If You Can't See It, You Can't Support It -

And your students can't do it. That's why observable, measurable outcomes form the corner stone of effective curriculum development. Using transparent, assessable verbs (Adelman, 2015), helps you align every activity and assessments to meet the outcome and students where they are.

Design with Rachel

Meet Rachel, the Curriculum Companion

Your AI-Powered Curriculum Bestie

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Assistant for Curriculum,
Human-Centered Design, &
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Whether you're meeting Rachel for the first time, or she's already your curriculum bestie, this toolkit has everything you need to create totally paw-some, student-focused classes:

Make Outcomes Count (for Everyone) - Observable, measurable SLOs align with UDL and culturally inclusive practices to make learning meaningful. from day one.
UDL & Course Alignment - Making learning meaningful for every student
Chat-ready prompts — copy and paste chat openers that get the curriculum pawty started
Objective Tune-Up Tips — quick checkpoints to be sure every learning objective and SLO is right on point
Quick Alignment Checks — ensure that every activity and assessment maps back to its learning objective and SLO so students see why they're doing the work and keep them engaged
Course Revision Cues —prompt ideas to make a few tweaks based on real student performance data

Let's get this curriculum pawty started! Fur real!!!
xo,
Rachel, CourseAlign Curriculum Companion

UDL & Course Alignment

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) helps you build aligned, inclusive classes that support students from the first lesson to the last assessment.

These FAQs unpack how UDL and course alignment go hand in paw.

We have to move from good intentions to intentional design to truly support all learners. Universal Design for learning and culturally sustaining pedagogy take those first steps and huge leaps (CAST, 2024; Meyer & Rose, 2024; Montenegro & Jankowski, 2027) toward scaling equitable practices. We're making sure our aligned outcomes aren't just clear - they're inclusive, flexible, and responsive to student needs across all modalities. Combining alignment and inclusive design allows us to scale "equity-minded assessment" (Montenegro & Jankowski, 2017) so every student sees themselves in the learning process (CAST, 2024; Meyer & Rose, 2024). Rachel the Curriculum Companion helps you build with courses alignment and inclusion at the forefront from the get-go!

UDL moves way beyond legal compliance to designing meaningful, inclusive, transparent outcomes (Lowenthal et. al., 2020, 2021). Clear, aligned, inclusive outcomes mean students don't just pass an assignment or assessent, they understand why it matters, how it connects to what they're learning now and long-term goals, and how to succeed. Ready to get started? These sections show how Rachel can help you design with clear goals, purposeful choices, paws-itively inclusive intent!

(Adelman, 2015; Biggs, 1996; CAST, 2024; Fovet, 2020; Hanesworth et al., 2019; Li & Rohayati, 2024; Lowenthal et. al., 2021; Meyer & Rose, 2024; Meyer & Rose, 2024; Navarro et al., 2016; Palahicky, 2020)

UDL & Course Alignment

Student Learning Outcome (SLO) Tips

No more cat herding! Rachel shows you how Adelman's SLO steps can snap your assessments into perfect alignment.

Only include a modifier if it marks a scored performance level and the performance expectations are specified in the outcome, otherwise rely on the core verb–noun structure. Example - Thoroughly critiques peer prototypes, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and evidence-based improvements. Here thorough(ly) becomes observable and measurable because the outcome specifies exactly what students have to do: identify strengths, weaknesses, and evidence-based improvements. Rachel's Rule of Paw. Keep qualifiers on a very short leash. If they clearly communicate the performance target to students, they can stay. If they purr vague reassurance without proof (assessment) they need to go.

SLO Tips

Making Outcomes Visible

Transparent, equitable outcomes avoid phrases like understand or be familiar with.

They describe what students can actually do.

Operational verbs define observable, measurable actions to describe what students do, create, or perform. Outcomes written this way make expectations clearer to students, assessments are more aligned, and students have an equitable opportunity to show what they know.

Rachel's Tip If you can't see the student doing it, it's not measurable.

Visible Outcomes Guide

The guide below can help with selecting verbs that make learning visible, measurable, and more equitable.

Operational Verbs Framework Infogragphic

Prompt Library

Unleash Rachel's cat-alytic power! Get started with the power prompt library to draft outcomes, map objectives, create student-centered syllabi, equitable assessments, and rubrics in seconds!

Check out the sections for creating a new course or revising an existing one to improve student learning.

Prompt Library

SLO Makeover Prompts

These makeovers turn fuzzy outcomes into focused, measurable goals with one powerful verb.

Before: Students deliver oral responses that are clear and comprehensible to peers and instructors. After: Students respond to spoken questions in class discussions or deliver oral responses that convey their intended message. 🗝️ Verb: deliver (O) 🧠 Why Rachel Revised This Outcome: The original SLO was too vague and bundled multiple skills, making it hard to assess. Rachel's revision focuses on one observable, real-world performance, avoiding subjective terms and promoting equity. This ensures the outcome is clear, inclusive, and easy to assess.

Before Students will demonstrate critical thinking and collaboration skills in written and oral formats. After (Unbundled into two outcomes) Students evaluate arguments in written essays. Students collaborate in group discussions to plan oral presentations. 🗝️ Verbs: evaluate (J), collaborate (O) 💬 Why: Each verb targets a distinct skill and performance mode. This enables focused assessment and instructional alignment. 🐾Rachel's Rule of Thumb: If you see "and" in an SLO, it's probably two verbs disguised in a trench coat. Break it down. Clarify. Choose the verb that best represents the performance that the course is actually assessing and just use one per outcome.

