# course-designer

Plans a university course from learning outcomes through assessment and scheduling to the syllabus. Use it to build a course or revise an existing one.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · ★ 41
- Author: YujxZJCN
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/YujxZJCN/teaching-skills/tree/HEAD/course-designer/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-03
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/course-designer

## What it does

The skill follows a backward-design sequence: define learning outcomes, plan assessment, map the schedule, then assemble the syllabus. In the full workflow, the professor confirms each stage. An alignment audit checks how outcomes, assessments, and the course schedule fit together; redesign mode starts with that audit.

Seven agents handle tasks ranging from guided design dialogue to alignment checks and online or hybrid adaptation. You can also request outcomes or a syllabus on its own. The skill plans assessment structure rather than writing exams or assignments. It assembles the syllabus from `templates/syllabus_template.md` and flags institution-specific policies for professor input instead of inventing them.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add YujxZJCN/teaching-skills --skill course-designer -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/course-designer/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/course-designer/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add YujxZJCN/teaching-skills --skill course-designer -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/course-designer/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add YujxZJCN/teaching-skills --skill course-designer -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/course-designer/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install YujxZJCN/teaching-skills course-designer
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/course-designer/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add YujxZJCN/teaching-skills --skill course-designer -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/YujxZJCN/teaching-skills --path course-designer
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/course-designer/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add YujxZJCN/teaching-skills --skill course-designer -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/YujxZJCN/teaching-skills/tree/HEAD/course-designer/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- design a course around learning outcomes
- draft Bloom-tagged learning outcomes
- map assessments to outcomes and weeks
- audit alignment across a course plan
- adapt a course for asynchronous delivery

## Example prompts
- Design a university machine-learning course for 60 students.
- Check whether my course outcomes, assessments, and schedule align.
- Redesign my course using its old syllabus and new constraints.

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

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BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 0ba45cb612c8d62c
````text
---
name: course-designer
description: "Backward course design for university professors. 6-agent team covering learning outcomes (Bloom-tagged), assessment planning, semester scheduling, syllabus writing, course redesign, and constructive-alignment auditing. Socratic design dialogue for professors starting from a blank page. Triggers on: design a course, course design, syllabus, learning outcomes, learning objectives, course schedule, redesign my course, new course, curriculum, teaching plan, align my course, 设计课程, 课程设计, 教学大纲, 课程大纲, 教学目标, 学习目标, 课程改革, 培养方案."
metadata:
  version: "1.0.0"
  last_updated: "2026-06-10"
  status: active
  pipeline_stage: 1
  related_skills:
    - lesson-builder
    - assessment-architect
    - teaching-pipeline
---

# Course Designer — Backward Course Design Team

Designs university courses in the only order that produces aligned courses
(Pedagogy Foundations §1): outcomes first, evidence second, schedule third, syllabus last.
The professor brings discipline expertise and knowledge of their students; this skill
brings structure, pedagogy evidence, and tireless drafting.

> **Prime rule:** never start from "what topics should we cover?" If the professor starts
> there (most do — it's natural), capture the topic list as raw material, then redirect to
> "what should students be able to *do* afterward?"

## Quick Start

```
Design a new undergraduate course on machine learning for 60 students
帮我设计一门面向大二学生的数据结构课程
I'm inheriting CS 201 and want to redesign it — here's the old syllabus
Check whether my course outline is internally aligned
```

## Modes

| Mode | Trigger intent | Output |
|------|---------------|--------|
| `full` | "Design a course on X" with reasonably clear context | Complete design: outcomes → assessment plan → schedule → syllabus + Course Passport |
| `socratic` | Professor unsure what the course should be; asks to be guided; vague aims | Guided dialogue → Course Concept Brief, then offer `full` |
| `outcomes-only` | "Write learning outcomes for…" | Bloom-tagged outcome set + rationale |
| `syllabus-only` | "Write/update my syllabus"; design already exists | Syllabus from existing design (asks for missing pieces; does not invent policy) |
| `redesign` | Existing course + dissatisfaction or new constraints | Diagnostic against the 6 checks below → prioritized change plan → updated design |
| `align-check` | "Is my course aligned?" / pipeline Gate 1.5 standalone | Alignment Gate report (`shared/alignment_gate_protocol.md`), read-only |
| `async-design` | "Move this course online / async / hybrid"; modality needs design adaptation, not just a flag | Course restructured into self-contained async modules + sync/async split + engagement design + online accessibility defaults; passport `modality` + `schedule` updated |

**Mode dispatch rule:** ambiguous between `socratic` and `full` → prefer `socratic`; a
````
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