Foundation for Developing A Student Centered Learning Syllabus for Your Course CASE/Summer 09

Acknowledgement This presentation has been adapted with permission from Dr. Gayle Brazeau, the State University of New York at Buffalo. CASE/Summer 09

Outline Designing your course and developing your course syllabus Developing course outcomes and objectives Important considerations in your course syllabus CASE/Summer 09

Resource List Books Web Sites Teaching and Learning Centers Other Programs CASE/Summer 09

Key: Effective Syllabus Work Done Prior to Putting Syllabus On Paper Anticipate Student Questions and Concerns It is Your Blue Print for Success! CASE/Summer 09

Best Teachers Promising Syllabus 1.Provides the promises and opportunities the course offers to students. 2.Provides the students with a description of what they will be doing to achieve these promises. 3.Provides students with the methods by which they can understand their learning. Learner Centered Syllabus CASE/Summer 09

Key Questions Prior to Organizing Your Class Where does the class fit into the curriculum of your department/ college/ school? What is the level of your students? What are the courses your students will have prior to your course? How many students will you be involved with in this course? What are the desired learning outcomes for your course? CASE/Summer 09

Where Does Your Course Fit? Course Ability-based Outcomes Department Educational Outcomes Mission Statement of the College Accreditation Standards Guidelines Mission of the College CASE/Summer 09

Teaching Goals Inventory Developed Thomas Angelo and Patricia Cross Goal for Faculty Members –Become more aware of what you want to accomplish with your course –What are the best classroom assessment techniques and activities –Starting point for discussion with faculty Community of Educators Online: CASE/Summer 09

What are Ability Based Outcomes (ABO)? Skills Knowledge Attitudes/ Values ABO CASE/Summer 09 Integration of knowledge,skills, and attitudes/values objectives

ABO is NOT an Objective/ Competency ABOObjective/ Competency Integration of knowledge, Relatively specific, atomistic skills, values and discrete. and attitudes. Often one and/ or two component/s of an ABO CASE/Summer 09

BLOOMS LEVELSAMPLE VERBS KNOWLEDGE Write, List, Label, Name, State, Define COMPREHENSION Explain, Summarize, Paraphrase, Describe, Illustrate APPLICATIONUse, Compute, Solve, Demonstrate Apply, Construct ANALYSISAnalyze, Categorize, Compare, Contrast, Separate SYNTHESISCreate, Design, Hypothesis, Invent, Develop EVALUATIONJudge, Recommend, Critique, Justify CASE/Summer 09

Starting Point ABO Writing Objectives ---ABCD Approach A for AudienceWho are your learners? B for Behavior– What do you expect them to do? C for ConditionWhat will the student be given or expected to know to accomplish learning? D for DegreeHow much will be accomplished or needed to be performed? CASE/Summer 09

What about Class Activities ? Outcome – Clear picture of what the student will be able to do Practice – The assignments or opportunities to practice what you want them to be able to do Criteria – Are indicators of what will be a successful performance Feedback – Recommendations on how the student could improve CASE/Summer 09

Choosing Learning Activities What type of facilities or classroom do you have? How large is the class? What is your own teaching style or personality? Where are you in the semester? --Takes time for students to get use to these techniques. CASE/Summer 09

General Guidelines - Syllabus Focused on Student Learning You versus The Student Being involved or an active participant in the course Clear Easy to read and follow Organized with appropriate headings CASE/Summer 09

Goal: Enhance Student Learning Provide the foundation for the course Pre-Requisites and other knowledge or skills you assume students know prior to this class Facilitate Student Learning What is needed for successful completion? Logistics of the course How long will assignments take in your estimation Reduce test anxiety and exam taking skills Sample Examination Sample examination with components of the syllabus Assignments, Activities, Concerts, Programs Relevant Handouts or Readings CASE/Summer 09

Syllabus is Not a Static Document CASE/Summer 09 Can change over the semester How change should be outlined early Cautious Too much change Better to wait until next year

More is Better? Personal Decision Departmental Expectations How much you incorporate in the syllabus? Clearer the syllabus Avoid Student Confusion Avoid Issues with Grading Avoid Issues with Assignments or other activities Too much – does it limit your flexibility during the semester? CASE/Summer 09

Before Final Version and Class Ask a colleague review your syllabus- Is it clear? Discuss your course outcomes with others! Develop syllabus –Put away and come back to see if you are missing anything or is it clear –Look at it from the your students perspective Check for errors – This is your students first impression of you and your class! Post or make available for the first day of class! CASE/Summer 09

In Class – Day 1 and Beyond Day 1 is Critical Spend time - explain the format and design Go over pertinent points Beyond and into the semester Make it a living, useful document Are you heading towards the course outcomes? Refer to syllabus as needed for assignments and grading Modify components as needed CASE/Summer 09

Remember You are NOT ALONE CASE/Summer 09 Like research - share and discuss teaching issues, dilemmas and successes! –Work Together! –Ask questions! –Read! –Attend local or national meetings of similar educators Teaching and curriculum is an evolutionary process Incorporate new technologies Implementing new techniques can involve scaling the wall and taking risks!

Resources Centers Teaching and Learning Center, University at Buffalo The Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Illinois at Chicago Center 4 Teaching and Learning, Wright State University Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota Center for Teaching and Learning, Cornell University Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Florida, Center for Instructional Development & Distance Education, University of Pittsburgh, Other Available Programs Case Studies in Teaching, The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science Case Collection, University at Buffalo CASE/Summer 09

Resources Books K. Bain, What the Best College Teachers Do, Harvard University Press, 2004 S.A. Baiocco and J.N. DeWaters, Successful College Teaching, Allyn and Bacon, 1998 R.A. Berk, Humor as an Instructional Defibrillator: Evidence-Based Techniques in Teaching and Assessment, Stylus, 2002 R.A. Berk, Professors are from Mars, Students are from Snickers, Stylus, 2003 B.G. Davis, Tools for Teaching, Jossey Bass, 1993 J.R. Davis Interdisciplinary Teaching: New Arrangements for Learning, Oryx Press, 1995 R.M. Diamond, Designing and Assessing Courses & Curriculum: A Practical Guide, Chapter 13 Developing a Learning-Centered Syllabus, Jossey-Bass, 1998, W.J. McKeachie ad M. Svinicki, McKeachies Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research and Theory for College and University Teachers, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 D. Kennedy, Academic Duty, Havard University Press, 1999 P. Palmer, The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teachers Mind, John Wiley and Sons, 1997 (10 Year Anniversary Version with CD R. Pausch and J. Zaslow, The Last Lecture, Hyperion Books, New York 2008, Web Sites Writing Course Objectives and Program Objectives How to Write Clear Objectives - Penn State Bloom et al.'s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain Teaching Goals Inventory CASE/Summer 09