Design Tls Syllabus Checklist Required Syllabus Title Appears in bld n the first line e.g. NUTRITION 10 Curse Title e.g. Cntemprary Nutritin Curse Number e.g. NUTR-010.-64Z Call # e.g. Call #2495 Instructr Name e.g. Barbara Brwn Semester Fall Spring Summer Descriptin Brief descriptin f curse, usually 3-5 sentences Prerequisites Instructr Infrmatin Include a brief bigraphy Office Hurs Dates, special arrangements Days And Time Day f the week, time f class Phne / Vicemail Fa Number : Office Lcatin : E-Mail Address : Web Site : Requirements Objectives Curse Materials Media Cmpnents And Availability Class LISTSERV Imprtant Dates Fr Semester Schedule Testing And Grading Alternate Eams Academic Integrity Technical Requirements Fr LMS r ther technlgies used Lgin Fr Curses in LMS Syllabus Change Plicy: List f bks, sftware, ther materials as apprpriate Print, Vide, Audi, Multimedia Hlidays, events, seminars Hardware, sftware Fr eample: This syllabus is a guide fr the curse and is subject t change with advanced ntice Disabilities Statement Indicate prcedure frm institutin Suggested My Syllabus RAMP-UP T.E.A.S. Nvember 19, 2008 Design - 3
Design Tls Designing a Learning-Centered Syllabus Retrieved 7 Nvember 2008 frm http://www.udel.edu/cte/syllabus.htm#nte Yur syllabus can be an imprtant pint f interactin between yu and yur students, bth in and ut f class. The traditinal syllabus is primarily a surce f infrmatin fr yur students. While including basic infrmatin, the learning-centered syllabus can be an imprtant learning tl that will reinfrce the intentins, rles, attitudes, and strategies that yu will use t prmte active, purpseful, effective learning. Suggested Steps fr Planning Yur Syllabus: Develp a well-grunded ratinale fr yur curse Decide what yu want students t be able t d as a result f taking yur curse, and hw their wrk will be apprpriately assessed Define and delimit curse cntent Structure yur students active invlvement in learning Identify and develp resurces Cmpse yur syllabus with a fcus n student learning Suggested Principles fr Designing a Curse that Fsters Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is a learnable skill; the instructr and peers are resurces in develping critical thinking skills. Prblems, questins, r issues are the pint f entry int the subject and a surce f mtivatin fr sustained inquiry. Successful curses balance the challenge t think critically with supprt tailred t students' develpmental needs. Curses are assignment centered rather than tet and lecture centered. Gals, methds and evaluatin emphasize using cntent rather than simply acquiring it. Students are required t frmulate their ideas in writing r ther apprpriate means. Students cllabrate t learn and t stretch their thinking, fr eample, in pair prblem slving and small grup wrk. Curses that teach prblem-slving skills nurture students metacgnitive abilities. The develpmental needs f students are acknwledged and used as infrmatin in the design f the curse. Teachers in these curses make standards eplicit and then help students learn hw t achieve them. Syllabus Functins: Establishes an early pint f cntact and cnnectin between student and instructr Helps set the tne fr yur curse Describes yur beliefs abut educatinal purpses Acquaints students with the lgistics f the curse Cntains cllected handuts Defines student respnsibilities fr successful curse wrk Describes active learning Helps students t assess their readiness fr yur curse Sets the curse in a brader cntet fr learning RAMP-UP T.E.A.S. Nvember 19, 2008 Design - 4
Design Tls Prvides a cnceptual framewrk Describes available learning resurces Cmmunicates the rle f technlgy in the curse Can epand t prvide difficult-t-btain reading materials Can imprve the effectiveness f student nte-taking Can include material that supprts learning utside the classrm Can serve as a learning cntract Checklist fr a learning-centered syllabus: Can serve as a learning cntract Title Page Table f Cntents Instructr Infrmatin Letter t the Student Purpse f the Curse Curse Descriptin Curse and Unit Objectives Resurces Readings Curse Calendar Curse Requirements Evaluatin Grading Prcedures Hw t Use the Syllabus Hw t Study fr This Curse Cntent Infrmatin Learning Tls Curse Infrmatin: What d students need and/r want t knw abut the curse? What pre-requisites eist? Instructr Infrmatin: What d I want students t knw abut myself? My interest in the discipline? My teaching philsphy? Hw can I cnvey my enthusiasm fr teaching, fr the curse? Other instructrs in the curse (e.g., graduate TAs, peer tutrs, team teacher)? Curse Descriptin: What cntent will the curse address? Hw des the curse fit in with ther curses in the discipline? Why is the curse valuable t the students? Hw is the curse structured? Large lecture with discussin sessins? Large lecture with labratry and discussin sessins? Seminar? Hw are the majr tpics rganized? RAMP-UP T.E.A.S. Nvember 19, 2008 Design - 5
