Campus Talks: Backwards course design – from learning outcomes to assessment to activities

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Course design, as educators and instructional designers well know, is the planning of a class to ensure students meet their learning goals. When this is undertaken backwards, learning outcomes become the starting point, with designers then working through assessment and finally to classroom activities. The aim is to create a learning environment where students feel motivated and engaged. 

But what are the key considerations for creating effective modules and units and the indicators that show this has been achieved? 

In this episode we talk to Daniel Guberman, who is a senior instructional developer and assistant director of student-centred pedagogy in the Center for Instructional Excellence at Purdue University. Guberman is co-author, with colleagues Emily M. Bonem and Chantal Levesque-Bristol, of Designing Impactful College Courses: Applying Self-Determination Theory to Unleash the Potential of Autonomy-Supportive Learning Environments (Routledge, 2026). He brings to this conversation a keen interest in grading protocols and insights from Purdue’s long-running Impact instructor development programme.

 To learn more about course design for a new age, head to our latest spotlight guide.

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