Syllabus Work Week: January 2024
Preparing or revising a syllabus this semester? Come join us for Q&A-driven conversations on how to make your syllabus meaningful for you and your students by communicating learner-centered, inclusive course design and pedagogy. Following an open group consultation model, these sessions will introduce the Instructors’ Guide to Syllabus Composition, strategic recommendations, and examples of writing an intentional syllabus.
This is a joint professional development offering by UCATT and the Office of General Education (OGE). Instructors involved in the GE Refresh are encouraged to participate.
Thursday January 4: Foundations for a Learning-Focused Syllabus
The first session will address the foundational content, structure, and language of a syllabus. We will illustrate examples of utilizing syllabi to highlight the alignment of course outcomes and objectives with the learning environment and assessments.
Session slides and resources:
Friday January 5: Composing a Student-Friendly Syllabus
The second session will address clarity in messages and tone that support a learning relationship between student and instructor. We will talk about student-centered approaches to course policies and general considerations regarding equity and user-friendliness.
Session slides and resources:
All webinars take place from 10:00-11:00am (Arizona Time) on Zoom
Contact: Mascha Gemein (mngemein@arizona.edu) with any questions.
Register Here
Monday (8/14): Foundations for a Learning-Focused Syllabus
This webinar will address the foundational content, structure, and language of a syllabus. Our focus will be on a coherent plan and articulation of what learning is planned for the course, the logical representation of the learning journey, and strategies for approaching policies.
Session Materials:
Materials and Resources:
- Alignment Handout
- Cullen, R., & Harris, M. (2009). Assessing learner-centredness through course syllabi. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 34(1), 115-125.
- Palmer, M.S., Wheeler, L. B., & Aneece, I. (2016). Does the document matter? The evolving role of syllabi in higher education. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 48, 36-47.
Tuesday (8/15): Composing a Student-Friendly Syllabus
This webinar will address the communication strategies. This will include a discussion of clarity in learning and engagement design, messages and tone that support a learning relationship between student and instructor, and considerations regarding equity and user friendliness.
Session Materials:
Materials and Resources:
Wednesday (8/16): Introducing the Instructors' Guide to Syllabus Composition
This webinar will introduce the Instructors’ Guide to Syllabus Composition with lots of space for questions and conversation about effective strategies in writing an intentional syllabus.
Session Materials:
- (No recording for today)
Materials: Instructor Guide to GE Syllabus Composition and GE Syllabus Template
Resources:
- How to Create a Syllabus: Advice Guide (Kevin Gannon, Chronicle of Higher Ed)
Wednesday (1/4): Foundations for a Learning-Focused Syllabus
This webinar will address the foundational content, structure, and language of a syllabus. Our focus will be on a coherent plan and articulation of what learning is planned for the course, the logical representation of the learning journey, and strategies for approaching policies.
- Session Recording
-
Slides:
Friday (1/6): Composing a Student-Friendly Syllabus
This webinar will address the communication strategies. This will include a discussion of clarity in learning and engagement design, messages and tone that support a learning relationship between student and instructor, and considerations regarding equity and user friendliness.
- Session Recording
-
Slides:
-
Handout:
Document
Monday (8/8): Communicating Logic and Alignment
Tuesday (8/9): Composing with the Learner in mind
Wednesday (8/10): Increasing Equity and Transparency
Thursday (8/11): Making Policies Meaningful for Students
- Session Recording
- Slides: Making Policies Meaningful for Students
- Handout: Policy Examples
Friday (8/12): Guided Peer Review Session
- Slides: Guided Peer Review Session
Resources from our Community During SWW 2022:
- Padlet: Nuggets from our Community!
- Interactive presentation software - Mentimeter
- Education Templates & Examples | Miro
- Google Jamboard: Collaborative Digital Whiteboard | Google Workspace for Education - Google for Education
- Education | MURAL
Workshop Resources
- Wire, S. (2022, August 14). College students more engaged with teachers who have a “friendlier” syllabus. Study Finds. https://studyfinds.org/college-students-professors-engagement-syllabus/
- Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. Alexandria: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.
