syllabus writing workshop summer, 2003. introduction tom mccambridge tom mccambridge assistant...

Syllabus Writing Syllabus Writing WorkshopWorkshop

Summer, 2003Summer, 2003

IntroductionIntroduction

Tom McCambridgeTom McCambridge Assistant Professor in the School of Assistant Professor in the School of

EducationEducation E-mail:E-mail: [email protected]@clunet.edu Webpage address: Webpage address:

http://public.clunet.edu/~mccambhttp://public.clunet.edu/~mccamb

Plan for the MorningPlan for the Morning

40-50 presentation40-50 presentation BreakBreak Small group work on syllabus Small group work on syllabus

evaluationevaluation

Principles of Syllabus Principles of Syllabus ConstructionConstruction

A syllabus is a toolA syllabus is a tool It exists to serve a purposeIt exists to serve a purpose You have to define that purposeYou have to define that purpose I suggest that there are two large I suggest that there are two large

purposespurposes The syllabus should make a The syllabus should make a

PROMISEPROMISE The syllabus should provide a PLANThe syllabus should provide a PLAN

The Syllabus as ContractThe Syllabus as Contract

The syllabus should serve as a The syllabus should serve as a contract between you and your contract between you and your studentsstudents

It should say to the studentsIt should say to the students This is what you must doThis is what you must do This is when it must be doneThis is when it must be done This is how it will be gradedThis is how it will be graded This is how your grade for the semester will This is how your grade for the semester will

be determinedbe determined


The syllabus should also say to your The syllabus should also say to your studentsstudents

This is what I will doThis is what I will doThis is when I will do itThis is when I will do it

In other words, the syllabus makes In other words, the syllabus makes clear to the students what their clear to the students what their obligations are to you, and what obligations are to you, and what your obligations are to themyour obligations are to them


The syllabus should present this The syllabus should present this information in a way that isinformation in a way that is

SimpleSimple ClearClear UnambiguousUnambiguous Straightforward, andStraightforward, and Easily foundEasily found


Reasons to make this promiseReasons to make this promise First, it is the kind and humane First, it is the kind and humane

thing tothing to Second, it implies an attitude. It Second, it implies an attitude. It

says, I have planned this carefully says, I have planned this carefully and I expect that you will plan your and I expect that you will plan your participation in this course carefully, participation in this course carefully, too.too.


ObjectionsObjections We can’t perfectly predict what will We can’t perfectly predict what will

happen down the roadhappen down the road You may be absentYou may be absent Students may be more or less Students may be more or less

advanced than you thoughtadvanced than you thought Lectures may take longer or shorter Lectures may take longer or shorter

than you predictedthan you predicted


These are not mere concernsThese are not mere concerns They are predictions: teachers know They are predictions: teachers know

that these things happenthat these things happen Is it possible to write a syllabus that Is it possible to write a syllabus that

is clear and specific, and still have is clear and specific, and still have flexibility?flexibility?

Yes, if you have a PLANYes, if you have a PLAN

The Syllabus as the The Syllabus as the Explanation of the PlanExplanation of the Plan

What is a “plan”?What is a “plan”? We use the word in a wide variety of We use the word in a wide variety of

ways, depending on the contextways, depending on the context What is the context here?What is the context here? What is meant by a teaching and What is meant by a teaching and

learning plan?learning plan?


First, a word or two about what does First, a word or two about what does not qualify as a plan:not qualify as a plan:

Plowing through the textbook one Plowing through the textbook one chapter after another is not a planchapter after another is not a plan

Picking out the three chapters that you Picking out the three chapters that you really like and concentrating on them really like and concentrating on them is not a planis not a plan

Deciding at the end of class what will Deciding at the end of class what will be done in the next class is not a planbe done in the next class is not a plan


A plan requires a PURPOSE, a clear A plan requires a PURPOSE, a clear and specific goaland specific goal

The question is, What do I want to The question is, What do I want to accomplish in this course?accomplish in this course?

This requiresThis requireso Careful thoughtCareful thoughto Precise definitionPrecise definitiono Imaginative organizationImaginative organization

Careful ThoughtCareful Thought

Who are my students?Who are my students?

What is their background in this What is their background in this area?area?

What are the most important What are the most important elements of this course for these elements of this course for these students?students?

Precise DefinitionPrecise Definition

What are the main goals of this What are the main goals of this course?course?

Why are these goals important?Why are these goals important?

What are the main ideas that I want What are the main ideas that I want to thread throughout the course?to thread throughout the course?

Imaginative OrganizationImaginative Organization

How do I arrange the materials and How do I arrange the materials and activities of the course so that the activities of the course so that the students have the best chance of students have the best chance of achieving the goals of the course:achieving the goals of the course:

How do I order the readings?How do I order the readings? How do I incorporate other sources, How do I incorporate other sources,

like videos, speakers, trips, etc.?like videos, speakers, trips, etc.?

Imaginative OrganizationImaginative Organization

How do I inter-relate the materials and How do I inter-relate the materials and activities of the course so that activities of the course so that everything we do is aimed at achieving everything we do is aimed at achieving the stated goals of the course?the stated goals of the course?

