Mapping an Online Course

What is a Course Map?

Teaching online, as with any instruction, requires careful planning and organizing and your course design is one of the most important elements that will influence the success of your new online course. A learner-centered course design serves as the framework of your course, much like the support structure in a building. In this module, you will work to create a course map. This course map is a visual representation of all the components of a course

Info Why Map Your Course?

A course map allows you to have a big picture view of your course to ensure that all the proposed components work together in a cohesive way to help you achieve your intended course goals. You may be tempted to rush through the mapping stage to get to your course building, but this first step is actually one of the most important steps in the course design cycle. The more time you spend on your course map and the more complete and detailed you make it, the less time you'll have to spend on the build phase of your course. By putting more time into this initial course planning you'll save yourself time in the future. 

Circular graphic showing the Backward Design process: Learning Objectives with arrow to Assessments, then an arrow to learning activities, then arrow to instruction, an arrow back to objectives
Graphic created by CDL Graphics

InfoLit The Backward Design Approach

There are multiple techniques to approach the design of the course, but the most important part is to have a concrete plan before starting. In this course, we promote the Backward Design approach to course design.  Backward Design, as explained by Wiggins and McTighe (2005), is a way to visualize your course starting with a set of desired results, and then from there, work your way back to develop assessments to evaluate student achievement of those results and then finally identify learning materials and activities to help support the achievement of those original desired results. This approach to course design is useful to all course modalities (i.e., online, blended, and face-to-face).

Below are the recommended stages of Backward Design (adapted from Backward Design | Course Map Guide Links to an external site.):

  1. Identify desired results. Identify the outcomes or the intended results of your course. What should your learners know, understand, and be able to do by the end of the course? These statements will become your learning objectives.
  2. Determine acceptable evidence of learning. Determine acceptable evidence that validates and demonstrates achieved learning objectives. How do you plan to assess learners on their knowledge and mastery of information, skills, and attitudes? 
  3. Use learning outcomes and assessments to plan your teaching (learning activities and instruction). Plan learning activities and instruction that give students the opportunity to gain an understanding, construct meaning from their knowledge, and place that knowledge into practice. What kinds of activities will give learners the opportunity to demonstrate their progress, provide evidence of their learning, and establish a learning community with their peers? Also, what instructional material will equip and support learners in meeting the intended learning objectives. 

Activity Course Map Elements

An effective course map is made up of the following key elements: 

Explore the headings below to learn more. 

Try This Samples available.

Review 🟢 Samples: Course Map page to see how we have sequenced IDL6543. 

Note About the Course Map below: This is a UCF specific work sample to be adapted and shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License  Links to an external site..

Download a course map draft Download course map draft to preview how the IDL6543 is sequenced.