Transforming Course Design (TCD) Strategy
Phase I, 2007-2008: Planning, Strategy, and Evaluation
Phase I is now complete. Goals for Phase I were these:
 Determine TCD priorities
 Build trust and facilitate collaboration among participating faculty
 Review and evaluate National Center for Academic Transformation (NCAT) models
 Refine systemwide TCD strategy
 Run a variety of TCD course pilots and measure results
 Share best practices systemwide
Project Activities for Phase I were these:
Task

Fund and lead campus-based
TCD projects
Date
Begun
June, 2007
Outcomes



Fund and lead discipline
research projects (Institute for
Teaching and Learning)
ATAC and PTSC identification
of systemwide priorities for high
impact courses
August,
2007

December,
2007


Fund and initiate developmental
math and general chemistry
TCD projects.
January,
2008


Attend the annual NCAT
conference and identify
successful models
March, 2008



Develop and evaluate Teaching
Commons prototype for sharing
best practices
Develop guidelines and
adoption strategies for TCD
developmental mathematics and
general chemistry courses.
January,
2008

July, 2008



DRAFT TCD Strategy 2008-2009 v1.3


Almost all CSU campuses participated in the
TCD process
Candidates for scaling systemwide are
currently being identified
Two projects were funded for planning and
implementation.
Developmental mathematics and general
chemistry were the first courses identified.
Other courses have been prioritized for future
systemwide projects
25 developmental mathematics and general
chemistry faculty from over 18 CSU
campuses participated in TCD discovery,
review, and pilot development.
5 CSU faculty attended conference.
Faculty identified TCD strategies and
resources being used across the nation.
Teaching Commons with project updates,
best practices and documentation available
at http://transform.csuprojects.org/
Reports on exemplary practices were
delivered in August, 2008.
Faculty course redesign reports were
delivered in August, 2008.
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Conclusions from Phase I are as follows:
 TCD funding should be directed to high impact courses, i.e., where high demand and
low success rates combine to create “bottlenecks” that can be opened.
 There are multiple elements of an effective TCD adoption strategy:
o Quality curriculum must be identified for CSU context.
o Collegial support and mentoring for faculty development is essential.
o Support for using technology (hardware and software) must be present.
o Revised course and program policies are needed to ensure success.
o Incentives for faculty work and adoption of “transformed” approaches are critical.
o Continuous assessment and evaluation of TCD implementations will drive future
improvements.
 Effective project management and leadership are critical to success.
 Providing a variety of opportunities for faculty development is key:
o Faculty mentoring
o TCD institutes and training
Phase II: Implementation and Systemwide Scalability, Proposed for 2008-09
BASIC ACTIVITIES AND TIMELINES:
Goal






Identify and initiate phase I
planning for two additional high
impact courses.
Identify 1-2 campus-based TCD
projects that provide apparent
opportunities to scale.
Identify 2- 3 CSU developmental
math course models for larger
implementation.
Action Plan

9/08: Confirm and select next high impact courses based on
PTSC and ATAC recommendations.

9/08: Fund further implementation of CSUN Mathematics for
Business Majors course.
11/08: Identify other promising practices.
9/08: Review faculty TCD plans and select and support
promising course proposals for additional development.
1/09: Version 1.0 Developmental Math Course Curriculum
and pedagogical guidance ready for adoption
9/08: Review faculty TCD plans and select and support
promising course proposals for additional development.
1/09: V 1.0 General Chemistry Course Curriculum and
pedagogical guidance ready for adoption
11/08: Identify and comprehensively support departmental
implementations.
1/09: Campus/department adoption process available
10/08: Update and expand the TCD Teaching Commons to
meet campus needs.



Identify 1-2 CSU general
chemistry course models for
larger implementation.

Prepare CSU math and
chemistry faculties / departments
to scale the model.

Provide 24x7 web-based support
for faculty and department chairs
to learn about TCD.



DRAFT TCD Strategy 2008-2009 v1.3
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The TCD strategy establishes a life cycle of developing and deploying transformed
courses from campus-based efforts and system-based efforts. Below is a sample of how
the catalog of CSU redesigned courses could develop over 2 years.
Fall 08
Spring 09
Fall 09
1 Campus Course
Bus Math v1.0
1 Campus Course
Bus Math v1.0
1 Campus Course
Discipline X v1.0
1 Campus Course
Bus Math v2.0
1 Campus Course
Discipline X v1.0
1 Campus Course
Discipline Y v1.0
Plan and Organize
Dev Math Courses
1-2 Courses:
Developmental Math
v1.0
1 Course:
General Chemistry v1.0
Plan and Organize
Course A
Plan and Organize
Course B
1-2 Courses:
Developmental Math v1.0
Plan and Organize
Gen Chem Courses
TCD process for
Course A
TCD process for
Course B
1 Course:
General Chemistry v1.0
1 Course:
Discipline A v 1.0
1 Course:
Discipline B v 1.0
TCD process for Course C
TCD process for Course D
TOTAL # of Courses
Ready for Adoption
1
TOTAL # of Courses
Ready for Adoption
4
DRAFT TCD Strategy 2008-2009 v1.3
TOTAL # of Courses Ready
for Adoption
7
Spring 10
1 Campus Course
Bus Math v2.0
1 Campus Course
Discipline X v2.0
1 Campus Course
Discipline Y v1.0
1 Campus Course
Discipline Z v1.0
2-3 Courses:
Developmental Math
v2.0
1-2 Course:
General Chemistry v2.0
1 Course:
Discipline A v 1.0
1 Course:
Discipline B v 1.0
Plan and Organize Course
C
Plan and Organize Course
D
TOTAL # of Courses
Ready for Adoption
9
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