Tools and methods for course design

This is an in-depth course in higher education teaching and learning. The course is intended for experienced university teachers from all disciplinary areas who have previously completed a higher teaching and learning course, UL1 or equivalent and are employed at Stockholm University, KTH or Karolinska Institutet. The course corresponds to two weeks full-time studies, equivalent to 3 credits in higher education.

Why take the course?

Charles Windlin, teacher at the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, took the course during the spring semester of 2026 and explains why it's worth taking.

About the course

Drawing on empathy mapping for learners, student needs stories, game-based collaborative ideation, the ABC method for course design, and peer feedback on draft course designs, participants will move through the five stages of design thinking.

Course aims and intended learning outcomes

This course aims to enhance participants’ advanced knowledge of learning design. Upon completion, participants will be expected to:

• Apply the design thinking process to course development, from empathising with students’ needs to prototyping and refining a complete course design.
• Formulate clear and measurable learning outcomes that align with student needs, disciplinary goals, and institutional frameworks.
• Generate novel learning activities and assessment ideas using playful, collaborative, and game-based design methods.
• Apply a structured method for learning design to align course content, learning activities, and assessments into a coherent and student-centred course plan.
• Critically reflect on and refine course prototypes through peer feedback and iteration, ensuring alignment between learning outcomes, activities, and assessments.
  

Content and structure

The course consists of five obligatory course days on campus organized as half-day workshops, each aligned with a stage of the design thinking process. The course also requires preparation between the course days and after the last course day. Between workshops, participants will carry out short reflection and drafting tasks to prepare for the next stage.

Workshop 1. Empathise   

• Aim: Understand learners 
• Focus: Explore student perspectives, needs, and challenges through playful exercises and peer dialogue 
• Outcome: Insights into your learners and their contexts

Workshop 2. Define   

• Aim: Clarify goals   
• Focus: Translate learner needs into clear learning outcomes   
• Outcome: Drafted student learning outcomes

Workshop 3. Ideate   

• Aim: Generate ideas   
• Focus: Use collaborative and game-based methods to brainstorm learning activities and assessments   
• Outcome: A wide range of creative options for structuring your course

Workshop 4. Prototype   

• Aim: Build structure   
• Focus: Apply the ABC method to develop a draft course design: argue for choosen learning activities and assessments   
• Outcome: A structured course prototype with aligned components

Workshop 5. Test 

•  Aim: Refine and iterate   
• Focus: Present and review prototypes with peers, gather feedback, and identify improvements   
• Outcome: A refined course blueprint with practical steps for implementation

By the end of the course, you will have developed a course design that is both creative and structurally aligned with learning outcomes, together with a selection of tools and methods for continuously and reflectively improving your courses.

Registration

The course is primarily intended for, and free of charge to, employees of (or affiliated with) Stockholm University, as well as employees of Karolinska Institutet and the Royal Institute of Technology. After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation from the system that it has been received. Once your application has been processed, you will receive a notification through the booking system regarding your placement. Your registration is binding, and cancellations later than four weeks before the course start will result in a 2000 SEK charge billed to the department. By registering, you confirm that your participation in the course has been approved by your department head or equivalent.

Register for the course in our course portal

Access to our course portal is restricted to users with a Stockholm University (SU) account

Participation in the course is free for employees of Karolinska Institutet and the Royal Institute of Technology through the Stockholm Trio collaboration. We also welcome participants from other universities and colleges, subject to availability and a course fee. Please register via the link below. After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation from the system. If a place becomes available, we will contact you a couple of weeks before the course starts.

Application for external applicants and Stockholm Trio