C920 moves nurse educator students from single lessons to whole courses and curricula, built on national standards.
WGU describes the course as analyzing the concepts of creating curriculum based on national nursing accreditation standards and instructional design best practices.
Students create course content that supports learning in diverse, real-world environments, with instructional design strategies that reflect the mission of the academic institution, contemporary trends in nursing education and the needs of key stakeholders in nursing education and practice.
The difficulty is alignment. Every element (program outcomes, course outcomes, content, activities and assessment) must connect, and you need to show how it meets external standards.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course code | C920 |
| Level | Graduate (MSN), competency-based |
| Program | MSN Nursing Education |
| Focus | Curriculum design, accreditation and instructional design |
| Typical work | Course or curriculum design documents with rationale |
What C920 Covers
| Element | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Accreditation standards | Meeting the expectations of nursing accreditors |
| Professional frameworks | Such as the AACN Essentials and QSEN competencies |
| Instructional design | Models such as ADDIE and backward design |
| Institutional mission | Fitting the curriculum to the school's purpose |
| Stakeholders | Students, faculty, employers, patients, regulators |
| Contemporary trends | Competency-based education, technology, practice changes |
Key Concepts Explained
Accreditation and Professional Standards
In the United States, nursing programs are accredited by bodies such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
The AACN Essentials describe expected competencies for baccalaureate and graduate nursing education. Curriculum work shows how courses help graduates meet these expectations.
Backward Design
Backward design starts from the result. Define what graduates must be able to do, decide what evidence would show it, and only then plan content and activities.
Example: Outcome: students will plan safe care transitions for older adults. Evidence: a graded discharge plan for a complex case and a simulated handoff assessed with a rubric. Learning activities: readings on care transitions, a medication reconciliation workshop and a case study on a readmitted patient. Each activity builds a skill the evidence requires.
Curriculum Mapping
A curriculum map shows where each outcome is introduced, reinforced and mastered across courses. It reveals gaps and unnecessary repetition.
Example: Mapping a program shows that informatics is introduced in year one but never reinforced. The fix is to add an EHR documentation activity to a year-two clinical course, then assess it at mastery level in the final practicum.
ADDIE as a Design Process
ADDIE stands for analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. Analysis identifies learner needs and gaps; design sets outcomes and assessment; development builds materials; implementation delivers the course; evaluation checks whether it worked and feeds back into analysis.
Using a named model shows evaluators that your course was designed through a systematic, best-practice process rather than assembled from content.
Balancing Stakeholder Needs
WGU's description stresses stakeholder needs. Each group brings different priorities:
- Students: manageable workload, clear expectations, preparation for licensure and work.
- Clinical partners and employers: practice-ready graduates with current skills.
- Faculty: feasible teaching load and academic standards.
- Regulators and accreditors: evidence that standards are met.
- Patients and communities: safe, culturally responsive care.
A strong design shows how input was gathered (for example, an advisory board or employer survey) and how competing priorities were weighed.
Typical Tasks and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Course design | Alignment | Outcomes, content, activities and assessments in a table |
| Standards crosswalk | Accreditation knowledge | Map each outcome to a specific standard |
| Mission analysis | Institutional fit | Quote the mission and show the link |
| Trend analysis | Contemporary awareness | Name the trend and its curricular effect |
Where Students Get Stuck
- Misalignment. An outcome with no assessment, or an activity linked to no outcome.
- Vague standard references. Cite the specific standard or domain, not just the organization.
- Ignoring the mission. The curriculum should visibly reflect the institution's purpose.
- Too much content. Curriculum design is about priorities; more topics is not better.
Study Tips for C920
- Read the current AACN Essentials domains before you start designing.
- Work backwards from outcomes every time.
- Build your alignment table first and write the narrative from it.
- Use APA 7th style for standards documents and research alike.
How We Help with C920
Send the task instructions, rubric and evaluator feedback. A nurse educator writer models course designs and alignment tables, checks standards references, or edits your rationale for clarity and APA style. Our MSN assignment help guide covers wider support.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Use our work as a model and feedback, then write and submit your own under WGU's academic integrity rules. We never log in to student portals. Every order is written from scratch, with free revisions within the scope of your original request.
Align Your C920 Curriculum Work
Share the task and evaluator comments. We model curriculum sections and alignment tables you can learn from.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Creating nursing curriculum based on national accreditation standards and instructional design best practices, reflecting institutional mission, trends and stakeholder needs.
Use those your task names. Common ones include the AACN Essentials, QSEN competencies and accreditor standards such as CCNE or ACEN.
A method that starts with desired outcomes, then defines evidence of learning, then plans instruction.
A chart showing where each outcome is introduced, reinforced and mastered across a program.
Detailed enough to show alignment between every outcome, activity and assessment. Follow the rubric for required elements.
No. We are independent and not connected with Western Governors University.