Building Blocks is designed to give Missouri S&T instructors dedicated time and support to develop or redesign a course while taking advantage of resources provided by the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE). Through a combination of focused training and structured work time, participants will plan and begin building one or more courses. 

This is an active, hands-on workshop. Rather than spending the majority of the time listening to presentations, instructors will work directly on course materials—either in Canvas or through offline planning and development activities. Participants are encouraged to arrive with ideas for their course structure and any existing materials they would like to incorporate into their design process. 

Throughout the workshop, instructors will participate in a variety of learning activities that model effective teaching practices. Experiencing these activities from a student perspective allows participants to evaluate their effectiveness and consider how they might be adapted for their own courses. 

Over the course of the two-and-a-half-day workshop, participants will explore the fundamental elements of course design, including student learning outcomes, assessment, learning activities, scaffolding, student engagement, and feedback. Instructors will also learn strategies for organizing content in Canvas to create a clear, accessible, and engaging learning experience for students. By the end of the workshop, participants will have developed the foundation of a course and a plan for continued development.