It’s easy to switch into automatic pilot mode when it comes to planning a course. It goes something like this: (1) we look at the topic of the course we’re ...

First impressions count and are worthy of preparatory efforts. In educational video production, especially for online courses, the introduction videos that make first impressions are among the more ...

One of the greatest challenges of planning a course for the first time, or making substantial revisions, is what content to cover. Before my introduction to the principles of backward design, I would ...

Earlier this summer I discussed the idea of backward design, which comes from Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe’s excellent book Earlier this summer I discussed the idea of backward design, which comes ...

In my copious spare time, I enjoy compiling a list of bad ideas for universities. Here’s what’s currently at the top: University of Antarctica – an opportunity to create the first university on the ...

Wiggins and McTighe identify "twin sins" of traditional design as (1) engaging learners without specific purpose; and (2) attempting to cover all material related to a topic without considering its ...