Keeps the instructor well prepared for what is being taught and also give the students the guidelines of what they will be learning.
It is important to have a signature from the student to sign the "Contract" that they know what the class is about. What the expectations are of the class.
A well prepared syllabus not only set up the students for success but for the instructor as well. It is a guideline for the objective, goals, rules and regulations of the course. Most importantly it give direction for the student to know what is being taught.
I think you've found a great response to being in preparing for a new class, Sarah. I've sometimes been handed a syllabus and been expected to follow it, only to find out it's tough to obtain the supporting activities a past instructor has used. This is both an opportunity and a challenge, but by keeping the syllabus less detailed, it takes some pressure off as I build the course.
As an administrator, I have witnessed the value of a well-written syllabus in presenting courses for accreditation approval, meeting with students, setting appropriate expectations and guiding the curriculum from start to finish.
Hi Misty,
This cannot be said enough. Instructors that do not do this are asking for problems throughout the course. Clear expectations, requirements and polices reduce student frustration and constant challenges to learning process.
Gary
Having solid guidelines in place also ensures that I apply consistent standards to all students in all circumstances (regarding late work, extra credit opportunities, etc.) Students know up front how I am going to respond to certain queries, so they know that I am going to be fair. This prevents many problems later on.
There is a military axiom, attributed to von Moltke the Elder: "No plan survives contact with the enemy" -- if this is true, why should we plan. While the classroom is (usually) not a battlefield, it is still an arena where unexpected things can happen. Having a plan is a major tool in dealing with the unexpected, particularly in providing a baseline of "normality" to which you can strive to return.
A syllabus is a plan in exactly that sense, and this is the primary importance I would accord it. For the students, however, it is perhaps even more important, because it is their "traveller's guide" as to how the course is going to unfold -- and here it can be a resource for everyone. One maxim confirmed by experience is that people do better reacting to something concrete than they do in terms of creating from scratch -- that's what a syllabus gives to the students -- the ability to react to the course, based on what they read. What this means for the instructor is that instead of one set of eyes on the course structure, there are dozens or hundreds, and these can be the source of useful feedback.
Not least of the value of having a well-prepared syllabus for you, as the instructor, is the fact that it formally forces you to think the course through from beginning to end. Having done this, you can be much more confident of pacing and direction -- you have the potential to be a better instructor, because you have a good foundation on which to build.
It really does keep everyone on the same page because there are no questions about what will be covered during a particular class session.
Hi Stacey,
Your last sentence reinforces why the syllabus has to be well written and accurate. It is a contract between you and your students. It can save you from much frustration if you have done it right as evidenced by your example.
Gary
It helps to keep everyone on the same page. Also, it serves as a written evidence of the expectations. In the past, I have had to use my syllabus to defend grades and discipline students.
Something to remember when writing the syllabus: Setting the climate for the class on the very first day and conveying a sense of excitement about the topic is essential to student invlovment within the course. That high-energy and excitment makes for a more interesting lesson plan and is contagious.
A well-prepared syllabus is important so students know what they are going to learn and what is expected of them for the course. It also allows the instructor to address any class policies in writing (late assignments, test taking, uniforms, etc.).
Syllabus is defined as an outline of a course of study. A syllabus should contain an outline, a schedule of topics, reading activities, and assignments. The primary purpose of a syllabus is to communicate to one's students what the course is about, why the course is taught, where it is going, and what will be required of the students for them to complete the course with a passing grade. The syllabus should also include goals, objectives, or expected outcomes for the course, grading policies, procedures, and any other information necessary for the student to succeed.
a well prepared syllabus will allow the students and instructor to work togather twardes the students edcation. it also give the student a clear idea of what will be expected of them.
A syllabus can be written in a way that makes the course seem easy. The need is to write a syllabus that accurately portrays what is coming.
Hi Theresia,
What methods do you use to help your students to understand the difficulties of the course beyond the course description in the syllabus?
Gary
Yes Marietta, it is a contract and students can hold you accountable if you make changes. For example, if you initially stated each exam is worth 25%, you can't just change that to 50%. So, it is contract.
Well, I unsure if students can determine the level of difficulty of the course from reading the syllabus.
Yes Sarah, I believe the syllabus should be detail, but not elaborate else the instructor becomes a prisoner. I usually state at the top of the syllabus that the schedule is tentative and subject to change, that way students don't hold me accountable for deviating.
