Course Elements — Definitions

Developing Courses — Content

In the context of developing course content, curriculum development can be referred to as the design of teaching/learning experiences for a course, workshop, or seminar.

Providing form and definition to teaching and learning experiences includes:

• Course Components = a Course Outcome Summary with at least one Career Essential (s);

Performance Indicators; Competencies — each with associated Learning Objectives, Performance Standards (criteria and assessment strategies), and linked Career Essential(s);

• Lesson Components = a Learning Plan with its associated competency components, learning activities, instructional materials, assessment activities; and

• Classroom/Delivery Components = Syllabi and Lesson Plans with associated learning plan components, teacher activities, instructional resources, teaching methods.

Instructors are encouraged to apply various teaching and delivery methods to accommodate student learning styles and needs, to facilitate the delivery of instruction, and to provide a variety of opportunities for student mastery of course competencies.

The Instructional Design and Planning Manual, collaboratively developed by Wisconsin Technical College districts, describes the principles of instructional design and how to apply them in developing course components. Content development is further facilitated by the use of the Worldwide Instructional Design System (WIDS) Software package, which is jointly-owned and distributed from the technical college system through the Wisconsin Foundation.

Curriculum development funded by the district — e.g., through summer recess projects, or state/federal projects — follow the format and guidelines of the Worldwide Instructional Design System’s model.

The Course Outcome Summary

A Course Outcome Summary is the official document reporting the content of a program-level, college transfer, adult high school, or basic skills level course. The following elements relate to expectations of student performance and are required on each Course Outcome Summary: at least one MATC college-wide career essential and its performance indicators; competencies; links between competencies and career essentials; learning objectives (required starting June 1, 2010) and performance standards (assessments and criteria). Each course is expected to include at least one of the MATC college-wide career essentials.