A syllabus creates a foundation for your course and a guide for instructors and students. It is written enough so that students understand the expectations after reading it the first time. Components are necessary when creating a syllabus to ensure all facets of the course are clearly explained.
The syllabus design works well in outline style because it is easy to read. Here are the steps in creating effective syllabi. Syllabi provides effective communication between instructors, students, and school administration on the course.
Essential Components of a Syllabus
Course Name and Contact Information
The course name will appear at the top of the syllabus in bold, large print and include contact information for the instructor directly below, along with the credit hours and course description. This section includes the instructor’s office hours, and if they are in-person or virtual.
Course Objectives
This can be a bulleted or numbered list of explicit goals for the course. Each objective is written to clearly explain what will be discussed in the context of the course. The objectives also state the instructor’s intentions and what should be obtained at the end of the course.
Course format
This is where the course will be explained in detail regarding how the class will be set up. This is the component where instructors provide clarity on whether the course in synchronous or asynchronous. This is also where other expectations are listed such as if online meetings are mandatory or exactly what is expected from each student in the course regarding participation.
Assumptions
This section is where instructors discuss their intentions regarding the course content and what students will know and understand after completing the course.
Course Requirements
Instructors discuss attendance policies, expectations for class participation, due dates, and late work policies. Writing detailed requirements provides clear expectations for students and protects instructors because the details are provided if ever questions or situations arise.
Course Readings
This is a list of required and optional readings within the course. This should be a list of the names of books, articles, or other reading material that must be completed within the course. This can also be a place to include optional readings or related topics.
Assignments
Instructors discuss the types of assignments that students will be required to complete. E.g. discussion forums, journals, various reading assignments, group projects, exams, essays, and any other type of projects. Including sample assignments is valuable for more clarification and to help students know precisely what is expected.
Grading Procedures and Grading Scale
This section will include how instructors grade and how many points each assignment is worth. This is also where the grading scale will be included. Rubrics are another vital part of grading and are included in this section. E.g. how essays, group projects, final exams and all other assignments are graded.
Academic Integrity
The honor code of the school, university, college, or other instructional facilities are posted for students to read. Some instructors require students to write the honor code on all their assignments before turning them in.
Accommodations
This section is included to notify students of procedures that are in place to provide accommodations and let students know to contact the instructor if these are necessary. It is best to include contact information for the person in charge of disability services within the organization also.
Learner Support
This section includes how to contact learner support and the availability of tutors within the college, university, or school. It can also be beneficial to include links for how to access the learner support system.
Title IX- Sexual Misconduct/Harassment Statement
All schools are committed to maintaining a respectful, professional, and nondiscriminatory academic, living, and working environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. This section is where the Title IX policy is posted online and in applicable handbooks. Posting a direct link to the policy is included in this section.
Clery Act
This section allows students the right to feel safe in their environment and a direct link should be included in this section.
Course Schedule
A schedule is helpful because students can refer to it each week to ensure they complete the correct assignments and requirements on time. The schedule can be a table that includes the week or module, specific assignment names, and due dates. This should be clear and typed up as a checklist.
Grades and Transcripts
This is how students acquire their grades and obtain their transcripts. Direct links are included in this component so that students can access them after completing the course. It is best to provide steps for obtaining these items. Including all contact information for registrars or other applicable personnel is also important to assist with this process.
When creating a syllabus, instructors should ask themselves if they would enjoy and understand the course content they are teaching. It is always more effective to have another person proofread the syllabus to ensure everything is written clearly. Including a general theme and not being too wordy are other pieces of guidance to consider when writing effective syllabi.
Always remember what is being conveyed to students and keep it simple, including the layout and design of the syllabus. Tables, charts, and outline style efficiently read all the information. Syllabi are designed for students but can be used as a template for keeping instructors on task and accountable as well.
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