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When I first started teaching pre-built courses, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was great to have the material prepared for me. All of that preparation, all of that planning, all of that somewhat invisible work that happens before a course even starts was already done for me.
But because all that work was already done, I wondered, how do I resonate with my students? How do I connect with them? How do I feel a sense of empowerment and maybe even ownership over the content and material?
One of the first things I realised was that I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. I just needed to identify those milestones or touchpoints where I could make the course more personal and relevant. For example, in one class, I took a pre-built module on critical thinking and tied it to a real-world issue happening that week. Now, that seems simple and small, right? But it was a huge step in helping students see the relevance of the material.
At that time, I was teaching English Composition, and students often wondered how the kind of academic writing they were doing in that online class was going to apply to the “real world,” as they put it. But by integrating that issue happening outside the classroom, connecting the classroom to the larger world, it helped students see the material’s relevance to their lives. It helped them understand how they’re going to encounter things every day that require critical thinking skills and perhaps even writing skills. In doing so, it made the course feel more alive and deepened the interactions between me and my learners. Small tweaks like that can make all the difference in keeping students engaged in any teaching/learning interaction, but especially in a pre-built course.
So now, we’re going to explore a little bit about what the research tells us about the benefits and challenges of teaching pre-built courses.
Pre-built or standardised courses are comprehensive instructional packages that include pre-designed syllabi, lecture content, assignments (tasks given to students to apply learning and demonstrate understanding), and assessments (methods of evaluating student learning and performance). These courses range from fully standardised, with little room for modification, to more flexible template-based versions. They can occur in online, hybrid, or face-to-face environments. Regardless of modality, standardised courses are becoming increasingly prevalent in higher education due to the need for institutions to maintain consistency across multiple sections or campuses, increase cost-effectiveness, and maintain alignment with accreditation standards.
Throughout this course, we will explore the multi-faceted nature of pre-built curricula, from their historical development to current best practices. We will examine the research behind standardised courses, delve into key instructional design theories, and discuss the practical implications for instructors and students. By engaging with this material, you will gain a deeper understanding of how to maintain your teaching identity and effectiveness within the framework of a pre-designed course.
The goal is to empower you to leverage the benefits of pre-built courses while addressing potential challenges. We will focus on strategies for personalising content, enhancing student engagement, and ensuring that the standardised material resonates with your unique student population. By the end of this course, you will be equipped with a toolkit of practical approaches to implement in your teaching, as well as acquiring a broader perspective on the role of pre-built courses in the evolving landscape of higher education.
Discussions
When you think of pre-built or standardised courses/curricula, what immediately comes to mind?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.