Student Centered Course Design

Community college students arrive carrying significant cognitive burdens before the first concept is introduced. When course structures add long, scrolling pages, unclear navigation, and buried resources, the result is frustration and disengagement. This follows students forward through the course.

This redesign was guided by two frameworks (Quality Matters and Universal Design) developed in parallel rather than applied sequentially, and my 'special sauce': Visual design. I know not everyone has access to a graphic designer. However, I hope to share some basic design principles that anyone can use.

I believe we should design our courses with neurodivergent students in mind. Accessibility is important in my work due to my experience with neurodivergent family members navigating the higher-ed realm and for my students.

Course Design Inspiration:

Beards of Wisdom

The inspiration for this specific dynamic came from my own living room. Watching Enzo patiently (and sometimes grumbly) guide Estella, our energetic puppy, through the 'unwritten rules' of our household provided the perfect metaphor for the professional world. I realized that if I could capture that natural mentor-mentee relationship, I could create a safe, engaging space for my students to learn the often-intimidating 'rules' of the accounting profession. 

Objectives

Enzo, a Senior Auditor, is mentoring Estella, a Junior Associate, through her first firm placement, which happens to be the students' accounting course. Each week, Enzo shares a briefing on professional skills, and I follow up with field notes that tie those skills back to our specific learning objectives. Recent research suggests that instructor presence is a powerful motivator when it humanizes the instructor as an approachable facilitator.