Once you have been assigned a course to teach at Cornell, explore the various resources available within your department and across the campus. Remember that your course does not exist in a vacuum but rather fits into the curriculum mapped out by your department and College. Before designing the course, first identify the situational factors (Fink, 2003) that might influence your learning outcomes. These factors include the students, instructor, instructional materials, instruction delivery method, and learning environment. A combination of these factors will significantly affect student learning within your course.

Try This

Often, new instructors at Cornell are assigned to teach an existing course within their department. If you are an instructor of record, log into the Faculty Center to find information about your course schedule, room assignment, and student roster. Also, consider discussing the following questions with colleagues:

• What level is the course? Cornell courses are given codes from 1000 to 4000 (undergraduate) and 5000 to 7000 (graduate).
• How many credit hours is the course? Most Cornell courses are 3 or 4 credit hours, but some courses have more or fewer. Credit hours determine the amount of contact time as well as the workload expected of students.
• What is the typical number of students in the course? Course sizes range from small seminars to courses with hundreds of students.
• Has this course been taught before? Are copies of syllabi or course materials available from previous versions? The Cornell Class Roster also contains course syllabi for similar courses (those at the same level).
• How does this course fit into the major, program, or field? What are students expected to learn in this course? Does this course support learning in later courses in a sequence? Are there prerequisites or expectations for what entering students will know?
• Are there graduate and/or undergraduate TAs assigned to this course? Have they had any training? What training is important for TAs to successfully support student learning in this course? How do I ensure that the TAs are consistent with their instruction, communication, and grading? How do I build community among these TAs?
• Are there materials or topics in the course that students have found especially challenging? Ask colleagues who have taught this course for any advice they may have about topics, assignments, grading, course policies, or working with TAs.
• Do you know the classroom assigned for your course? What kind of technology is available in this space? Are the seats and tables fixed or movable?
• If you are a TA, what is your role in this course? Are the instructor’s expectations for your responsibilities clear?