Curriculum Design and Development: Curriculum Mapping, Units and Educational Materials – London, 23–27 Nov 2026

Programme overview

Introduction:

Curriculum design often breaks down when programmes are assembled topic by topic: outcomes stay vague, units repeat or skip content, assessments test what was never taught and textbooks, workbooks and teacher guides pull in different directions. This Core Concept course gives curriculum specialists, programme leaders and educational content writers a working method to choose a curriculum model, write outcomes, map and sequence a programme, draft syllabi and units, develop print and digital learning materials, then pilot, revise and evaluate them. Participants produce a Programme Curriculum Map and a Sample Unit Materials Set for a case programme.

Course Objectives:

• Select and justify a curriculum model, choosing between objectives-led, process-led and backward design approaches for a given programme
• Write programme and course learning outcomes with measurable action verbs, conditions and performance criteria
• Build a curriculum map and a scope and sequence chart that expose gaps, repetitions and omissions across years or levels
• Draft syllabi and unit plans whose outcomes, learning activities and assessment tasks line up with each other
• Develop textbook chapters, workbooks, teacher guides and multimedia resources that apply accessibility and inclusivity principles
• Plan pilot trials, review panels, revision cycles and curriculum evaluation using learner, teacher and outcome evidence

Target Audience:

• Curriculum specialists who design or renew programmes and subject frameworks for schools, colleges or universities
• Programme and department leaders responsible for the structure, sequence and coherence of a study programme
• Educational content writers and editors who produce textbooks, workbooks, teacher guides and learner resources
• Subject coordinators and lead teachers who translate programme outcomes into units and lesson materials
• Academic development staff who support faculty in writing syllabi and course materials
• Educational publishing and content development teams preparing learning materials for institutions

Course Outline:

Day 1: Curriculum Foundations, Models and Programme Needs

• Curriculum Definitions: Planned, Enacted, Assessed and Hidden Curriculum Layers
• Tyler Objectives Model and Taba Inductive Model Compared
• Stenhouse Process Model and Curriculum as Praxis Perspectives
• Smith Curriculum Procedure: Needs Diagnosis to Evaluation Methods
• Programme Needs Analysis Canvas: Learner Profiles, Stakeholder Input and Graduate Attributes

Day 2: Backward Design, Learning Outcomes and Curriculum Mapping

• Backward Design Three Stages: Desired Results, Acceptable Evidence and Learning Experiences
• Big Ideas, Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings Worksheet
• Outcome Statement Formula: Action Verb, Content, Condition and Performance Criterion
• Consensus Curriculum Map and Individual Teacher Map Templates
• Vertical and Horizontal Coherence Review for Gaps, Repetitions and Omissions

Day 3: Scope and Sequence, Syllabi, Units and Aligned Assessment

• Scope and Sequence Chart: Strands, Levels and Prerequisite Chains
• Syllabus Blueprint: Outcomes, Weekly Topics, Learning Activities and Grading Scheme
• Unit Plan Template with Lesson Sequence, Resources and Differentiation Notes
• Performance Task Design with GRASPS Style Scenario and Analytic Rubric
• Assessment Blueprint Table Linking Outcomes, Item Types and Weightings

Day 4: Educational Materials Development, Accessibility and Common Failures

• Textbook Chapter Architecture: Advance Organiser, Worked Examples, Practice and Summary
• Workbook Activity Types and Teacher Guide Structure with Answer Keys and Pacing Notes
• Multimedia Learning Resources: Video Scripts, Infographics and Interactive Exercises
• Universal Design for Learning: Multiple Means of Engagement, Representation and Expression
• Readability, Cultural Inclusivity, Bias Review and Copyright Clearance Checklist

Day 5: Case Programme: Curriculum Map, Sample Unit and Evaluation Plan

• Case Programme Brief: Learner Profile, Graduate Attributes and Existing Course List
• Case Build: Programme Curriculum Map with Scope and Sequence Chart
• Case Build: Sample Unit with Learner Pages, Workbook Tasks and Teacher Guide Extract
• Pilot Trial Protocol, Reviewer Feedback Forms and Revision Log
• Curriculum Evaluation Plan and Peer Panel Critique of the Sample Unit Materials Set

Skills You Will Gain:

• Curriculum Model Selection
• Backward Design Planning
• Scope and Sequence Planning
• Syllabus and Unit Writing
• Assessment Blueprinting
• Textbook and Workbook Authoring
• Inclusive Materials Design
• Curriculum Pilot and Evaluation

Why Attend This Course:

• Leave with a Programme Curriculum Map and Sample Unit Materials Set built for a case programme and ready to adapt to your own
• Replace topic-by-topic programme building with a sequence that shows where each outcome is taught, practised and assessed
• Brief authors, illustrators and reviewers with clear specifications for textbooks, workbooks, teacher guides and multimedia
• Compare curriculum and materials practice with specialists from schools, universities, colleges and educational publishers

Conclusion:

A curriculum works when its outcomes, sequence, assessment and materials are designed as one system and tested before full release. The week moves from curriculum models and needs analysis, through backward design, outcome writing and curriculum mapping, to scope and sequence, syllabi, units and aligned assessment, then into textbooks, workbooks, teacher guides, multimedia and accessible, inclusive materials. The final day produces a Programme Curriculum Map and a Sample Unit Materials Set for a case programme, with a pilot and evaluation plan.