Tying resources to course outcomes

Have you ever taken a course that has folder after folder of great articles, lots of embedded videos and audio, maps, charts, graphics, and interactive "discovery" activities, but, instead of feeling that you had all you needed at your fingertips, you felt lost, frustrated, and overwhelmed?

If you did, you were not alone. It is great to have lots of resources in the course. However, unless they are organized well, and they tie really clearly to course outcomes, you'll generate frustration instead of confidence.

Planning and organization are the keys to success in selecting, sequencing, and deploying your resources. Always tie them first to the learning outcomes, and then ensure that they are grouped in ascending order of complexity so that you're building in a strong foundation and then scaffolding on to higher levels.

So, the first step should always be to list the course outcomes and then create an outline of your course in which you start to identify the...