Making the Syllabus simple
As a student myself I find that when the syllabus is a bit wordy I'm reluctant to read it, I sometimes procrastinate. Is it ok to make the syllabus simple and to the point?
Mary,
Yes it is. By making the syllabus clear and concise you are making it more readable for your students. So go ahead and do the condensed version to get your message across.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree. Keeping it simple wont make it as intimidating.
In addition to develop a simple syllabus, I think that sense of humor, in a respectful manner, also helps students to not only keep going back to the syllabus but to talk about it.
Hugo,
I agree. Humor is an integral part of the instructional delivery process because it helps students to reset their thought processes via a shared laugh or a light moment.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have found humor in a syllabus to be detrimental to it's goal. Because I treated it lightly, the students also do so. Have you found this to be the case?
Thomas,
This is a good point about the use of humor. I use humor in my classes but not in official communication with students such as the syllabus so they can see the value of what is being shared and why they need to consider it seriously.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Yes, humor is great. It is always a good "ice breaker"
I feel like in the last 18 years since i began teaching the syllabus which used to be simple has become almost a look a like of a lawyers' contract or document with many addendums and disclaimers all of these required by the administration how do we get to keep this without looking like we are reading a lawyers document to the students.
Susana,
You right about what has happened to the syllabus for us in education. Much of what you mention has been put into syllabi to cover legal issues such as the specifics of how attendance impacts grades, how students with disabilities are able to receive support, fire drills, etc., etc.. What I have gone to is the "book" syllabus to cover all the requirements that must be shared with students and then I give a handout with the exact details of my course requirements, assignments, and expectations. I print it on a sheet of colored paper for impact and that is what I review in depth at the first class meeting. This has worked very well for me as I have met the school requirements with the big syllabus and my requirements with the handout.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have found out through the years of teaching that making a syllabus simple is not always the best course to take. Students are from a wide educational back ground and their information needs vary. The syllabus I have come up with is vary detailed but not packed with needless information. Because when it comes down to course information that is important students can not get enough, they want to know every detail.
Edward,
Good advice to share with other instructors. The syllabus is an instrument of communication and expectations. It needs to contain information that will help students to see how the course is going to operate as well as any of the legal things that your college may require be in every syllabus. Sounds like you have a very good feel for how yours has grown and been refined over the years. This is how syllabi are created that are valued by students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think you could do both. I don't know of any "Syllabus Police" that will arrest you if you put the easy, straight forward classroom-style information at the beginning, then all of the legalese at the end. In this way your students know what is important for the classroom, and also they have access to the necessary information as well.
Everett,
You make a good point. The format and content of the syllabus needs to meet your needs and those of your students, thus you can put it together in a way that gives it value to your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The syllabus is an instrument of communication and expectations. It needs to contain information that will help students to see how the course is going to operate as well as any of the legal things that your college may require be in every syllabus. Grading system,attendance policy,dress code.
I sm not as fan of a simple syllabus. I think, as both instructor and long-time student that for the self-directed conciencius student the bare bones syllabus leaves too much to interpation, prompts unnecessary and time consuming questions down the road as he course progresses, and can lead to confusion about requirements and expecti=ations. As a student, I relied on a well composed syllabus as a referenc3 throughout the course, and even after the course was completed. It gave me a sense of direction, and asense n confidence whenever I was unsure about whether I was meeting requirements. Having said that, there does come a point at which there is content overkill. Where that line is dran I think depends on student level, nature of the course, and is learned through instructor experience.
Janet,
The key is to provide clear information that will inform, direct and focus students on the expectations of the course. This way they can get their questions answered and reduce their anxiety about what they need to do to be successful in the course. This lets them focus on the what they need to do to be successful and plan their efforts.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
