Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Research

Curriculum (Re)Design and (Re)Development

CTLR works with instructors and departments to ensure programs and courses are thoughtfully designed and delivered. Our approach to curriculum development is flexible, collaborative and based on evidence-informed processes and practices. Curriculum development at VCC is guided by the following principles:

Constructive alignment is an approach to course design where the three key elements of any course – learning outcomes, assessment methods, and teaching & learning activities – are intentionally aligned to ensure students can achieve the course learning outcomes. “Constructive” refers to the idea that students engage in deep learning and construct meaning through relevant and meaningful learning activities.  Alignment is what the instructor does to ensure that assessment tasks and teaching and learning activities support student achievement of the course learning outcomes. 

A triangular diagram illustrating an educational framework. The triangle's center contains the words 'Context,' 'Process,' and 'Content.' Surrounding the triangle are three interconnected components: 'Learning Objectives' at the top, 'Teaching & Learning Activities' on the left, and 'Feedback & Assessment Methods' on the right, all linked by arrows to show a cyclical relationship.
Image source: Let’s not take the constructive out of constructive alignment (natashakenny.ca)

At the CTLR we use a Backward Design approach to course design to ensure that all elements of your course are connected (see image below).  In this model, you begin with what students should know and be able to do at the end of the course and then work backwards to design assessment tasks and learning activities. Contact an Instructional Associates who can walk you through the three stages of backward design.

A diagram illustrating the three stages of backward design in education, represented by three interconnected circular arrows. The first blue arrow at the top is labeled “Identify Desired Results” with the guiding question: “What do I want the students to know and be able to do?” The second green arrow in the middle is labeled “Determine Acceptable Evidence” with the question: “How do I check what they have learned?” The third darker green arrow at the bottom is labeled “Organize Instruction” with the question: “Which learning activities will lead students to the desired result?” The arrows form a continuous cycle, emphasizing the iterative nature of the process.
Image source: Introduction: What is Backward Design? : An Introduction to Backward Design (unl.edu)

Adult learners have unique characteristics that are important to consider when designing your course and teaching and learning activities.


Adult learners:

  • are internally motivated and self-directed;
  • have a whole range of life experience and prior knowledge to draw on;
  • want to be actively involved in the learning process (adult learners will often have expectations about the learning process from past learning experiences);
  • are ready to learn when they assume new social or life roles (assuming these new roles involves change which can cause anxiety in adult learners);
  • often have a clear understanding of why they are learning and what they want to get out of it;
  • learn best by doing and solving real-life problems relevant to their lives;
  • appreciate learning experiences that have immediate application and benefit for them.

Another valuable model of teaching and learning principles to draw from are First Peoples Principles of Learning. Considering the whole student with a holistic approach, respect for individual learning journeys, reflexivity and reflectivity in learning design, valuing learning in community and in relationship, and land-based learning can benefit all students.

Effective curriculum begins with intentional design at both the program and course levels. Instructional Associates at the CTLR work alongside instructors and curriculum developers throughout every stage of the design process to align learning outcomes, assessments, and instructional strategies to create a meaningful learning experience for students. Thoughtful design ensures that courses contribute to program goals, support learner progression, and accommodate diverse needs. Planning with purpose fosters clarity, consistency, and adaptability across the curriculum.

Designing a course with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles creates a learning environment in which all students can thrive and fully participate. With UDL, you can proactively address the needs of all your students through providing multiple means of representation, engagement, action, and expression within your content and instruction.

Visit our UDL and Accessibility page for more information and support.

A learner-centered or student-centered teaching approach shifts the focus of activity from the teacher to the student and is shown to result in more successful learning and educational outcomes for students. Students’ prior knowledge, skill and diverse life experience are considered in the design of learning.

Active learning strategies are used to allow students to engage, process, and apply information. This can be done through group discussions, case studies, problem solving, role plays and other methods . Incorporating active learning into your classes increases student motivation and engagement, promotes higher-order thinking (i.e., application of knowledge, analysis, synthesis), and leads to deeper learning.

Image source: Principles of Learner-Centered Instruction. Adapted from Parrish (2019)

Many of the principles of learning design can be applied to all delivery modes, whether face-to-face, blended, or online. Effective e-learning is best facilitated through purposeful design and ensuring that technology is being used well to engage and motivate students, and help them meet the learning outcomes. Consider beginning with this resource, 3 Key Effective Practices in Blended Hybrid Learning from University of Guelph.

As with in-person classes, online instruction requires careful planning and execution. Both synchronous and asynchronous online classes should be well-designed to use technology in a way that engages and motivates students, while facilitating their learning and assessment. For example, one important design principle is balancing the three types of engagement in a blended/online environment: student to instructor, student to student, and student to content. Find out more below:

Experiential learning can be traced back to the work of John Dewey (1938) but is most well-known from David Kolb’s (1984) four stage Learning Cycle:

The image shows Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle represented by four blue arrows arranged in a circular flow. At the top, the first stage is labeled “Concrete Experience,” described as doing or having an experience. Moving clockwise, the second stage is “Reflective Observation,” which involves reviewing and reflecting on the experience. The third stage is “Abstract Conceptualisation,” focused on concluding and learning from the experience. Finally, the fourth stage is “Active Experimentation,” which refers to planning and trying out what has been learned. The arrows emphasize the continuous and cyclical nature of experiential learning.
Image source: The Benefits of Experiential Learning and Kolb’s Learning Cycle for Training – ISC Medical

Experiential Learning provides student with the opportunity to apply the process of Doing – Reviewing – Concluding – Planning to real world experiences. The reflection stage is a key part of the process. Experiential learning benefits students with enhanced engagement, development of critical thinking and problem solving, improved academic success, and clearer connections between theory and practice.

Examples of Experiential Learning include:

  • Capstone projects;
  • Case studies;
  • Field experience;
  • Interactive simulations;
  • Virtual simulation;
  • Labs;
  • Performance-based learning;
  • Practicums or placements.

VCC has a series of quality assurance processes that are designed to strengthen and maintain its programs. This is the final piece of curriculum design in terms of evaluation and revision. These quality assurance processes include governance review, annual program review, program renewal, and short- and long-term academic planning activities.

VCC’s Strategic Innovation Plan provides a vision for campus and program development at VCC. It is guided by five strategic priorities:

  • Academic Innovation;
  • Campuses of the Future;
  • Operational Excellence;
  • Engaged Communities, and;
  • Empowered People & Inclusive Culture. 

Contact an Instructional Associate (iasupport@vcc.ca) at any stage of your curriculum development for consultation and support.

Indigenous Territory Acknowledgment

VCC is located on the traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, and we acknowledge our privilege to be here.