The syllabus is our contract with our students. Our students depend on the syllabus for their objectives, assignments and due dates. I believe a well prepared syllabus is key to a successful class. It makes things easier not only for the students but the instructors as well. I update my syllabus every mod and make sure the due dates and assignments are all correct. My students love being able to pull out the syallbus and know exactly whats going on that day or week.
Very helpful idea with the syllabus quiz. I do go over the syllabus the very first day of the class. However, even though I do it in a great detail sometime students miss an important point in it.
Being ill prepared makes you as well as the place you work look unprofessional.
It is important to have a well-prepared syllabus so that students know exactly what the purpose of the course is and what is expected.
It structures the class and helps with the lesson planning. The students also know there percentges and what to expect
Keyonna,
This is a very important point to remember. If a student question comes up then you have the syllabus to refer to and this serve as the document of explanation for what you did in the course.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Yahaira,
Do you create your own syllabus or does your college provide one for you?
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
The syllabus should be a rule book or play book for both student and instructor. It tells the instructor what the objectives are and helps them guide students to obtain the goals of the course. It should also for the student define exactly all the information about a course. How they will get graded, what is expected of them in class, behavior and all aspects of the learning environment.
William,
Sticking to the schedule is always a challenge for the instructor as you will know. The syllabus and course outline gives the direction and scope of the course and then the instructor can work within that framework. When things come up and times need to be changed they can be while still keeping the course moving forward.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
It is important to have a well-prepared syllabus because it is your contract with the students.
A well prepared syllabus helps the instructor be well prepared and organized for class.
A well prepared syllabus is crucial to having an acceptable rate of accomplishing the goals of the course. I like to have some flexibility to move things around a bit during the semester as all classes are different and contain issues may be more relevant once the course starts.
Well, the caveat in the syllabus says that the course content may be subject to change according to the discretion of the instructor, but we try to stick to the official syllabus as much as we can so that there's a certain amount of continuity from class to class in a given course.
The syllabus is the Document that describes the course that is going to be taught to the students. So by giving a syllabus at the beginning of each class it gives the student a sense of what the course is about and what work will be required.
Margaret Clarke
William,
My suggestion is to put together a supplement to the institutional syllabus that gives the accurate and comprehensive information you want your students to have. This way you have used the approved syllabus but given your customized information to make sure your students have the information they need.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I think it is a great tool to have not only for the students but also for me. It allows the student to know exactly what is expected from the coarse and it also allows me to stay on track.
A good syllabus is a must to give students confidence in the course. I have to use an official syllabus, and I have been compelled, on rare occasions, to hand out ones that may not be as accurate as they should be. How do I go over an inaccurate syllabus with my students without making me and my institution look bad?
Being prepared is absolutely critical for success.
The syllabus describes the classroom objectives that are going to be covered and all assigned chapters to be read within the timeline. Personally it gives students what is going to be covered and for students who want to further themselves into the syllabus --he or she can. Everything is laid out with hardcopy--even with the grading system is laid out in our syllabus, which is nice.
We have to have a Syllabus that explains the course material, expectations, policies and information that is neccesary to prepare the student for the class. There should be no surprises for the students. This will provide a better learning experience for the student.
