Get startedGet started for free

Course design

1. Course design

Hello again! We're going to start with the process of course design. Here, you will work with your Curriculum Manager to create a blueprint for your course.

2. Course design phase

By the end of this lesson, you should understand the expectations for you and DataCamp team members during the course design phase.

3. Learning objectives

Let's briefly go over what you will learn in this video. Overall, the course design phase begins with you completing your course specs on GitHub. To do so, you'll refer to and edit a README file in your course's GitHub repository. The README lays out the different parts of the course design process for you. This includes building capstone exercises and a complete lesson using our course editor. This builds the foundation for your course. While building the foundation, you'll begin to understand the DataCamp guidelines for course creation. You'll need to keep a careful eye on these guidelines to develop a great course that meets DataCamp's and our learners' standards. You'll also learn how to be a great DataCamp course instructor here. You'll further learn the criteria for getting your course to course handoff. This occurs when the course passes from your Curriculum Manager or CM to your Content Developer or CD. You will then build the rest of your course beyond the foundation with your CD.

4. Course specs

In setting your course blueprint during course specs, you'll use GitHub to edit your work and respond to feedback from your Curriculum Manager. You'll meet weekly with your CM to check-in and discuss progress. This is where you will set the scope of your course. A rubric containing the criteria used to assess your content exists in your course repo. Please review this often.

5. Course specs steps

You'll first set the high-level vision for your course and determine the course's target audience. You'll also upload the datasets you plan to use throughout the course to the course editor. The course outline summarizes the course contents lesson by lesson. You'll set learning objectives for each lesson. These will help you build content and tie your ideas together. You'll also specify which functions and packages you plan to use. Building capstone exercises and a lesson lay the foundation for your course by utilizing our course editor as you did earlier when you uploaded the relevant datasets. Lastly, you'll make final edits to your specs and pitch your course to our learners through the course description.

6. Building the foundation

A capstone exercise is the concluding exercise for each chapter. This showcases how far learners are likely to get upon completion of that chapter. This will help you clarify the point of each chapter and its scope. You'll do so in our course editor as shown here in this capstone exercise with preview. Next, you'll complete the slides and exercises for a complete lesson. You'll learn more about the makeup of a lesson later in this course.

7. Course handoff

The final step of course design includes a few rounds of feedback and revision with your CM on the course specs. You should finish writing your course specs with your CM in 2-3 contiguous weeks. Upon completion of your course specs, a Content Developer provides feedback. This is one further check to ensure the prerequisites listed make the most sense for the course, and the foundation is set for the course to proceed into course development. Lastly, it provides an opportunity to see how you've been progressing in learning how to use our tools to build great content. CD review and handoff should take at most two weeks. Thus, the entire course design phase should take around five weeks to complete. The course handoff is a three-way call between you, your CM, and your CD.

8. Let's practice!

There you have it! Course design has your course specs set as a great blueprint. Now, let's test your knowledge of course design with some questions.

Create Your Free Account

or

By continuing, you accept our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy and that your data is stored in the USA.