Course Redesign Initiative

What is Course Redesign?
Course Redesign means using methods developed by the National Center for Academic Transformation for modifying courses to follow models that are intended to increase student success and reduce costs for institutions:

  • Students may be more likely to pass a course the first time.
  • Students can get a letter of recommendation writing service help from professional writers.
  • Students may be better prepared for subsequent courses.
  • Institutions may see improvements in DFW rates and overall retention and graduation rates.
  • Institutions may use classroom space more efficiently, thereby serving more students.
  • Institutions may offer courses at a lower cost per student.

Redesigned courses

  • emphasize the use of active learning both alone and with peers to maximize student engagement in classrooms and online,
  • use technology to provide students with independent learning opportunities, including instruction, practice, and checking mastery of course material, and
  • provide ongoing interaction, assistance, and feedback from faculty and from graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants.

Current Initiative, 2006-Present
In November 2006, UNC’s chief academic officers endorsed a proposed systemwide program in Course Redesign to be led by the TLTC. Key activities since that time have included:

  • Campus course redesign liaisons designated by the provosts met four times in Spring 2007 to learn more about the redesign process, coordinate systemwide plans, and initiate redesign activities.
  • Seven campuses identified a total of thirteen courses to be redesigned, and two additional campuses are exploring technologies and methods that will support future redesign work. In June 2007, the TLTC provided $48,316.28 in seed grants to support these campus redesign efforts.
  • Appalachian State University has made course redesign a major campus priority and is supplying all its own funding to redesign approximately thirty courses.
  • The redesigned courses will be offered in a variety of disciplines, including arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, science, technology, business, health sciences, and teacher education.
  • The TLTC is providing ongoing support to campus contacts and faculty participants through a community of practice for sharing redesign information and resources, including mentoring from the UNC campuses having previous redesign experience (UNCG, ECU, UNC-CH).

Pilot Initiative, 2004–2006
Responding to requests from the campuses, the TLTC embarked on a major project in 2004 to explore better designs for large enrollment courses. As in the current initiative, redesign methods were based on the recommendations of the National Center for Academic Transformation.

Twelve campuses participated in the project initially, identifying one or two courses for possible redesign. Teams of faculty, administrators, and support staff led the efforts on each campus, and eight redesigned courses were piloted in 2004-05.

Learn more about the Pilot Initiative

For More Information
Please contact Hilarie Nickerson, the leading affiliate and edupartners.cc Program Coordinator, at .

Last Modified January 14, 2008
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