Design Tls Curse Objectives: What will the students knw and be able t d as a result f having taken this curse? What levels f cgnitive thinking d I want my students t engage in? What learning skills will the students develp in the curse? Instructinal Appraches: Given the kind f learning I'd like t encurage and fster, what kinds f instructinal interactins need t ccur? Teacher-student, student-student, student-peer tutr? What kinds f instructinal appraches are mst cnducive t helping students accmplish set learning bjectives? Hw will classrm interactins be facilitated? In-class? Out-f-class? Online? Electrnic discussin? Newsgrups? Chatrm? Curse Requirements, Assignments: What will students be epected t d in the curse? What kinds f assignments, tests d mst apprpriately reflect the curse bjectives? D assignments and tests elicit the kind f learning I want t fster? Assignments (frequency, timing, sequence)? Tests? Quizzes? Eams? Papers? Special prjects? Labratries? Field trips? Learning lgs? Jurnals? Oral presentatins? Research n the web? Web publishing? Electrnic databases? What kinds f skills d the students need t have in rder t be successful in the curse? Cmputer literacy? Research skills? Writing skills? Cmmunicatin skills? Cnflict reslutin skills? Familiarity with sftware? Curse Plicies: What is epected f the student? Attendance? Participatin? Student respnsibility in their learning? Cntributin t grup wrk? Missed assignments? Late wrk? Etra credit? Academic dishnesty? Makeup plicy? Classrm management issues? Labratry safety? Grading, Evaluatin: Hw will the students' wrk be graded and evaluated? Number f tests? In-class? Take-hme? Pint value? Prprtin f each test tward final grade? Grading scale? Hw is the final grade determined? Drp lwest grade? Hw d students receive timely feedback n their perfrmance? Instructr? Self-assessment? Peer review? Peer tutrs? Opprtunities fr imprvement? Ungraded assignments? Tets/Resurces/Readings/Supplies: What kinds f materials will be used during the curse? Electrnic databases? Electrnic Curse Reserve? Curse Webpage? Sftware? Simulatins? Labratry equipment? RAMP-UP T.E.A.S. Nvember 19, 2008 Design - 6
Design Tls What kinds f instructinal technlgies will be used? Curse Calendar: In what sequence will the cntent be taught? When are majr assignments due? Fieldtrips? Guest speaker? Study Tips/Learning Resurces: Hw will the student be mst successful in the curse? What resurces are available? Online quiz generatr? Study guides? Lecture ntes nline? Lecture ntes n reserve in library? Guest speaker t eplain/demnstrate nline resurces? TA? Peer tutrs? Study grups? Academic Services Center? Writing Center? Evaluatin f nline resurces? Citatin f web resurces? Student Feedback n Instructin: Annymus suggestin b n the web? E-mail? Student feedback at midterm fr instructinal imprvement purpses? End-f-term student feedback? Supplement t departmental student feedback frm? Miscellaneus Infrmatin: Instructr bigraphy? Instructr persnal statement? Student infrmatin frm? Other instructr infrmatin (e.g., TA)? Additinal questins t cnsider: Hw detailed, eplicit shuld the syllabus be? Will there be sme fleibility built int the syllabus? Hw t wrd the syllabus s that it is user-friendly? References: Altman & Cashin. (1992). Writing a syllabus. IDEA Paper N. 27. Kansas State University. Graeber/Harris Cmmunicatins & Prductins, Inc. Grunert, J. (1997). The curse syllabus: A learning-centered apprach. Bltn, MA: Anker Publishing. Retrieved 14 February 2008 frm: http://www.udel.edu/cte/syllabus.htm#nte *Cited in Kurfiss, J. G. (1988). Critical thinking: Thery, research, practice and pssibilities. ASHE-ERIC Higher Educatin Reprt N. 2. Washingtn, DC: Assciatin fr the Study f Higher Educatin. RAMP-UP T.E.A.S. Nvember 19, 2008 Design - 7