The hottest Course design Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Sports Topics

Quantitative Long-Run Global Economic History: Econ 196: Seminar: Special Topics in Economics (Spring 2026)

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 123 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
🚌 Education Course design
  1. The course is a quantitative, long-run tour of global economic history covering everything from early humans and the rise of agriculture to industrialization, globalization, and modern attention/info/biotech economies, with a focus on causes of growth, inequality, and institutions.
  2. The pedagogy stresses hands-on data-science methods—sampling, estimation, forecasting, simulation, and counterfactual modeling—designed to let both humanists and quants learn to model parts of the world economy without prior coding experience.
  3. There are firm expectations: mandatory pre-class readings and a short assignment answering five questions (including on using AI/LLMs), and prompt submission is required to shape the next class session.

Launching Live Courses on Systems Programming

Confessions of a Code Addict • 1058 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Course design
  1. There is a growing gap between complex systems in software and the engineers who understand them. More engineers need to learn how these systems work in detail.
  2. The new live courses will help those interested in systems engineering to gain practical skills. They'll start with basics like programming in X86 assembly and progress to more complex topics.
  3. Hands-on practice is key to learning in these courses. Along with guidance, you'll need to put in effort and time to really understand the concepts.

Part I: How to Succeed in Business & Econ Teaching Without Sweating Too Many Bullets

Unsafe Science • 24 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
🚌 Education Course design
  1. Give students leadership of class activities so they become collaborators and drive engagement rather than passive listeners.
  2. Use simple routines like brief reviews or quizzes at the start, paired introductions, and a final feedback period to boost learning, speaking skills, and class rapport.
  3. Adopt an experimental, risk-taking mindset with the instructor as mentor and fellow learner so teaching becomes lighter, more fun, and yields unanticipated learning.

Reflections: my class about LLMs and Cognitive Science

The Counterfactual • 139 implied HN points • 17 Apr 24
🚌 Education Course design
  1. A new class on Large Language Models (LLMs) was created to help Cognitive Science students understand the intersection of AI and human cognition, especially after the popularity of technologies like ChatGPT.
  2. The course covered the history and technical foundations of LLMs, with hands-on labs and discussions that helped students think critically about their societal impacts and ethical concerns.
  3. For future classes, there's a desire to expand the content, particularly by adding discussions on topics like tokenization and exploring more philosophical aspects of LLMs.

First Look At Rome's Ryder Cup

The Quadrilateral • 511 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
🎾 Sports Course design
  1. The course routing at Marco Simone for the Ryder Cup keeps key holes visible for spectators.
  2. Marco Simone features drivable par 4s that will add excitement to the back nine.
  3. The design of the course is straightforward and should not be a significant challenge for players to learn.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Behind the Scenes of DRI Your Career

Tech and Tea • 32 implied HN points • 21 Dec 25
🚌 Education Course design
  1. A long friendship and two years of iterative work produced a course the creators actually wanted to take, emphasizing creativity, care, and usefulness instead of rushing to ship.
  2. Career choices should come from clarity about what you truly care about instead of automatically chasing the next promotion, because motivation and alignment with meaningful problems drive better work.
  3. The program is fully asynchronous and built for busy introverts, using personal stories and coaching exercises to help people step back and move forward intentionally; it runs eight weeks starting January 15, 2026 with early-bird pricing through December 31.

A Glimpse Inside the Vanity Project

In My Tribe • 227 implied HN points • 14 Jun 25
🚌 Education Course design
  1. The Vanity Project aims to create an interactive seminar that teaches students about human interdependence. The project is still in progress and needs dialogue improvements.
  2. The course outline includes multiple chapters and concepts related to psychology, social order, and government. Each chapter breaks down complex ideas into manageable parts.
  3. The project requires collaboration and possibly funding for future developments. There's a bigger plan to create seminars for professors based on their courses.

Gleneagles GC at McLaren Park #1 & #10

Wigs on the Green • 78 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🎾 Sports Course design
  1. Gleneagles GC at McLaren Park is a challenging course in San Francisco, facing potential closure.
  2. The architecture and design of the first and tenth holes offer strategic challenges for players.
  3. Players need to consider various factors like angles, green contours, and risks to navigate the course effectively.

The evening class institute

Soaring Twenties • 100 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
🚌 Education Course design
  1. Evening classes can be a mixed bag, with some students really passionate but also a bit much at times. It's important to balance enthusiasm with respect for the class and the teacher.
  2. Some students have a tendency to show off their knowledge or manage the classroom, which can be distracting. Teachers usually know what they're doing, and students should give them space to lead.
  3. Despite some annoying personalities, adult education classes are a great opportunity to learn new skills and meet interesting people. The overall experience can be really rewarding.

A Preview of the Next Era at Golden Gate Park GC

Wigs on the Green • 19 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
🎾 Sports Course design
  1. The golf course at Golden Gate Park GC is undergoing significant changes led by architect Jay Blasi.
  2. The course alterations include restoring native sand dunes, adding fescue fairways, and adjusting hole lengths for different player skill levels.
  3. The renovation aims to maintain the course's appeal to both beginners and experienced players, with a focus on strategy and sustainability.

Luck in Golf

Wigs on the Green • 1 HN point • 15 Aug 23
🎾 Sports Course design
  1. Luck and skill in golf coexist and can enhance the player experience.
  2. Understanding types of luck in golf - output and input randomness.
  3. Different types of players approach luck in golf courses differently based on their preferences and skills.

The 16th at Cypress Point With a Putter

Wigs on the Green • 0 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🎾 Sports Course design
  1. Alister MacKenzie believed in designing holes that cater to weaker players
  2. Historical context is important in understanding the feasibility of stories like using a putter on a golf hole
  3. Consider the evolution of equipment and course layout when evaluating the plausibility of golf anecdotes

Econ 196: WEEK 1: Introduction, & the Very Longest Run Shape of Human Population History

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 0 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26
🚌 Education Course design
  1. The course is a quantitative, long-run global economic history class that teaches data-science literacy (including Python) to analyze population and income trends.
  2. Grades are intentionally generous but contingent on showing up, doing pre-class work, and participating—skip or zone out and you lose that privilege.
  3. Expect weekly short writing assignments, background readings, small data exercises, and optional Thursday Zoom sessions, with all logistics and materials posted on the course site.