Map Curriculum Effectively

Curriculum maps communicate where your courses address student learning outcomes and answer important questions about your program alignment.  

Map curriculum with WIDS

You can easily create and manage curriculum with WIDS instructional design software using the mapping features for a variety of learning outcomes:  

• program outcomes
• core abilities
• general education outcomes
• external standards

These software features help you save time and ensure consistency:

• Use the simple interface to map multiple sets of outcomes to courses.
• Customize linking terminology to meet your institution's needs.
• Print maps in a variety of formats for sharing.
• Link learning outcomes automatically, then drop them into course outlines and syllabi.

‍Use maps to examine courses

Curriculum maps help answer important questions about how required courses address learning outcomes and contribute to sequenced student learning.

• Do your required courses contribute to one or more of your program outcomes?
• Are your learning outcomes addressed across multiple courses to move students from novice skills to greater expertise?
• Do your courses provide adequate practice before assessing students?
• Should courses be restructured to provide more practice for certain learning outcomes?

‍Link outcomes effectively

Linking learning outcomes to courses can be an involved process, given the various categories of outcomes and number of courses.  To map more effectively, remember that not all outcomes are supported by all courses—rather outcomes are levelled to phases of learning.

Consider these tips for linking outcomes effectively:  

• Every outcome must be linked to at least one course. If an outcome is not linked, how will you know where learners will achieve it?
• Not every course will link to every outcome. Most courses will typically link to only a selection of outcomes.
• More linking isn't necessarily better. Linking everything, everywhere does very little to help you use the map to make decisions.

Map curriculum easily in WIDS and use your map to review how your courses and learning outcomes contribute to student learning.

WIDS (Worldwide Instructional Design System) is a nonprofit organization that provides curriculum design software, consulting, and training services.  Download the free WIDS Sample Curriculum Map.

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