Courses/Course Design

Philosophy

Backwards Course Design: Start with the End in Mind

Backwards course design is a way of planning a course by starting with what you want learners to do, rather than what you want to teach.

Instead of saying, “Here’s all the stuff I want to cover,” you ask first:

• What should learners be able to do by the end?
• How will you know they’ve learned it?
• What lessons, activities, and materials will help them get there?

Own It, Learn It, Share It: Fostering Intrinsic Motivation

The "Own It, Learn It, Share It" framework is a simple, motivational model designed to promote active learning, personal growth, and community contribution. It’s often used in education, professional development, and organizational learning to build a culture of responsibility and collaboration.

• Own It: Taking responsibility for your own learning and growth by identify your goals, reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, and take initiative. This means setting personal objectives, staying accountable, and viewing challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles.
• Learn It: Actively engaging with new knowledge, skills, and experiences by exploring, experimenting, and practicing through hands-on activities, critical thinking, and feedback. The focus is on curiosity, persistence, and applying what’s learned to real-world situations.
• Share It: Contributing your knowledge and insights to others to reinforce your learning and build collective understanding by teaching others, sharing findings, collaborating on projects, or mentoring peers. Sharing helps solidify understanding and fosters a culture of openness and mutual growth.