Reading and WritingReading and Writing DiscussingDiscussing Group workGroup work ResearchResearch Observation Observation

The Necessity of The Necessity of ReflectionReflection

To organize imaginatively, you must have To organize imaginatively, you must have clear goals for the courseclear goals for the course

Choose materials, activities, teaching Choose materials, activities, teaching methods, evaluation methods, etc., that methods, evaluation methods, etc., that are appropriate to the goals of the courseare appropriate to the goals of the course

Create a rhythm for the course that Create a rhythm for the course that encourages achieving the goals of the encourages achieving the goals of the coursecourse

Choose attendance policies, etc., that are Choose attendance policies, etc., that are appropriateappropriate

The Necessity of The Necessity of ReflectionReflection

To determine the goals of the course To determine the goals of the course takes time, but it will be the most takes time, but it will be the most valuable time you spend on your coursevaluable time you spend on your course

Ask yourselfAsk yourself Who are my students?Who are my students? What do they need from this course?What do they need from this course? What do I think is the purpose of this What do I think is the purpose of this

course?course? How can I best organize to achieve these How can I best organize to achieve these

goals?goals?

The PLAN Allows for the The PLAN Allows for the PROMISEPROMISE

Reflecting on the purpose of the course, Reflecting on the purpose of the course, and organizing everything in a way that and organizing everything in a way that will help achieve that purpose, will help will help achieve that purpose, will help you stick to the contract AND be flexibleyou stick to the contract AND be flexible First, because this process helps you edit First, because this process helps you edit

down the material, choosing what is down the material, choosing what is necessary, what is important, and what can necessary, what is important, and what can be ignoredbe ignored

Second, because the content of any particular Second, because the content of any particular class is not discrete but a part of an organic class is not discrete but a part of an organic wholewhole


But most important, going through But most important, going through this process forces you to be this process forces you to be realisticrealistic About who your students areAbout who your students are About what their capabilities areAbout what their capabilities are About what their interests areAbout what their interests are About what their needs areAbout what their needs are


Syllabi do not exist in a vacuumSyllabi do not exist in a vacuum A syllabus exists in a contextA syllabus exists in a context In this case, the most important In this case, the most important

element of the context is the nature of element of the context is the nature of the studentsthe students Their intelligenceTheir intelligence Their motivationTheir motivation Their backgroundTheir background Their interest Their interest


The PLAN should be appropriate to The PLAN should be appropriate to the studentsthe students The readingThe reading The writingThe writing The methods of instructionThe methods of instruction The methods of evaluationThe methods of evaluation


If you will define purpose and goals in If you will define purpose and goals in light of a full and rich understanding of light of a full and rich understanding of who your students are, you can write a who your students are, you can write a syllabus that will not have to be syllabus that will not have to be changed as you go along.changed as you go along.

A syllabus that manifests a PLAN and A syllabus that manifests a PLAN and makes a PROMISE encourages both makes a PROMISE encourages both good teaching and good learninggood teaching and good learning

Encouraging Teaching and Encouraging Teaching and LearningLearning

It encourages good teaching byIt encourages good teaching by forcing you to think carefully about forcing you to think carefully about

what you want to accomplishwhat you want to accomplish forcing you to think carefully about forcing you to think carefully about

how to inter-relate the materials and how to inter-relate the materials and activities of the courseactivities of the course

forcing you to think carefully about forcing you to think carefully about how most effectively to organize the how most effectively to organize the materials, activities, and evaluation materials, activities, and evaluation procedures of the classprocedures of the class

Encouraging Teaching and Encouraging Teaching and LearningLearning

It encourages learning byIt encourages learning by informing the students about the informing the students about the

purpose and goals of the course, so that purpose and goals of the course, so that they have a context in which to put the they have a context in which to put the materials and activities of the coursematerials and activities of the course

informing the students about informing the students about exactlyexactly what they are required to do, and when, what they are required to do, and when, and howand how

demonstrating to the students that there demonstrating to the students that there is coherence and meaning to the courseis coherence and meaning to the course

Self-Diagnosis for Your Self-Diagnosis for Your SyllabusSyllabus

Ask yourself this question: Does my Ask yourself this question: Does my syllabus provide students with all the syllabus provide students with all the information they need to navigate this information they need to navigate this course, or will students have to guess, course, or will students have to guess, or ask me questions along the way, or or ask me questions along the way, or make mistakes, because the syllabus make mistakes, because the syllabus was not clear or not complete?was not clear or not complete?

If you can answer “yes,” you have an If you can answer “yes,” you have an effective syllabus.effective syllabus.

Specific Elements of the Specific Elements of the SyllabusSyllabus

Basic Course InformationBasic Course Information Course Number and Course TitleCourse Number and Course Title x Semester Creditsx Semester Credits Semester, Year, Day, TimeSemester, Year, Day, Time ClassroomClassroom


Instructor: NameInstructor: Name Office: LocationOffice: Location Phone: NumberPhone: Number E-mail: AddressE-mail: Address Office hours: Days and timesOffice hours: Days and times If you have a disability that requires If you have a disability that requires

an accommodation, please contact an accommodation, please contact me immediately.me immediately.


Course DescriptionCourse Description Catalogue Course DescriptionCatalogue Course Description Course Plan and RationaleCourse Plan and Rationale Course GoalsCourse Goals


Assignments and GradesAssignments and Grades Required Readings and Learning Required Readings and Learning

ResourcesResources Recommended Reading and Recommended Reading and

ResourcesResources Graded AssignmentsGraded Assignments Grading PolicyGrading Policy Course ScheduleCourse Schedule

syllabus writing workshop summer, 2003. introduction tom mccambridge tom mccambridge assistant...

Documents

contractthe syllabus

planthe syllabus

promisethe syllabus

determinedthe syllabus

predictedthe syllabus

themthe syllabus

andeasily foundthe syllabus

large purposesthe syllabus