Enhancing Course Design at Shiloh College

Integrating Fink’s Taxonomy, Backward Design, and Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction

As Shiloh College continues to elevate excellence in ministry training, effective course design is key to preparing our students for transformative service. In this post, we explore three influential instructional design approaches and explain how each can help our faculty develop rigorous, engaging, and student-centered courses. By understanding these models, you gain clear strategies to articulate meaningful outcomes, create aligned assessments, and design dynamic lessons.

L. Dee Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning

Overview: Fink’s model moves beyond traditional cognitive objectives to include dimensions that foster deep, “significant learning.” It identifies six categories:

• Foundational Knowledge – Core facts and concepts.
• Application – The development of skills such as critical thinking and problem solving.
• Integration – Making connections across ideas, disciplines, and experiences.
• Human Dimension – Gaining self-knowledge and understanding others.
• Caring – Developing new interests or values.
• Learning How to Learn – Becoming skilled in self-directed and reflective learning.

How It Enhances Course Design:

• Course Outcomes: Move beyond simple recall by setting objectives that demand application, integration, and personal transformation. For instance, rather than “describe biblical passages,” aim for “apply biblical principles to resolve modern ethical issues.”
• Lessons & Assignments: Create activities such as case studies or reflective journals that require students to connect theoretical ideas with personal and social experiences.
• Assessments: Develop rubrics that assess not only factual recall but also skill application, reflective practice, and integrative learning. This ensures well-rounded student evaluation.

Backward Design by McTighe and Wiggins

• Identify Desired Results: Define clear, measurable learning outcomes.
• Determine Acceptable Evidence: Plan assessments that directly measure those outcomes.
• Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction: Create activities and lessons that align with the desired results.

How It Enhances Course Design:

• Course Outcomes: Clearly articulate what students should know and be able to do at the end of the course. For example, courses in chaplaincy might emphasize real-world application like crisis intervention or ethical decision-making. 
• Lessons & Assignments: With the outcomes in focus, every lesson, discussion, and assignment is purposefully aligned with your end goals. Lesson plans become more targeted, ensuring effective progression. 
• Assessments: Designing assessments in advance ensures that tests, projects, and assignments accurately measure student achievement according to the predetermined outcomes.

Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction

Overview: Gagné’s model outlines a sequence of events that structure instructional sessions for maximum impact. The nine events include: 

1. Gain Attention – Capture interest at the outset.
2. Inform Learners of Objectives – Clearly state what learners will achieve.
3. Stimulate Recall of Prior Learning – Activate existing knowledge.
4. Present the Content – Deliver new information effectively.
5. Provide Learning Guidance – Offer support through examples and prompts.
6. Elicit Performance (Practice) – Engage students in active application.
7. Provide Feedback – Give immediate and constructive responses.
8. Assess Performance – Evaluate learning as it occurs.
9. Enhance Retention and Transfer – Advance the ability to apply the knowledge in new contexts.

How It Enhances Course Design:

• Lessons & Instruction: Structure every class session using Gagné’s steps. Begin with an engaging story or case study and complete the lesson with application exercises that promote retention.
• Assignments & Practice: Integrate formative activities such as role-plays, discussions, or quick quizzes that provide immediate feedback, ensuring students can practice and adjust their learning in real time.
• Assessments: Use formative assessments throughout the lesson to gauge understanding and adjust instruction accordingly. Ending with activities that encourage transfer of learning solidifies the connection between content and future application.

 Bringing It All Together

At Shiloh College, you can integrate these approaches to create a powerful, student-centered curriculum by:

• Using Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Ensure materials and methods are accessible for all learning styles.
• Emphasizing Active Learning: Incorporate interactive projects, collaborative work, and experiential learning to keep students engaged.
• Reflecting and Revising: Continually review student outcomes, gather feedback, and make iterative improvements to course design.

By leveraging Fink’s Taxonomy, Backward Design, and Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction, your courses will effectively address the full spectrum of student learning—from foundational knowledge through personal transformation—ensuring that graduates are well-equipped for ministry and lifelong learning.

Bibliography

• Fink, L. Dee. Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses. Jossey-Bass, 2003.
• Wiggins, Grant, and Jay McTighe. Understanding by Design. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), 1998.
• Gagné, Robert M. The Conditions of Learning and Theory of Instruction. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1985.
• CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines. http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Suggestions for Further Study

For faculty interested in delving deeper into course design and instructional strategies, consider exploring the following resources:

1. Workshops and Professional Development Programs:
   • Attend seminars on “Teaching with Backward Design” or “Applying Universal Design for Learning” offered by educational consortia and professional organizations.
2. Books & Articles:
   • Designing Courses for Significant Learning by L. Dee Fink
   • Understanding by Design by Wiggins and McTighe
   • Research articles in journals such as Innovative Higher Education or The Journal of Higher Education for case studies and new trends in instructional design.
3. Online Courses and Webinars:
   • Participate in online courses through platforms like Coursera or EdX on curriculum development, adult learning theory, or instructional design fundamentals.
4. Collaborative Faculty Learning Communities:
   • Join or create learning communities within Shiloh College to share experiences, compare best practices, and provide peer feedback on course designs.
5. Consultation with Instructional Designers:

• Work directly with our campus instructional designers for personalized support in implementing these models effectively.

We invite all Shiloh College faculty to explore these strategies and resources to further enrich their instructional approaches. By deepening your understanding of course design through these proven frameworks, you are contributing not only to your professional growth but also to the formation of impactful, engaging learning experiences that empower our future ministry leaders.

Happy Designing!