1. Understanding the Course Syllabus Presented By: Cynthia Curtis Thursday, March 20, 2014

2. Why A Syllabus? Course Syllabus A Guide A Contract A Planning Tool Key Information

3. Defining a Course Syllabus A syllabus is a "learning contract" between the instructor and the students. It sets the ground rules for all the classroom goals, objectives, activities, assessment tools, policies and exceptions. When should you receive your syllabus? The syllabus is usually distributed on the first day of class.

4. The Importance of a Syllabus SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

5. The Importance of a Syllabus The syllabus should be a guide to get students and faculty starting on the same page for the semester. As educators, we must not assume that our students explicitly understand why they are taking a given class, how it relates to the college curriculum, or what is meant by the requirements that we carefully outline in our syllabus. The syllabus holds all the information you need to know regarding what is expected of you and what you need to do to prepare for each class.

6. The Content in a Syllabus A syllabus contains several parts: The course title and meeting times The name of the professor and his/her contact information Expectations and attendance policies Topics and chapters covered Test dates Other relevant dates Grading policy Required texts and other supplies

7. Obtaining the Syllabus Where can you find a copy of your syllabus? Posted on Blackboard (www.alasu.edu) or Hard Copies are Distributed

8. Thank You All For Coming!