What is Course Mapping? 

Course mapping is when the components of your course (learning materials, learning activities, and other supplemental materials) are visually laid out and aligned with the course learning objectives to assist with student proficiency in the subject (Arshavskiy, n.d.). This is your course outlined in front of you, to serve as a blueprint for guided development (Shaw, 2019). With this map, you will be more prepared to adequately provide your students with a well-developed course.  

Before getting started, you should have the following: 

• Course information (name, number, semester dates offered, description, requirements, and learning objectives) 
• Readings (textbook, literature books, articles, etc.) 
• Learning Activities, Assignments, Student Projects (or a brainstormed list!) 
• Any external requirements such as assessment or accreditation alignment documents  

Benefits of Mapping a Course

Decreases Stress: Not knowing “where” or “how” to start developing a course can be overwhelming. Placing everything out on the page helps to rid your mind of the clutter and organize things. This can also allow you to better see the pieces that you have and identify where you can start. Once you begin to put the information onto a canvas, whether physical (sheet of white paper) or digital (mind mapping software), the “how to start” part has already been completed.

Content Alignment: By using a visual tool to draw out how each component connects with specific objectives, you can ensure that your proposed learning components directly support ways to increase student proficiency. It makes connecting all learning components (materials, activities, supplemental tools, etc.) to the course learning objectives easier.

Gap Identification: With all the learning components on a canvas, you are better equipped to identify any deficits, then decide on the proper learning components to add to the course.

Further development: By mapping out your course, you can look at each component either on a macro- or a micro-level. A map positions the components where you would like and displays them in a general overview of your course (Shaw, 2019). You can also zero in on any one of your components and further flesh it out. Once you have an initial idea of what to include in your course, you can decide how to further develop each piece.

Steps to Course Mapping 

1. Decide on your canvas. Which medium works best for you during this process (physical or digital) as you put down your thoughts? Do you use a premade template, or do you want to start from scratch? There is value in both. You must decide which one is appropriate for your work style. 
2. Decide on one or two big takeaways from this course. Read over your course description and course learning objectives to determine what you would like your students to obtain at the end of this course. Is there something or several things you would like for students to be able to carry forward into the next course or in their life?  
3. Write down your learning objectives. These are the areas that you will align your module objectives, and learning components (materials, activities, supplemental tools, etc.) back to.  
4. Decide on how to best divide your course into sections and titles. Do you want to use modules or weeks? Once again, there is value in both. Weeks work best for single-period use (one week at a time) and modules can work for single- and multiple-period use (several weeks grouped at a time). Add your titles. Make sure to have a calendar available, so you can arrange your dates properly. 
5. Develop section objectives. Each section should have its own set of objectives. One to three measurable objectives are suitable. These objectives will further expound on the course objectives and directly connect them. 
6. Determine which learning materials you want to add to each section. These will be the text readings, articles, lectures, and/or multimedia (videos, podcasts, etc.) that provide the students with information related to the section. These materials should align with the section objectives. 
7. Determine the learning activities you want and in which sections. These will be your assessments (exams and quizzes), assignments, discussions, labs, etc. that students will have to complete to either evaluate learning or reinforce learning. These materials should align with the section objectives. 
8. Decide if any supplemental materials need to be added.  These are any components provided by you or your institute to assist students with the learning process.  These can be additional articles, images, content summaries, links to various departmental webpages or outside websites, etc. This is up to you and can be done at any time.  
9. Give your map a final review. Check to see if any areas need to be modified in any manner. Now is also the time to fill in any deficits that you may perceive. 

Once again, course mapping can improve course development by providing a visual outline of how all components are aligned. This practice can decrease stress and improve confidence that you have designed and developed a well-thought-out course. If you need assistance with mapping out a new or current course, please reach out to our team. We can provide guidance and tools to get you through the entire mapping process. Reach out to us via email or through our Bookings site.  

 

References: 

Arshavskiy, M. (n.d.). Using mind maps to develop your curriculum. Your eLearning World. https://yourelearningworld.com/using-mind-maps-to-develop-your-curriculum/  

Kelley, L. (2020). Woman looking at the map [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-looking-at-the-map-3935702/  

Plavalaguna, D. (2021). Man creating a mindmap on a whiteboard [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-creating-a-mindmap-on-a-whiteboard-6937932/  

Shaw, A. (2019, October 16). Course mapping. Wiley University Services: Center for Teaching and Learning. https://ctl.wiley.com/course-mapping-2/