Getting the most out of
 Course Outlines
by Robert Runté,
Faculty of Education
University of Lethbridge
Last updated, May 2005

Course outlines are a basic requirement of all university instruction, but they are often underutilized. Many instructors provide only the bare minimum mandated by the administration, and so fail to take advantage of the opportunities provided by this highly versatile teaching tool. Properly developed, the course outline can:
  • orient students to course materials, processes, and expectations
  • orient students to the discipline represented by the course, including professional standards, attitudes and behaviours
  • improve student learning and success (raise standards)
  • ease instruction and increase instructor satisfaction
  • improve student satisfaction for better course evaluations

IntroductionBasic Principles Elements of an Effective Outline

 RefinementsSample Outlines

Links

Last updated, May 2005
© 2004 Robert Runté,
Faculty of Education
University of Lethbridge