Backwards Design

Backward design is an approach to curriculum development that starts with the end in mind. It identifies the desired learning outcomes and then works backward to develop the curriculum, instruction, and assessment methods.

1. Identify Desired Learning Outcomes: The first step in backward design involves clearly defining the knowledge and skills students should have acquired by the end of the course. The learning outcomes should be specific, measurable, and relevant to the course content.
2. Develop Assessment Strategies: Once the learning outcomes have been identified, the next step is to determine how these outcomes will be assessed. This involves creating a variety of formative and summative assessments that accurately measure the student's understanding and application of the course material.
3. Design Instructional Strategies: After establishing the assessment methods, the final step involves developing the instructional strategies that will guide students toward achieving the desired learning outcomes. This includes selecting the appropriate teaching methods, resources, and learning activities that align with the course objectives and assessments.
4. Review and Revise the Curriculum: The backward design process is iterative. After implementing the curriculum, it should be regularly reviewed and revised based on feedback from students, instructors, and assessment results. This ensures the curriculum remains relevant, effective, and aligned with the desired learning outcomes.

Adopting a backward design approach for university curriculum development ensures that all curriculum aspects align with the desired learning outcomes. It emphasizes the importance of clear, measurable learning outcomes and ensures that instruction and assessment methods are purposefully designed to support student learning. It also encourages ongoing review and revision of the curriculum, promoting continuous improvement and ensuring that it remains relevant and practical.

A backward design philosophy can be applied at the course and programmatic levels. At both scales, we have the same trajectory of skill development:

1. Introduction: A module or course that introduces a specific skill, knowledge, or experience—some quantum of learning (or QoL for brevity—to the participant that is foundational to the overall course or program.
2. Reinforcement: A series of opportunities for the participant to apply the QoL in new contexts. Students' ability to reinforce and extend is critical for long-term retention.
3. Assessment: To quantify the impact of their efforts, educators evaluate individuals using direct or indirect assessment approaches.

In the context of a class, a topic is introduced, allowed to be used through in-class or applied examples, and then evaluated for mastery using qualitative or quantitative approaches. For a curriculum, the introduction occurs in a CORE class (e.g., those required for all participants), is reinforced through upper-level electives in the curricula, and then evaluated at the end through, for example, a Capstone experience.