Faculty members are reframing course design as a relational practice rooted in care rather than a checklist of compliance tasks. Annette Miles, Helen Krauthamer, and Uzma Amir argue that instructors too often treat course design as a mechanical workflow. Moving content online, confirming accessibility compliance, and mapping learning outcomes to rubrics become routine boxes to tick. This transactional approach misses something essential.
The authors contend that course design functions fundamentally as an act of care. This perspective shifts focus from administrative efficiency to student experience and instructor intention. A care-centered model asks how design choices support student learning, build community, and acknowledge the full humanity of learners rather than simply transferring information into a digital format or meeting external standards.
This reframing carries practical implications for how faculty approach their work. It means deliberately considering how course structure shapes student engagement, how communication channels foster connection, and how assessments reflect what students actually need to learn. It means recognizing that every design decision, from syllabus language to assignment sequencing, sends a message about whether the instructor sees students as whole people or processing units.
The piece, published by Faculty Focus, reflects growing recognition in higher education that teaching design matters beyond compliance. Accreditation requirements and accessibility standards remain important, but they represent a floor rather than a ceiling for good instruction.
Faculty approaching design as care ask different questions. Instead of "What outcomes does our rubric require?" they ask "What does this student need to succeed?" Instead of "Have we checked the accessibility box?" they ask "How can we create a genuinely inclusive environment?" These questions produce courses that feel different to students. Engagement rates improve. Retention increases. Students report feeling known and supported.
This perspective aligns with growing scholarship on caring pedagogy and relationality in teaching. Faculty who adopt this frame often report deeper professional satisfaction, despite the additional intention