Featured Article
Design the Destination First
Design the Destination First
Before you open last semester’s syllabus and start adjusting, it's worth sitting with a more fundamental question: Where do I want my students to end up?
A well‑designed course with little instructor presence can feel isolating for students. A highly present instructor in a poorly designed course spends the semester reacting and putting out fires. Planning creates the conditions for presence, and presence is what turns a course structure into a learning experience.
Practical Pedagogy
Practical Pedagogy
Use Backward Design to Pace Your Course Prep
Backward design is usually framed as a way to build better courses. It's also a good way to structure the prep work itself. Starting with outcomes creates a sequence that makes the rest of the decisions easier, and helps avoid the common trap of building before the big questions are settled.
Faculty Resource
Faculty Resource
DOE AI-Powered ICON Assistant
Have you checked out DOE's new template bot? You can use the Assistant to find ICON course tips and best practices quickly and save valuable time as you work on your fall courses. Of course, the humans of DOE are here to support you over the summer as well.