Are you designing a new, for-credit course entirely or hoping to redesign an existing course? Design or re-design your course now, by participating in the Course Design Intensive (CDI).
What is the CDI?
An intensive multi-day program, where you will work in a supportive atmosphere, both individually and collaboratively, to design or re-design a UBC credit course that you teach or are planning to teach.
Throughout the program (roughly 7 to 10 days), participants will acquire a broadened understanding of course design concepts, and will gain skills and tools they can apply to their own course. Ultimately, the goal of the CDI is to support instructors as they work to enhance their students’ learning.
Program goals
The purpose of a well-designed course is to support learning. As such, strong course design is learner-centred. While many variables influence course design, alignment between learning outcomes, assessment approaches, and teaching and learning activities are the backbone of a well-designed course.
During the Course Design Intensive (CDI), you will design or revise your course using principles of a learner-centred approach.
By the end of the CDI, you will be able to:
- Design or re-design a learner-centred course.
- Apply principles of alignment to your course.
- Determine various learning activities and assessment strategies that best support your course learning outcomes.
- Engage in peer learning as a means of iterating and refining your course design.
The Big Idea for the CDI is that course design both influences and is influenced by learning.
Format of the CDI
The August 2025 offering of CDI is a three-week workshop that combines synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. In the first week, you’ll engage in independent reading and reflection through guided activities on Canvas.
We will then meet in person on August 11 to share insights and consolidate our learning. Following this, you’ll continue developing your course independently while participating in collaborative Zoom sessions focused on key aspects of course design. Throughout the next two weeks, there will also be opportunities for consultations and check-ins with facilitators.
The CDI follows a “flipped” model, meaning you’ll complete preparatory work ahead of each session, which we’ll build upon during our synchronous meetings. We’ll reconvene in person on August 25 to refine your course design and prepare for a strong start to the teaching term.
Who is it for?
This workshop is for UBC faculty members who have full responsibility for an academic, credit course. That course can be face-to-face, blended, or online. PhD students and postdoctoral scholars may be eligible to participate provided they have full responsibility for an academic, credit course at UBC.
UBCO faculty, please also check out the CTL Course (re)Design Intensive.
Non-UBC faculty members are eligible; however, they will be charged a non-refundable participation fee of $600.
CDI in 2025
The workshop will take place between August 11 and 25, 2025.
There will be four, 90- to 120-minute gatherings during the week. Both the kick-off and the capstone events are mandatory. There will optional peer-sharing events and consultations throughout the week. The CDI relies on the active participation of all learners who, as a team, collaborate to support each other in enhancing their course design.
Your in-person, active participation and presence are required on these two days:
- Monday, August 11, 2025, 1:00 to 3:00 pm
- Monday, August 25, 2025, 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Optional peer-sharing online meetings:
- Thursday, August 14, 2025: 10:00 am to 12:00 noon
- Thursday, August 14, 2025: 1:00 to 3:00 pm
One-on-one consultation with your facilitators will be available throughout the week.
The course design process takes time, and we want you to be successful during these two weeks! We recommend you clear your several blocks of time in your calendar to progress on your course plans alongside the rest of the cohort.
