Syllabus Development:

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Syllabus Development

• The dos and the donts

2003 Summer Faculty Development Conference Ida
Cook, Interim Assoc. Director Faculty Center for
Teaching and Learning
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Its like reading a map

• Just as you might want to know where you are in a
  new town or area
• So would your students want to know where they
  are, where theyre going and when they need to be
  there.

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• And just as you would like to know what
  attractions existed in the area
• So your students would want to know what to
  expect to happen during the term.

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At which point would you rather spend the time
preparing course information?

• Before the course begins?
• After course begins or during the course?

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After the course begins or during the course

• Can result in, and give the appearance of,
  confusion and poor organization
• May involve duplication of effort

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Before the course begins

• Allows time for logical planning and association
  of goals, objectives and tasks
• Allows preparation on your part and for the
  students
• Allows students to receive information even prior
  to enrollment

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So

• What should you do??

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What should you do??

• Tell them
• Hand out a syllabus
• Post it online

I want you to
OR
OR
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What are

• The advantages?
• The disadvantages?

-
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Handing out a syllabus

• In class during first week?
• What are some pros/cons?

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Posting it online using

• WebCT?
• e-community?
• your personal web page
• What are some pros/cons?

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What information should you include in your
syllabus?

• Take one minute to jot down the top three items
  that should be included in a syllabus.
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.

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Lets consider your top 3 items

• How can they be classified?
• Contact information
• Course objectives, goals
• Requirements
• Readings
• Tests
• Papers, projects
• Attendance
• Rules, regulations

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I want you to

• Tell them
• what to do
• why they are doing it
• when to do it
• how to do it
• where to do it
• How much value will be given to each activity

I want You to
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• Schedule of events (when and how)
• Readings
• Assignments
• Tests- type and basis
• Evaluation grades based upon
• Behavior
• Tests
• Papers
• Provide an allocation of grades ()
• X for a
• X for b

Your final grade
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In developing your syllabus, plan ahead to assure
that

• you describe the assignments, tests, papers,
  projects, etc.
• the above relate to the overall course goals,
• the above are included in the grading scheme
• they fit within reasonable time periods,
• the student performance that you assess relates
  to the stated objectives of the course?

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Do you have (give your students) a grading rubric?

• Do you have examples of good or bad ..
• Answers?
• Papers?
• Performance?
• Behavior?

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Dos and Donts for Course PlanningDavid Dees,
Assoc. Dean of Undergraduate Studies Office of
Academic Services MH 210 407-823-2691
dees_at_mail.ucf.edu

• THE CLASS ROLL
• The Registrar does not send a preliminary or
  final class roll. To list students enrolled in a
  class, faculty must log on to https//connect.ucf
  edu . After entering their Peoplesoft id (PID)
  and password, a menu choice "For instructors"
  appears on the left frame of the web page. Click
  this and several new choices will appear,
  including "Any class roster" and "Your class
  roster."

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CLASS ROLLS

• DO
• check the roll a few times.
• require all late adds to provide documentation of
  registration or verify it on-line.
• DONT
• grade and return exams to students who are not
  officially registered

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GRADING POLICY, CLASS ROOM ORGANIZATION AND
SYLLABUS

• DO
• list clearly the components for the final grade,
  including how you will apply the plus/minus grade
  system.
• state your attendance policy and include late
  arrivals
• state your make-up policy
• your policy on academic dishonesty, plagiarism,
  cheating, etc.
• indicate exam dates as "tentative,"
• administer at least one exam prior to withdrawal
  deadline
• accommodate students who are absent due to
  officially sanctioned activities ( they must
  provide notification in advance)
• be aware of the grades that are
  permitted/prohibited in your class.

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Dont

• change grading policies.
• provide make-up opportunities only to those who
  ask.
• tolerate disruptive behavior. Discuss with
  student and supervisor
• post grades using any part of a student's Social
  Security Number

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UNIVERSITY WITHDRAWAL POLICY

• Students can withdraw until the middle of the
  semester, either on-line or in person at the
  Registrar's Office. Faculty, family, friends, or
  others CAN NOT withdraw a student.
• After the withdrawal deadline, students can
  petition for a late withdrawal, but not on the
  basis of academic performance.
• Petition is reviewed by Academic Services which
  will be in contact with the instructor. If the
  instructor does not reply, the department chair
  will be contacted.
• Instructor should express opinion on legitimacy
  of a late withdrawal, as well as indicate if it
  should be WP (withdrawn passing) or WF (withdrawn
  failing. WF is calculated as a grade of "F" in
  the grade point average.

