If you have taught first- or second-year biology courses, you have likely heard some version of these student comments:

• “The homework felt like busy work.”

• “The exam was nothing like the practice problems.”

• “I studied the wrong things.”

Those complaints have plenty of possible causes: workload, difficulty, a rough week. But one cause is worth ruling out, because it's fixable and because it can be hard to detect: a misaligned course.

This session includes a relatable framework about course alignment and data about how common misalignment is. We will then explore practical solutions to misalignment, including some behind-the-scenes tips from Codon’s content team about how to use learning objectives.

Dr. Katie Sieverman is Codon Learning’s director of content. She began her career as an academic researcher and earned a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC - Berkeley. Katie has a unique perspective on teaching in higher ed—she has held faculty positions at the University of Washington and Fort Lewis College and has worked for over 5 years in education technology.