| A professor's role in actual course design might | | | | student description; 7) goals and objectives; 8) |
| vary between two extremes on a continuum. If | | | | schedule; 9) readings; 10) assignments; 11) |
| yours is a standard, lower-division course, your | | | | classroom learning experiences; 12) assessments; |
| department might already have a detailed outline, | | | | 13) grading procedures; 14) attendance policies; |
| syllabus, carefully selected textbook, and | | | | 15) communication channels; 16) other |
| designated course materials and activities that you | | | | considerations. |
| are expected to use, so that all students are | | | | While this may seem overwhelming, it's not--and |
| (supposedly) equally prepared for advanced | | | | it's an investment in your overall course and the |
| courses. If this is the case, you may be required | | | | student learning. The more you think about these |
| to do little more than embellish the course | | | | parts of your syllabus and then lay them out for |
| material with your personal experiences and | | | | the students in a strategic manner, the better |
| insights. More often, however, as a recognized | | | | your overall course will go (I promise!). And, |
| expert in your field, you are asked to design and | | | | although I have listed the components as if they |
| manage all aspects of courses that you are | | | | occur as a series of steps, strategic course |
| especially qualified to teach. While the demands of | | | | planning is actually quite recursive. One does not |
| designing a course "from scratch" are daunting, | | | | move linearly from step to step to step, but |
| the rewards can be substantial. Regardless of | | | | rather from step to step, then back to a previous |
| your position on the continuum, it is critical to | | | | step, then forward, then back, and so on until all |
| understand the basic processes of course design, | | | | the elements coalesce into a comprehensive |
| since it tends to have a long-term impact on | | | | whole - all driven by sound instructional objectives. |
| students. The ideas in this article will get you | | | | Such is the essence of strategic planning, making |
| started. | | | | sure that there is consistency between and |
| Creating a syllabus is a key aspect of strategic | | | | among the various components of the course and |
| course planning, which is defined as planning that is | | | | its syllabus. At this point, it's time to get a legal |
| deliberate, intentional, and considered, with the | | | | pad and pencil (or open a fresh document on your |
| overall objective being to ensure student learning. | | | | computer), materials that will enable you to "flag" |
| Strategic course planners focus on their | | | | key notes in your written planning and other |
| destination, and then think through how to get all | | | | ancillary course materials, and a copy of your |
| students there efficiently and effectively. | | | | institution's or department's catalog. |
| Syllabus creation will include the following pieces: | | | | Then, shut your door so you have some quiet |
| 1) name of your course; 2) catalog description; 3) | | | | and uninterrupted time to start thinking through |
| your description of the course; 4) purpose of | | | | the various pieces of a course syllabus that I |
| course; 5) prerequisites or co-requisites; 6) | | | | listed in this article. |