundational knowledge, application, caring, learning how to learn, integration, and human dimension) might be employed by an instructor. It shows an instructor how to take a stepwise approach to course design using the elements outlined earlier. The chapter discusses how to design a sport psychology course utilizing Fink’s taxonomy for their own purposes. The first step in course design is to develop a vision for a prospective course, drawing from knowledge about the field of study and its interaction with situational factors influencing course design. Critical thinking opportunities were built into the course. Learning goals were differentiated based on difficulty and complexity given the situational factors. The chapter ends with recommendations that instructors might take into consideration in preparation for designing their next course or to redesign their current course.
