Your Course Syllabus:
A Peer Review and
Just-in-time Revisions
• Sandy Courter, EPD
• Mike Morrow, ECE
Overview
• Introductions
– Collect syllabi for duplication
• Learning Outcomes
• Role of Syllabi
• Peer Review
• Resources
Learning Outcomes:
As a result of this workshop,
you will be able to . . .
• Examine the nature and content of
syllabi in order to gain a better
understanding of their attributes and
characteristics
• Identify the ways in which syllabi
reflect and communicate university,
college, and faculty goals and
objectives
• Identify ways in which syllabi
communicate an implicit contract
between the student and teacher
Why use a syllabus?
• In your groups, create a list of 5-7
reasons of why you would want to
use a syllabus in your course.
• Are we ready?
• You have 3 minutes…
• Time’s up!
• Let’s see what you’ve come up
with…
Some basic ideas
• Decrease the risk of
miscommunication
• Insure consistency and confidence
that accurate information is being
conveyed
• Provide a permanent reference for
students
• Increase value that students place
on syllabus as a learning tool
Role of Syllabi:
Calendar of events or
Learning tool?
• Course structure
• Administrative
• Communication
Course structure:
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Topical coverage
Course format
Readings
Prerequisites
Assessment
Administrative:
Contract with student
• Public description of course
• Evidence in grievance and judicial
hearings
• Course equivalency in transfer
situations
• Support for instructors’ decisions
regarding grades and course
policies
• Contract between university and
student
Communication:
• First impression
– Written document
– Presentation
• Unwritten rules and expectations
• Implicit contract negotiated through
non-verbal behavior
• Evolution
Syllabus Review
• Review Process
– Use the checklist as a guide
• Add any other items that you feel are
important
– Student and faculty perspectives
– Individually review all syllabi, then critique
each as a group
• Group Presentation
– Select one syllabus for presentation
– Presentation worksheet is provided
• Overview
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
Peer Review of
Syllabus
• What worked?
– What do the characteristics of
your syllabus mean?
– What evidence do you see that
shows student-centered learning?
• What didn’t work so well?
– What can you do to make your
syllabus more student-centered?
Resources
• Books
• Videotapes and other media
• Course homepages with course
objectives
• ABET criteria
• Consultation Services
• One-week opportunities
TIP Workshop
Evaluation
• Please remember to complete the
evaluations
– Workshop
– Program
References
• Eberly, Newton, Wiggins, “The
Syllabus as a tool for StudentCentered Learning”
• McKeachie, “Teaching Tips:
Strategies, research, and theory for
college and university teachers”
Levels of Learning:
Bloom’s Taxonomy
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Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis