Hi Judith,
So true. You have to be the driver on sharing the course outline and flow of the class. If you don't as you well know the students quickly escalate to frustration and the learning curve drops dramatically.
Gary
I like to have the course outline as well as the syllabus available for the students the first day of class. This takes the mystery out of what they are going to learn. It also lets the student know what the objectives are and how we are going to go about meeting them and achieving competence.
It is very important to go over the syllabus, give a comprehensive description of the course objective, goal & requirement and how grade is composted on the first day of class; By doing so, not only you make a clear expectation for both end and also you make a virtual "contract" with your students.
Because students know from the beginning which covers the method to use, list of materials and know exactly what to learn. But for me are very usefull because it helps me to organize better and gives me better control of tissue what I teach, especially if at some point I have to change plans.
Mary
Course requirements tell a student that you are serious about what they will learn in your class. It develops respect for the instructor if the student realizes that this person cares about them and they know what they am expected to do in this class.
It is very important to describe course requirements clearly and completely so that students know what they are going to learn in the course -- it is a kind of "road map" for what is going to happen. The course requirements are supported by the Course Outline and other documents that are distributed/covered during the first day of class.
It is imperative that students know exactly what the course will entail, the length, and what they can be expect to get out of it.
This allows the students to set goals for themselves and gives them a clear path for the course.
Being clear on expectation's avoids misunderstanding's.
A course outline is distributed to each class that I teach. On the first day of class, I go over the course requirements with the students. I even have students sign a sheet acknowledging that they were made aware of the expectations of the course.
Students need to have a clear description as to what the course is about as well as what are the requirements for them to do well in the class.
Having a syllabus to follow helps keep students in check about their responsibilities and take ownership for their leanring.
It is important to give a comprehensive and clear description of the course requirements so that your students have a clear understanding of what the class consist of as well as what is expected of them as individuals. It is of great importance that they know.
I gives a clear view of what is expected of the in the class, and the student can prepare and keep up with the content. I have seen teachers that do not give student course requirements. and you have two things happen.
1) Student is nervous, frustrated, and very unhappy with the outcome of the class.
2)Instructor is frustrated, confused, and unhappy with the outcome of the student.
Both Instructor and student fail.
Students need to have comprehensive and clear course requirements so they know exactly what they are going to learn and how they can be successful in the course.
They can not be successful unless the description is clear and detailed on requirements with due dates for projects, tasks, and assignments. The counsequences for late or absent assignments need to be spelled out and how this effects their grade. They need to know how they will pass the class and the grade scale that is being used.
Giving comprehensive and clear description of the course requirements canlet the students know what they are in for. They can help a student plan in advance for unseen situations (such as a death, illness, birth, and court dates.
They also give the student the opportuntiy to figure out if they really need to be in the class.
In essence they provide the student with the basic tools required to suceed in the course.
Hi Tanner,
You make a good point about the need for introduction of course content in such a way that the students know what is coming. This way they can make informed decisions about whether they are in the right field or not. It is too expensive to make too many wrong choices concerning their career selection.
Gary
Many people sign up for a class and don't know for sure what they are doing. Anatomy and Physiology is one such course that people feel they need to complete. After spending time in the course they may find that these things are not for them, such as examining a cadaver. Establishing this description in the beginning may help people to make a change in thier schedule before it becomes too late to enroll in a different course.
Hi Joanna,
Good way to help them to plan for more than just the next week. By showing them how they can anticipate upcoming challenges like labor or other health problems you are showing them how they can remain in school and have success.
Gary
Students need a pathway to thier desired goals. By providing them with comprehensive and clear description of the course requirement we are giving them stepping stones to thier successful completion of the course.
It helps prepare the student for what lays ahead.
We have alot of pregnant students on our campus. For them, providing this information they can plan ahead in case they have to miss class time due to labor issues or other health problems.
Giving comprehensive course requirements up-front ensures that all students received the assignments and due dates. This way if they miss a class they cannot state that they didn't know they were having a test or that there was a paper due the next class. Being clear about course requirements eliminates a lot of "misunderstanding". Students will look for any opportunity to test the system and if you as an instructor give very clear instructions up front this will eliminate a lot of headache for you later on. Every class will have someone that tests the system but that just means your instructions will get clearer and clearer the more you teach that class.
The easy answer is that it's the correct and professional thing to do. However, a better answer is that it gives students one less thing to worry about and increases their confidence level from the beginning. Obviously, if they begin with confidence and understanding, they will be more successful in the course.
If the student's don't know what is required of them, they aren't very likely to perform well! It also reduces anxiety and sets the students up to succeed.