New Course Starter Prompts

Get your new course off the ground in minutes with Rachel as your purr-tner! Plug in these prompts to generate and align all your Course Outline of Record (COR) components.

Course Revision Prompts

These prompts will help you revise your course to make it a fur-midable force of clarity and creativity.

Suggest at least 3 new activities that will reinforce this SLO and engage students. Include at least one AI-enhanced option: An AI-driven case vignette with branched feedback A generative-AI scenario-writing workshop An adaptive quiz powered by machine learning For each AI-based enhancement, outline steps to create, implement, and integrate each AI option into my course workflow [User - copy and paste SLO]

(Crompton & Burke, 2023; Dogan, et al., 2023; Lin & Krishna, 2024)

Title 5 COR & UDL Prompts

Create a complete Course Outline of Record (COR) for a course on academic integrity in the use of AI aligned with Title 5 standards. Include: Course Description Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) Course Objectives Content Instructional Materials Instructional Methodology Methods of Evaluation Ensure the language: Uses observable, measurable verbs Aligns with Title 5 requirements Aligns with local curriculum standards [Describe local curriculum standards or delete this bullet as needed] Incorporates Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to support equitable access Organize the output clearly by COR section.

Using the Course Outline of Record above, write a formal narrative paragraph aligned with Title 5 standards. Explain how the Course Description, Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), Course Objectives, Content, Instructional Materials, Instructional Methodology, and Methods of Evaluation support measurable student learning and comply with Title 5 requirements. Incorporate consideration of equitable access and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. Ensure the paragraph reads as a cohesive, submission-ready narrative.

After pasting the COR into the chat: Revise this Course Outline of Record to strengthen alignment with Title 5 requirements and improve equitable access for diverse learners. Ensure: Student Learning Outcomes use observable, measurable verbs Course Objectives align with the outcomes Methods of Evaluation clearly demonstrate student learning Instructional Methodology reflects active, inclusive teaching practices UDL principles are integrated throughout the course Maintain formal language appropriate for curriculum submission.

COR & UDL

More Prompts Coming Soon!

Rachel and the CourseAlign team are purr-suing new prompts - think templates, even more detailed course starters, equity scans, even more AI-driven activities.

Check back for more from your AI-powered bestie, Rachel the Curriculum Companion!

Have a Prompt to Share?

Have you and Rachel come up with a super awesome prompt that you'd like to contribute to the library? Send us a message from our Contact Us page or email us at Hello@CourseAlign.AI so we can give you a shout out.

Course Alignment

Why Alignment Matters

Strong course alignment supports student learning and makes that learning visible throughout the course.
When learning objectives clearly connect to outcomes and assessments, instructors gain insights to support students before they fall behind, students stay more focused, and everyone understands why the work matters.

Key Alignment Practices

Hot Tip

Our resident AI-powered, curriculum bestie thinks maybe there's something paw-some on coming that will help you spot map gaps faster than she pounces on a laser dot!

Design with Rachel

Meet Rachel, the Curriculum Companion

Your AI-Powered Curriculum Bestie

UDL & Course Alignment

If You Can't See It, You Can't Support It -

Aligned Doesn't Always Mean Equitable.

More Than Accessibility Checklists

Student Learning Outcome (SLO) Tips

Write a complete sentence

Put the verb center stage.

Specify the evaluation point.

Describe new learning.

Use present tense.

Anchor the action with a clear object.

Choose discipline-specific verbs.

Limit qualifiers.

Avoid proxy measures.

Avoid mushy language.

Draw from robust verb banks.

Apply the six-word rule.

Making Outcomes Visible

Visible Outcomes Guide

Use Observable Actions

Select Precise, Measurable Verbs

Define Clear Evidence of Learning

Focus on One Skill Per Outcome

Keep It Concise

Operational Verbs Framework Infogragphic

Prompt Library

SLO Makeover Prompts

How can I transform passive SLOs into performance-based ones?

How can I elevate SLOs from awareness to application?

From Conceptual Cluster to Clear Action

How can I refine broad goals into functional outcomes?

From Overloaded to Unbundled

How can I shift focus from teaching to student outcomes?

How do I make SLOs task-based instead of general?

From Broad Use to Specific Product

How can I shift SLOs from emotional to analytical?

New Course Starter Prompts

Student Learning Outcomes

Assessments (Methods of Evaluation)

Instructional Strategies (Methods of Instruction)

Course Description

Course Title

Prerequisites & Corequisites

Course Revision Prompts

Gap Analysis & Alignment

Objective Tune-Up

Assessments Alignment​

Activity Refresh​

Rubric Revision

UDL Refresh - Instructional Strategies

Course Pacing Optimization​

Title 5 COR & UDL Prompts

Create a Full Course Outline of Record (COR) with Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

COR UDL Narrative Paragraph

UDL Integration into Existing COR

Strengthen COR for Alignment, Clarity, & Equity

Let Rachel Help You Upgrade Your COR for Alignment & Equity

Methods of Evaluation & UDL Review

More Prompts Coming Soon!

Have a Prompt to Share?

Why Alignment Matters

Start with the Outcomes

Map Outcomes & Assessments

Confirm the Assessment Fit

Collaboration Counts

Hot Tip

Assessments Alignment

Activity Refresh

Course Pacing Optimization