Free SKILL.md scraped from GitHub. Clone the repo or copy the file directly into your Claude Code skills directory.
npx versuz@latest install brycewang-stanford-awesome-agent-skills-for-empirical-research-skills-43-wentorai-research-plugins-skills-domains-education-curgit clone https://github.com/brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Agent-Skills-for-Empirical-Research.gitcp Awesome-Agent-Skills-for-Empirical-Research/SKILL.MD ~/.claude/skills/brycewang-stanford-awesome-agent-skills-for-empirical-research-skills-43-wentorai-research-plugins-skills-domains-education-cur/SKILL.md---
name: curriculum-design-guide
description: "Systematic approaches to curriculum design using backward design and alignment"
metadata:
openclaw:
emoji: "📚"
category: "domains"
subcategory: "education"
keywords: ["curriculum design", "pedagogy", "education", "study methods", "backward design"]
source: "wentor"
---
# Curriculum Design Guide
A structured skill for designing research-informed curricula using backward design, constructive alignment, and competency-based frameworks. Applicable to higher education course design, training program development, and educational research.
## Backward Design Framework
Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) reverses the traditional content-first approach:
### Stage 1: Identify Desired Results
Define what students should know, understand, and be able to do:
```yaml
course: "Introduction to Research Methods"
big_ideas:
- "Research is a systematic process of inquiry"
- "Methodology must align with research questions"
essential_questions:
- "How do we know what we know?"
- "What makes evidence credible?"
- "When should we use qualitative vs. quantitative methods?"
learning_outcomes:
- "Formulate testable research questions (Apply)"
- "Select appropriate research designs for given questions (Evaluate)"
- "Critically appraise published research methodology (Analyze)"
- "Design and defend a research proposal (Create)"
```
### Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence
Design assessments before planning instruction:
```python
# Assessment blueprint generator
def create_assessment_blueprint(outcomes: list[str], bloom_levels: list[str],
weights: list[float]) -> dict:
"""
Generate an assessment blueprint mapping outcomes to
assessment types and weights.
"""
assessment_types = {
'Remember': 'quiz',
'Understand': 'reflection_paper',
'Apply': 'problem_set',
'Analyze': 'case_study',
'Evaluate': 'peer_review',
'Create': 'research_proposal'
}
blueprint = []
for outcome, level, weight in zip(outcomes, bloom_levels, weights):
blueprint.append({
'outcome': outcome,
'bloom_level': level,
'assessment_type': assessment_types.get(level, 'portfolio'),
'weight_pct': weight * 100
})
return {'blueprint': blueprint, 'total_weight': sum(weights) * 100}
outcomes = [
"Formulate research questions",
"Select research designs",
"Appraise methodology",
"Design research proposal"
]
levels = ['Apply', 'Evaluate', 'Analyze', 'Create']
weights = [0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.40]
print(create_assessment_blueprint(outcomes, levels, weights))
```
### Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences
Sequence activities that build toward assessment readiness. Use the WHERETO framework:
- **W** -- Where are we going? Why?
- **H** -- Hook and hold interest
- **E** -- Equip with experience, tools, knowledge
- **R** -- Rethink, reflect, revise
- **E** -- Evaluate understanding
- **T** -- Tailor to individual needs
- **O** -- Organize for maximum engagement
## Constructive Alignment
Biggs' Constructive Alignment (1996) ensures coherence between intended learning outcomes (ILOs), teaching/learning activities (TLAs), and assessment tasks (ATs):
```
ILO: "Students will analyze case studies using SWOT framework"
|
+--> TLA: Workshop where students collaboratively analyze
| a real company case in small groups
|
+--> AT: Individual case analysis report (1500 words)
assessed with rubric mapping to ILO verbs
```
Misalignment is the most common curriculum design failure. Audit each ILO to verify it has at least one matching TLA and one matching AT.
## Competency-Based Curriculum Mapping
For programs with multiple courses, create a curriculum map:
```
Competency | Course 1 | Course 2 | Course 3 | Course 4
------------------------|----------|----------|----------|--------
Research question design| I | D | M | A
Literature review | I | D | D | M
Data collection | - | I | D | M
Statistical analysis | - | I | D | A
Academic writing | I | D | D | A
Legend: I = Introduced, D = Developed, M = Mastered, A = Applied
```
Ensure every competency reaches at least "Mastered" level by program completion, and identify gaps where competencies are introduced but never developed further.
## Quality Assurance
Validate curriculum designs through:
1. External review by discipline experts and industry advisors
2. Student feedback surveys (mid-semester and end-of-semester)
3. Learning analytics -- track completion rates, grade distributions, and DFW rates
4. Periodic program-level assessment with rubric-scored capstone artifacts
Document all revisions in a curriculum changelog to maintain institutional memory and support accreditation reporting.
## References
- Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). *Understanding by Design* (2nd ed.). ASCD.
- Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. *Higher Education*, 32(3), 347-364.