signature sheet
plan on adding this to my syllabus. hopefully eliminate the "I did not know that" and encourage students to be in focus with the learning experience.
Hi Robert,
Thank you for the explanation of how you handle the signature sheet for the syllabus. As more and more colleges are requiring it there will be more questions about procedures for getting the signatures with minimum complaints. As with you I haven't had any major complaints and I think this is because of the explanations of why it is required and the importance attached to it.
Gary
I see your point, but I have always done this and will continue to do so. Also on the signature sheet, though, I add a portion where the student can, if they need to, tell me if they "have a condition, appointment, etc. which might affect {their} attendance or participation in this course." Sometimes students will tell me something there that they're reluctant to admit out loud during the get-acquainted phase - learning disabilities, medical situations, etc. Even without using that, I want students to understand just how thorough their own responsibility needs to be. I don't think having them sign such an acknowledgment implies a lack of faith in their sense of responsibility; I think it shows that I consider their own personal responsibility serious enough for them to demonstrate it. After all, on my document at least, the document doesn't make them promise to read everything and do everything by the book; it asks them only to acknowledge that they have been provided the syllabus and that they have been given the opportunity to read and understand the policies. It still places the burden on them to do so. I just ask them to acknowledge that I (and therefore the campus) have given them the fair opportunity and ability to do so.
Even viewing it as a binding legal agreement between student and instructor/campus, I think an acknowledgment of receipt is appropriate. After all, every legal agreement we enter into, and every significant financial transaction (even credit card purchases), includes some variation of the "I have received and been informed about..." language. So I don't find the agreements that egregious, and though some may have suffered in silence, I don't think I've ever had a student express any kind of resentment or offense at the notion. I think they mostly agree that with society being as litigious as it is, even viewing it as a form of self-protection is reasonable.
For the record, I too give a few days to sign and return the document; I tell them the syllabus is THAT serious, so it's appropriate that they take more time than the first class meeting itself to really read, comprehend, and consider the language on it.
I have used a sign off sheet for a few of my class now and find it puts the student is the seat of responsibility. I ask them if the have anything to add to this before they sign off.
I like to give them till the end of the week before they have to hand it in. I stree the part that they are taking responsibliity for there actions by signing the sheet.
I think the sign in sheet does have some significance to the student and cna be used not only in this sense but as a motivator
Dayle, I don't know about the value of this. As an adult learner, I would be "insulted" if I had to sign this. Since they are adults, I, the instructor, will assume they read it when I pass it out. If they don't, then I will remind them about it when they say they didn't know such and such.
I think signing will make them take it seriously and hopefully put more thought into it as a legal document.
