Identifying Situational Factors: A Planning Guide

Adapted from L. Dee Fink’s Designing Significant Learning Experiences (2003)

Use the following questions to identify the teaching contexts for your course and the extent to which they will influence your course design and delivery. Feel free to focus on those situational factors that most apply to your course. Space to record ideas is provided below sections. The language you use in your notes may shape how you write learning objectives and design other features of your course.

Specific Context of the Teaching and Learning

  • How many students are projected to be in the class?
  • Is the course lower, upper division or graduate?
  • How long and frequent are class meetings?
  • How will the course be delivered: live instruction, interactive TV, online, or hybrid?

Notes:

Characteristics of the Learners (The Primary Audience)

  • What is the life situation of the students at the moment: full-time student, part-time, working student, family responsibilities, work responsibilities, and the like?
  • What life or professional goals do they have that relate to this learning experience?
  • What are their reasons for enrolling?
  • What prior knowledge, skills, and attitudes do they have regarding the subject?
  • What are the students’ learning styles?

Notes:

Expectations of External Groups (the secondary audience)

  • Does the state or related professional societies have professional accreditation requirements that affect goals and learning objectives?
  • What curricular goals does the institution or department have that affect this course?

Notes:

Nature of the Subject

  • Is the subject matter of the course convergent (working toward a single right answer) or divergent (working toward multiple, equally valid interpretations)?
  • Is the subject primarily cognitive, or does it include learning of significant physical skills as well?
  • Is the fieldof study relatively stable, in a period of rapid change, or in a situation where competing paradigms are challenging each other?

Notes:

Characteristics of the Instructor

  • What prior experiences, knowledge, skills, and attitudes do you have in terms of the subject for this course?
  • Have you taught this subject before, or is this the first time?
  • Will you teach the course again in the future?
  • Do you have a high level of competence or confidence in this subject, or is this course on the margins of your zone of competence?
  • What prior experiences, knowledge, skills, and attitudes do you have in terms of the process of teaching? (That is, how much do you know about effective teaching?)

Notes:

Special Pedagogical Challenge

  • What is the special situation in the course that challenges the students and your desire to make this a meaningful and important learning experience?

Notes: