Course Mapping
Course mapping is the process of intentionally organizing and connecting the key components of a course to support meaningful learning. A course map provides an overview of how learning outcomes, assessments, instructional approaches, learning activities, topics, and resources work together throughout a course, module, or unit.
Creating a course map can help you step back and view the course from the learner's perspective and identify opportunities to strengthen and improve the overall learning experience.
Why Use Course Mapping?
Course mapping encourages intentional course design by helping you see how the different components of a course work together to support learning.
Course mapping can help you:
- Ensure alignment between learning outcomes, assessments, and instruction
- Identify gaps, redundancies, or sequencing issues
- Clarify what learners need to know and be able to do
- Intentionally scaffold learning across a course or module
- Integrate active learning, feedback, and assessment opportunities
- Create a more learner-centred and transparent learning experience
Key Questions to Consider
After you've established learning outcomes and aligned assessments for the course or unit, you need to identify the topics, content, and skills necessary to achieve those outcomes, as well as the order of the content. You also need to identify learning activities, such as active learning strategies, as well as materials and resources.
Content and Skills
- What enabling knowledge, concepts, and skills will learners need to successfully achieve the intended learning outcomes?
Learning Activities
- What instructional approaches and learning activities will help learners develop the required knowledge and skills?
Materials and Resources
- What readings, videos, technologies, examples, or other resources best support learning?
Assessment
- How will diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment opportunities support and measure learning throughout the course?
- How do instructional activities and formative assessment opportunities prepare learners for summative assessment tasks?
Tips for Effective Course Mapping
- Start with the learning outcomes first
- Ensure assessments align directly with outcomes
- Sequence learning from foundational to more complex concepts and skills
- Consider opportunities for active learning and feedback
- Review the map from the learner's perspective
- Look for areas where workload, pacing, or expectations may need adjustment
Building a Course Map
A course map is typically read from left to right and top to bottom. Each row often represents a week, module, or unit within the course.
| Week | Topic | Learning Objectives | Content (Knowledge & Skills) | Resources (Readings, Videos) | Instruction & Learning Activities | Assessments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||
| 3 |