SM

Instructors working around a table at the Course Design Workshop

Course design offerings

On-demand, online, or in-person course design support!

Do you have a new course coming up, or want to revamp one of your existing courses? Our popular course design offerings will equip you to apply learning-centered course design principles and strategies.

Our course design offerings are now available in three formats to suit different schedules and approaches to learning. Choose the format that works best for you now or try a different format each time you are planning a course. Compare all three formats.

Just-in-Time Course Design

Alarm clock

An online self-paced option, available in myCourses

Course Design Essentials

To-do list

A “fast-track” webinar series, held each December

Course Design Workshop

Group of persons

A two-day intensive in-person workshop, held each May


A learning-centered approach

Our approach to course design has student learning at the center and recognizes that course context has bearing on course design decisions. With context in mind, instructors are encouraged to think about what content students will engage with, what the learning outcomes should be, what assessments will capture students' achievement of the learning outcomes, and what teaching strategies will be used to engage students in working toward the achievement of the learning outcomes. Learning outcomes, assessment strategies, and teaching strategies must be aligned.

Read more about learning-centered course design in our .


Comparison table

Just-in-Time Course Design Course Design Essentials Course Design Workshop
Location Online Online In person
Availability Year round December May

Time commitment

(reflects time for participating in offering; time for reflection and individual work is additional)

~3 hours to complete online modules

3 webinars of 90 min. each

2 days of “class” time

Output Course Alignment Plan Course Alignment Plan Course Plan
Networking x x
Peer feedback x x
Lunch/refreshments included x x
Supplementary resources available (myCourses)
Follow up support
For more info and to register

Frequently Asked Questions

Which course design offering should I take part in?

The offering you decide to attend might depend on the date by which you need to design your course, the amount of time you have available, and the amount of support you need. You can find a comparison of the three offerings in this table.

Can I take the course design offerings more than once?

Absolutely! We invite you to take part in a course design offering each time you (re)design a course.

What is the difference between a Course Alignment Plan and a Course Plan?

A Course Alignment Plan (CAP) is a template designed to help you map out your course so that you have a guide for continuing your course design. Once you have filled it in, the CAP provides an overview of the alignment among course learning outcomes, assessments, and teaching strategies. A CAP is the main output of Just-in-Time Course Design and Course Design Essentials.

A Course Plan is a more in-depth planning document that you create to help develop your course outline. A Course Plan is the main output of the Course Design Workshop.

Can I take part in a course design offering even I do not have a specific course to design?

Course design is most valuable when the principles and strategies can be applied. Therefore, we recommend participants work on designing a specific course. That said, if you do not have a specific course to design, you can still take part to develop your understanding of course design and learning principles.

Can I take part in a course design offering if I am a teaching assistant?

Our course design offerings are designed for instructors. Graduate students can take part in SKILLSETS offeringsthat address teaching and learning.

Can I take part in a course design offering if I do not teach at SM?

Sorry - no. Our course design offerings are designed for SM instructors; however, resources are freely available in TLS’ .

What if I need more support to design or teach a course?

SM instructors can book a consultation with a TLS staff member for additional support with anything related to teaching and learning.


SM is on land which has served and continues to serve as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations. Teaching and Learning Services acknowledges and thanks the diverse Indigenous peoples whose footsteps mark this territory on which peoples of the world now gather. This land acknowledgement is shared as a starting point to provide context for further learning and action.

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