COLUMBIA, S.C. — Three faculty leaders from Columbia International University’s Seminary & School of Counseling have released a new book aimed at reshaping how higher education courses are designed, taught and experienced by students.
Blueprints for Course Design: A Learning-Centered Approach to Designing Courses, Planning Lessons, and Delivering Transformational Higher Education (Wipf and Stock, 2025), written by Dr. Jennifer L. Booth, Dr. John D. Harvey and Dr. Melina W. Rabon, offers a comprehensive, practical framework for higher education faculty who want to move beyond content delivery and toward transformational learning.
The book integrates educational theory, biblical foundations and real-world classroom practice to help educators design courses that foster measurable growth in content, character and competence; a triad that reflects CIU’s long-standing commitment to academic excellence, spiritual formation and ministry skill development.
“The role of the educator is not to deliver content, but to facilitate learning,” said Dr. John Harvey, professor of New Testament and program director for CIU’s PhD and Doctor of Ministry programs, who previously served as dean.
A Learning-Centered Approach to Course Design
At its core, Blueprints for Course Design challenges a common assumption in higher education: that effective teaching is primarily about transferring information. Instead, the authors argue for a learning-centered model that begins by understanding the student and designing courses around how students actually grow.
Dr. Jennifer Booth, Vice President for Enrollment & Retention at CIU and adjunct faculty member in the Seminary & School of Counseling, said the book grew out of a shared concern that higher education, especially in theology and biblical studies, can overemphasize content at the expense of true learning.
“There’s so much emphasis on what we teach,” Booth said, “but not always enough on how students actually learn and change. CIU’s heritage has always been about the head, heart and hands. This book is about translating that into intentional course design.”
Dr. Melina Rabon, associate dean and professor of practical theology, added that the book’s distinctiveness is its comprehensive scope covering course design, lesson planning, assessment, learner differences and online learning in a single, cohesive framework.
“Few books bring all of those pieces together,” Rabon said. “We emphasize that the first step is knowing the learner. Until you know your students, you can’t design a course that truly serves them.”
From the Classroom to the Book
The idea for Blueprints for Course Design grew out of a doctoral-level course at CIU on teaching, learning and course design. Over time, Booth, Harvey and Rabon realized they were assigning multiple books to cover different pieces of the process — one on course design, another on assessment, another on learning theory.
“It was driving us, and the students, a little crazy,” Harvey said. “There were great books on parts of the process, but nothing that tried to bring it all together in one place.”
The result is a step-by-step, learning-centered framework that guides educators through designing courses that are coherent, intentional and focused on student formation, not just information transfer.
Designed for Today’s Students
A key theme of the book is adapting teaching to today’s learners, including Generation Z and adult students in graduate and doctoral programs. Rabon, whose doctoral research focused on Gen Z learners, said instructors must be willing to rethink activities, assignments and even classroom dynamics based on who is in front of them.
“Every class is different,” she said. “I adjust my courses every semester based on learner surveys and student feedback. Sometimes that means changing activities, discussions or assignments because what worked for one group won’t work for another.”
That flexibility, the authors argue, is essential in a world where students have unprecedented access to information but still need guidance in how to think, reflect, apply and grow.
Aligning With CIU’s Mission
The authors see Blueprints for Course Design as a practical expression of CIU’s mission to pursue academic excellence, spiritual formation and real-world impact. Rather than focusing only on what students know, the book emphasizes who students are becoming, and how they will use what they learn in ministry, leadership and service.
“As Christian educators, we’re not just dealing with the head,” Rabon said. “We’re also dealing with the heart and the hands. We want students to internalize what they learn so it shapes their convictions and their calling.”
Booth added that in an age where information is everywhere, the distinctive value of Christian higher education is helping students apply, integrate and live out what they are learning.
“If we’re not helping students use and create with that information,” she said, “they could just watch videos or read commentaries. Education becomes powerful when we’re facilitating real learning and transformation.”
Early Impact
Even before the book’s release, students who took the course that inspired it reported significant changes in how they think about teaching and learning.
“One student told me it completely changed the way he understands education,” Harvey said.
For Booth, Harvey and Rabon, that kind of transformation is the real measure of success. Blueprints for Course Design is not just a guide for better syllabi or stronger lesson plans; it is a call for educators to teach with greater purpose, intentionality and care for the whole student. In that sense, the book reflects what CIU has always aimed to do: prepare men and women to think deeply, live faithfully and lead with lasting impact.
Learn More and Get the Book
Blueprints for Course Design: A Learning-Centered Approach to Designing Courses, Planning Lessons, and Delivering Transformational Higher Education is available in print and digital formats. Purchase on Amazon or WIPF and Stock Publishers today!
About the Authors
Dr. Jennifer L. Booth serves as Vice President for Enrollment & Retention at Columbia International University and as adjunct faculty in the Seminary & School of Counseling. She holds a BA from Trinity College of Florida, an MDiv from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and an EdD from Trevecca Nazarene University. She is passionate about streamlining academic systems so students and faculty can focus on learning and formation.
Dr. John D. Harvey serves as Professor of New Testament and Program Director for CIU’s PhD and Doctor of Ministry programs. He earned his ThD from Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto and has taught internationally in Europe and Africa. His publications include commentaries on Acts and Romans and several works on Pauline studies.
Dr. Melina W. Rabon serves as Associate Dean and Professor of Practical Theology in the Seminary & School of Counseling. She holds an EdD from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is a CIU alumna. She oversees internships and teaches courses in spiritual formation and practical ministry.
Higher learning. Deeper faith. A Christ-centered community on campus and online. Request Info | Apply | Give