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Know the difference between a "Drop" and a
"Withdrawal"

• A withdrawal results in a "w" type grade on the
  transcript, while
• a drop is a complete cancellation of registration
  and of fees.
• If a student petitions for a late drop, the
  instructor will be contacted in the same manner
  as a petition for a late withdrawal.

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DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

• Process and Student's Rights are discussed in The
  Golden Rule (see http//www.ucf.edu/goldenrule).
• Report incidents to The Office Student Rights and
  Responsibilities, 155 Student Resource Center,
  (407) 823-6g6o . The on-line incident report form
  is located at http//www.ucf.edu/goldenrule/cgifo
  rm.html

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DISABLED STUDENTS

• The university is required to provide
  accommodation to students with disabilities.
• Any student who self-identifies as a disabled
  student should be registered with the Office of
  Student Disabilities Services. If accommodations
  are needed, they should be arranged with the
  office, not directly with the student.
• If you have a student who you believe to have
  some physical or learning disability, you should
  refer them to the Office of Student Disability
  Services. (http//www.sds.ucf.edu/) 132 Student
  Resource Center, TDD 407823-2116, Phone
  407-823-2371, Fax [phone]

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ACADEMIC SUPPORT/TUTORING

• Students who encounter academic problems can be
  referred to the Student Academic Resource
  Center(SARC) for assistance. SARC provides
  supplemental instruction, tutoring, academic
  advising, and learning enhancement workshops
  (study skills, time management, reading
  effectiveness, and memory improvement.
  (http//pegasus.cc.ucfedu/-sarc/) 113 Howard
  Phillips Hall, 407-823-5130.

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Does your syllabus communicate to the students
that

• You want to help student learning?
• You are willing and able to communicate ideas?
• You are interested in students learning?
• You respect them and have concern for them?
• The course is well organized?
• You have clear expectations for their
  performance?

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By considering these things both you and your
students benefit

• They learn more efficiently and effectively
• AND
• You benefit as well, because

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Research shows that instructors are more
positively rated if they are perceived by
students as

• Being interested in student learning
• Having the ability to stimulate student interest
• Being able to communicate ideas
• Being well-organized

??
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So, on to even more specifics

• Syllabus design template http//www.fctl.ucf.edu/t
  resources/coursedesign

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Syllabus Design Checklist

• http//www.fctl.ucf.edu/tresources/coursedesign/Sy
  llabusChecklist.doc
• Course ID and title
• Semester/year
• Professors name
• Contact information for professor
• Office location and hours
• Email and phone
• Course description (include catalog description,
  departmental description, your personal
  description of the course, and prerequisites)
• Course objectives (explicit, challenging, and
  achievable in accord with your teaching goals,
  your departments goals, and UCFs strategic
  goals)
• Required texts
• Supplemental texts and helpful websites
• Library resources
• Evaluation procedures
• Categories of assessment
• Weight of assignments and tests
• Deadlines and due dates
• Examination rules and procedures
• Missed assignments/exams, make-ups

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The UCF Creed http//www.fctl.ucf.edu/tresources/
coursedesign/UCFCreed.htm Integrity,
scholarship, community, creativity, and
excellence are the core values that guide our
conduct, performance, and decisions.

• Integrity - I will practice and defend academic
  and personal honesty.
• Scholarship - I will cherish and honor learning
  as a fundamental purpose of my membership in the
  UCF community.
• Community - I will promote an open and supportive
  campus environment by respecting the rights and
  contributions of every individual.
• Creativity - I will use my talents to enrich the
  human experience.
• Excellence - I will strive toward the highest
  standards of performance in any endeavor I
  undertake.

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Resources

• Syllabus design template http//www.fctl.ucf.edu/
  tresources/coursedesign and click Syllabus Design
  Template
• Syllabus design checklist http//www.fctl.ucf.edu/
  tresources/coursedesign/SyllabusChecklist.doc
• UCF Creed http//www.fctl.ucf.edu/tresources/cours
  edesign/UCFCreed.htm

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• References
• Thomas A. Angelo and K. Patricia Cross. Classroom
  Assessment Techniques A Handbook for College
  Teachers, 2nd Ed., Jossey-Bass, California, 1993
• Barbara E. Walvoord and Virginia Johnson
  Anderson. Effective Grading A Tool for Learning
  and Assessment. Jossey-Bass, California, 1998.