- Richmond, A. S. (2016). Constructing a Learner-Centered Syllabus: One Professor's Journey. IDEA Paper# 60. IDEA Center, Inc.
- Bart, M. (2015). A learner-centered syllabus helps set the tone for learning. Faculty Focus, Higher Ed Teaching Strategies from Magna Publications.
- Fink, L. (2013). Creating Significant Learning Experiences : An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses. (2nd ed.).
- Richmond, A. S., Slattery, J. M., Mitchell, N., Morgan, R. K., & Becknell, J. (2016). Can a learner-centered syllabus change students’ perceptions of student–professor rapport and master teacher behaviors?. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 2(3), 159.
- How to Build a Learner-Centered Syllabus. (n.d.). Retrieved July 29, 2022, from https://www.mheducation.com/highered/ideas/homepage/how-to-build-a-learner-centered-syllabus
- Palmer, M., Bach, D., & Streifer, A. (2014). Measuring the Promise: A Learning‐Focused Syllabus Rubric. To Improve the Academy, 33(1), 14-36.
- Bart, M. (2015, July 29). A Learner-Centered Syllabus Helps Set the Tone for Learning. Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-classroom-management/a-learner-centered-syllabus-helps-set-the-tone-for-learning/
- Cullen, R., & Harris, M. (2009). Assessing learner-centredness through course syllabi. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 34(1), 115-125.
- Palmer, M.S., Wheeler, L. B., & Aneece, I. (2016). Does the document matter? The evolving role of syllabi in higher education. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 48, 36-47.
- Cornbleth. (1984). Beyond Hidden Curriculum? Journal of Curriculum Studies, 16(1), 29–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/0022027840160105
- McGuire, S. Y., & McGuire, S., (2015). Teach students to how to learn: Strategies you can incorporate into any course to improve student metcognition, study skills, and motivation. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
- Bejerano, A. R., & Bartosh, T. M. (2015). Learning masculinity: Unmasking the hidden curriculum in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 21(2).
- Rebranding Office Hours Infographic (Credit: Office of Instruction and Assessment, Lisa Elfring)
- Nunn. (2018). 33 Simple Strategies for Faculty : A Week-By-Week Resource for Teaching First-Year and First-Generation Students.
- Syllabus Policies | Academic Affairs (arizona.edu)
- Test if Any Site is Blocked in China and Learn How to Access it (comparitech.com)
- Picture Roster Tool | Office of Instruction & Assessment (arizona.edu)
Gen Ed Syllabus Design Support: Instructor Guide to GE Syllabus Composition and Syllabus Template
Resources for Syllabus Development and Composition:
- Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning (UCATT Resource)
- Brantmeier, E., Broscheid, A., & Moore, C.S. (n.d.). Inclusion by Design: Survey Your Syllabus and Course Design. Yale, Poorvy Center for Teaching and Learning. PDF. Web.
- Case, K. (2021). Syllabus Challenge: Infusing Inclusive Practices. Web.
- Gannon, K. (2021). How to Create A Syllabus: Advice Guide. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Web.
- Nilson, L. (2016). The Complete Syllabus. Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors, Fourth edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 96-107.
- Palmer, M. S., Bach, D. J., & Streifer, A. C. (2014). Measuring the promise: A learning‐focused syllabus rubric. To improve the academy: A journal of educational development, 33 (1), 14-36. https://doi.org/10.1002/tia2.20004. - Direct access to the syllabus rubric guide and scoring sheet: https://cte.virginia.edu/resources/syllabus-rubric
- Syllabus Review Guide for Equity-Minded Practice. (2017). Center for Urban Education. University of Southern California. – Available for free at https://cue-equitytools.usc.edu/
- Syllabus Policies | Academic Affairs (arizona.edu)
- UDL Syllabus. (2021). UDL on Campus: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education. Web.