ABSTRACT
Course design that wants to address these stressors will follow principles that are generally aligned with notions of student-centered and outcomes-based learning environments. By contrast, idea-based course design is guided by big conceptual ideas that give structure and unity to a course and even to the curriculum. Traditional course design tends to be content driven and thereby creates time pressures, because there is always more content available than can be covered in a semester. By focusing on less content, idea-based course design makes time for practicing skills that are deemed important for the students success in the course. Diagnosing students difficulties with particular concepts and skills is a crucial faculty role in idea-based course design. Only if the course design purposefully addresses these threats can students make progress with their critical thinking skills and climb the ladder of ongoing intellectual development. Good course design is based on an understanding of how to best organize student learning in an academic environment.
