Backward Course DesignDavid A. Kravitz

August 7, 2015Academy of Management Annual Meeting

PDW: Ramping up our game! How we can do a better job teaching diversity

Three Steps/Decisions1. Identify desired results. What are your

goals? What do you want the students to get from the course?

2. What evidence will indicate whether you succeeded – whether the results were obtained?

3. What learning activities should you employ to meet your goals?

Goals• When the course is over, what affective,

cognitive and behavioral changes do you hope to see in your students?– Focus on long-term/enduring changes.

• What are your goals for your diversity course?

Evidence• How will you know whether the students

have changed as you desire?• What assignments will provide relevant

evidence (and possibly contribute to desired change)?

• Begin with a goal and think about how to obtain evidence relevant to that goal.

• Let’s work through an example.

Course Activities• What KSAOs will students need to change as

you desire?• What readings and other learning activities

will provide those KSAOs?• How should you teach the course?

– Lecture vs. discussion vs. other?– Group activities? Diverse groups?– Use of guest speakers?– Etc.

• Let’s work through an example

Resources• This presentation is loosely based on material given on

the website of the Center for Teaching & Faculty Excellence at George Mason University. This website contains many additional teaching resources you may find useful.– http://ctfe.gmu.edu/teaching/

• They drew the information from Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe (2006). Understanding by design (2nd Ed.), Pearson Education: Upper Saddle River, NJ.

• A web search on “Backward Course Design” will turn up many additional resources.