​This section of my portfolio highlights the instructional redesign of PSYCH 190: Science of Diversity- Psychology Capstone, a 7.5-week accelerated course on diversity, identity, and social connection. The materials presented demonstrate my instructional design process, including the curriculum map, learning objectives, alignment map, and course structure used to ensure clear connections between course outcomes, weekly modules, learning activities, and assessments. Together, these artifacts illustrate how the course was intentionally redesigned using alignment and backward design principles to support student understanding, critical analysis, and real-world application of psychological concepts related to diversity and identity.

Course Redesign Map

​This course redesign map illustrates my use of backward design principles to align learning outcomes, weekly modules, instructional activities, and assessments within an accelerated undergraduate psychology course. The visual framework demonstrates how course outcomes—such as analyzing race and bias, explaining diversity and identity, and evaluating globalization and social networks—are intentionally supported through structured weekly topics, research-based readings, guided learning activities, and scaffolded assessments. By mapping the course in this way, I ensured that each activity and assignment contributes directly to measurable learning evidence, including concept mastery, critical analysis, real-world application, and personal reflection.

---

Course Learning Outcomes

As part of the PSYCH 190 course redesign, the original learning outcomes were revised to improve clarity, measurability, and alignment with course activities and assessments. The initial outcomes reflected broad program-level competencies (e.g., critical thinking, information literacy, and lifelong learning) that were difficult to directly assess within the scope of a single 7.5-week course.

The revised outcomes were rewritten using Bloom’s Taxonomy action verbs to ensure each objective describes observable student performance. This shift allows the outcomes to align more directly with weekly learning activities, discussions, applied assignments, and written reflections included in the redesigned course. The updated objectives emphasize students’ ability to explain key psychological concepts, analyze research and social processes related to identity and diversity, apply psychological insights to real-world contexts, and construct evidence-based written arguments.
​
These revisions strengthen the course’s instructional alignment by ensuring that learning objectives, instructional materials, and assessments clearly support one another, resulting in a more transparent and effective learning experience for students.

Original

1. Apply scientific reasoning to interpret and explain phenomena.
2. Address complex problems in psychology using innovative and integrative strategies and insights leading to actionable solutions.
3. Analyze and interpret quantitative data about a topic in psychology and apply results in business/organizational or interpersonal settings, habits, and/or practices.
4. Apply ethically acceptable standards to evaluate psychological science and practice.
5. Locate, evaluate and apply information, using a variety of research tools and methods from the field of psychology.
6. Construct written communications that clearly articulate ideas and arguments appropriate to various audiences.
7. Demonstrate effective presentation skills for various purposes.
8. Demonstrate the self-awareness and habits required to identify, integrate, and apply new information and skills that increase personal and professional effectiveness, including applying psychological insights and skills to career goals, exhibiting self- efficacy and self-regulation, and developing meaningful professional direction for life after graduation.

Revised

1. Explain major psychological theories and concepts related to diversity, identity, culture, and belonging.
   (Bloom’s Level: Understand)
2. Analyze how cultural, social, and psychological processes shape identity development, interpersonal relationships, and group dynamics.
   (Bloom’s Level: Analyze)
3. Interpret psychological research findings and data related to diversity and social behavior.
   (Bloom’s Level: Analyze)
4. Apply psychological theories and research to real-world contexts such as workplaces, communities, and interpersonal relationships.
   (Bloom’s Level: Apply)
5. Evaluate psychological claims, stereotypes, and social assumptions using evidence from psychological research.
   (Bloom’s Level: Evaluate)
6. Locate and synthesize scholarly sources to support arguments about psychological topics related to diversity and social identity.
   (Bloom’s Level: Analyze / Create)
7. Construct clear written arguments that integrate psychological concepts, research evidence, and personal or societal examples.
   (Bloom’s Level: Create)
8. Reflect on and articulate how psychological insights about diversity and identity inform personal growth, professional development, and lifelong learning.
   (Bloom’s Level: Evaluate / Create)

Learning Outcomes Alignment Map

​This learning outcomes alignment map illustrates the constructive alignment used in the redesign of PSYCH 190, a 7.5-week accelerated undergraduate course. The redesign was guided by Backward Design principles and Bloom’s Taxonomy, ensuring that course learning outcomes, instructional activities, and assessments are intentionally aligned.
The course outcomes progress from a foundational understanding of psychological theories related to diversity, identity, culture, and belonging to higher-order skills such as analysis, application, evaluation, and creation. Weekly discussions, knowledge check quizzes, guided reading supports, applied assignments, and reflective writing were integrated to scaffold student learning and provide multiple opportunities for demonstrating mastery of the outcomes.
This alignment map visually demonstrates how each assessment contributes to measuring specific learning outcomes, supporting transparency in course design and ensuring that students engage with course concepts through progressively deeper levels of cognitive engagement. The redesign also reflects best practices for accelerated online courses, emphasizing structured learning pathways, formative assessment, and applied learning experiences that connect psychological research to real-world contexts.

---

Course Structure

The course was redesigned using a consistent weekly learning module structure to improve student navigation, engagement, and alignment with learning outcomes. Each module follows a consistent instructional sequence designed to guide students from conceptual understanding to real-world application. The weekly structure reduces cognitive load and supports scaffolded learning by moving students through orientation, knowledge acquisition, practice, and reflection.

Redesigned Week 3 Module Structure and Content Overview – PSYCH 190

This video demonstrates the redesigned Week 3 learning module for PSYCH 190, highlighting the structure, organization, and instructional elements implemented in Moodle. The module was redesigned to provide a clear and consistent learning flow that guides students from topic introduction to concept application. The walkthrough shows how weekly overviews, learning outcomes, readings, knowledge checks, and applied activities are organized to support engagement and scaffold student learning.
​
The redesign emphasizes alignment between learning objectives, instructional materials, and assessments, while also improving navigation and usability for students. By structuring each module with a predictable sequence of activities, the course design reduces cognitive load and supports a more effective and accessible online learning experience.