Backward design provides a structured way to ensure that experiential learning activities are meaningful, aligned, and outcome driven. The following three stages outline the process of applying backward design to the development of experiential learning courses and co-curricular programs.
This initial stage involves the instructor or program developer to clearly articulate the final results of the experience. These results are strongest when focused on what participants will be able to do in a professional, civic, or scholarly context, and how participants will change as a result of the experience.
Key Questions You Can Start With:
The answers to these questions become the experiential learning goals and core learning outcomes. Strong outcomes use specific, measurable language, often encompassing both cognitive (knowledge application) and affective (professional development, self-awareness, ethics) dimensions. See Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Use a consistent format such as: “By the end of this experience, students will be able to …” Here is a template you can adapt:
By the end of this activity, students will be able to…
Once the outcomes are set, the next step is to define the evidence that will prove a participant has achieved them. In other words:
Because EL is inherently authentic, the evidence is typically performance-based and drawn directly from the experience itself.
All ELAs should include opportunities for structured reflection throughout the experience and must include at least one final assessment aligned with the stated learning outcomes. Final assessments may take the form of a culminating reflection, an authentic product or deliverable, and/or a performance evaluation that provides summative evidence of learning.
By determining the final assessment(s) first, the educator ensures that the learning outcomes are genuinely achievable and that the evidence required is an authentic demonstration of real-world competence. Refer to the table below for examples of assessments commonly used in EL contexts.
| Evidence Type | Examples | What it Assesses |
|---|---|---|
| Structured Reflection | Guided journal entries, a critical reflection paper, a final presentation or debrief meeting, an ePortfolio with evidence annotations. | Self-assessment, Synthesis, Evaluation, Connection of theory to practice. |
| Authentic Product | A final deliverable for a community partner, a research paper for publication, a performance or exhibit for a public audience, a portfolio of work samples, a grant proposal. | Application, Creation, Analysis (Higher-Order Thinking) |
| Performance Evaluation | An evaluation of the participant's work by the site supervisor, a peer review, or a self-assessment against a set of professional standards (using a rubric). | Professionalism, Workplace Skills, On-site Competence. |
Only after establishing the desired outcomes and the required evidence should the facilitator or instructor structure the learning experience. This stage involves planning all the activities, training, scaffolding, and mentorship required to enable participants to successfully create the evidence and achieve the goals identified in Stages 1 and 2.
The table below outlines the key components for structuring EL experiences and provides an explanation of their significance.
| Component | Description | Relevance to EL |
|---|---|---|
| The Core Experience | The specific tasks, roles, or project work (e.g., the internship duties, the research protocol, the service-site responsibilities). | Provides the necessary application context. |
| Required Preparation | Pre-activity training modules, readings on professional ethics, site-specific safety orientations, or necessary background knowledge review. | Ensures participants are ready for success. |
| Scaffolding and Mentorship | Mandated regular check-ins with the instructor/staff, structured meetings with a site supervisor, or scheduled reflection prompts before major milestones. | Facilitates the continuous connection of experience to learning. |
| Supporting Activities | Readings, in-class discussions (if applicable), or workshops focused on critical professional skills (e.g., time management, interviewing skills) directly related to the assessment. | Provides just-in-time instruction needed to complete the final tasks. |
