Taking a Step Back: Reflections on the Course Design Institute

Recently, Hannah Dean, Social Work Academic at the Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health (BHUDRH) travelled from Broken Hill in Far West of New South Wales to attend the Course Design Institute program at USYD. A focused professional development experience designed to support educators in strengthening curriculum design and teaching practice.

As a staff member who works remotely, the opportunity to attend training on main campus was particularly valuable.

“Working in a rural setting, you don’t always get the chance to participate in face-to-face professional development,” Hannah said.

“Being able to travel from Broken Hill and connect in person with colleagues at USYD was incredibly rewarding.”

The institute provided a valuable opportunity to step back and view the Multidisciplinary Longitudinal Integrated Program (MLIP), that the BHUDRH offers students, within the broader mission and vision of the department.

“One of the biggest benefits was being able to work backwards from the type of graduates we want to develop,” Hannah explained.

“It allowed me to realign learning outcomes and ensure that every activity supports those graduates.”

Through this process, learning outcomes for MLIP were redeveloped, with a strong focus on enhancing student engagement and learning progression.

The institute also exposed participants to learner-centred strategies and innovative teaching approaches. Hannah noted that the collaborative environment was particularly inspiring.

“While I was focusing on program alignment, others were redesigning assessments or developing new teaching strategies. Seeing that parallel learning happens across the group really highlighted the many ways educators can improve student learning.”

Another key highlight was the opportunity for focused reflection and consolidation.

“Having dedicated time, space and resources helped me really solidify the practices we already use in MLIP. It reinforced that our team is doing great work and it gave me confidence in what we’ve built.”

The experience has already begun shaping future plans for the program.

“The week was incredibly empowering. It helped me see new ways to strengthen learning outcomes, better support diverse student needs and communicate the program’s structure more clearly.”

Key learnings around scaffolding and structured program design will inform future developments, with plans to share insights back to the broader BHUDRH team.

“I’m looking forward to bringing this learning back to the team and exploring how we can continue refining MLIP. Long term, there’s potential for the program to gain formal recognition, which is very exciting.”

Overall, Hannah described the institute as a valuable investment in both professional growth and program development.

“It reinforced the importance of stepping back, reflecting, collaborating with peers and continuously evolving our teaching practice and it showed that staff in rural and remote locations are supported to grow and connect.”

With renewed energy and fresh ideas Hannah has returned to Broken Hill feeling motivated and inspired.

“It really was an incredible week.”