| When I was the Director of the Excellence in | | | | 6. What are you looking for (or what do you |
| Teaching Program at our university, I wanted to | | | | hope NOT to see?) |
| know what students on campus thought about | | | | - GROUP WORK! |
| the various course syllabi that they had received - | | | | - A confusing syllabus |
| and what they really wanted. So, I held a series | | | | - An inconsistent syllabus |
| of focus groups with both undergraduate and | | | | - The statement "this is a hard class." |
| graduate students. The questions, some selected | | | | - Philosophy of the department/college (they |
| responses, and a synthesis of what students said | | | | know this is required but students think it's a |
| are included in this article. | | | | waste. Basically, they read through the B.S."). |
| 1. What is a syllabus, from your perspective? | | | | 7. What components of a syllabus (of whatever |
| - Schedule | | | | type) is the most important for you as a |
| - List of assignments and due dates | | | | student? |
| - List of books | | | | - Schedule |
| - A contract (which they don't mind signing, by | | | | - When tests and other assignments are |
| and large); they understand that there are | | | | scheduled |
| students that need to be held accountable and | | | | - How to get an A (this was a strong theme |
| that this is one way, even if they don't ink they | | | | through every focus group) |
| need it to be so "legal.") | | | | 8. What components of a syllabus do you think |
| - A way to "empower" students (Grad group) | | | | your professors think is most important for you |
| 2. Do all of your professors use a syllabus? When | | | | as a student? |
| do you usually get it? When is the best time to | | | | - Schedule |
| get a syllabus, from your viewpoint? | | | | - Assignments/Tests |
| - Nearly all use a syllabus | | | | - Attendance Policy |
| - Students receive it the first day of class | | | | Interesting, most students feel like their |
| - That is the best time to receive it - except | | | | professors do a syllabus because they have to - |
| students would like to know what books to buy | | | | and that they then just do whatever they want. |
| ahead of time so they can buy them on-line and | | | | One student said, "...but sometimes the course |
| save money. | | | | turns out to be like the syllabus." The other |
| 3. Is the syllabus paper-based or web-based? Do | | | | students laughed as if they knew just what this |
| you prefer one over the other, in general? | | | | student meant. |
| - Students are receiving both kinds and there was | | | | 9. When you are talking to your friends about a |
| not an overwhelming positive or negative feeling | | | | particular class and trying to convince them to |
| about either kind. Generally, the students liked | | | | take a particular class, do you ever use the |
| having an on-line syllabus to refer to and think it is | | | | syllabus to help you make your point? Be specific. |
| easier for the professor to make changes, BUT, | | | | - No, not really. |
| they essentially all print out the on-line syllabus | | | | It was clear that students are making decisions |
| because there are times they need to be carrying | | | | about classes (staying in or out) based on the |
| it around with them. | | | | professor. |
| - They want a syllabus that is ORGANIZED, | | | | 10. What makes you read the syllabus? What |
| regardless of whether it's paper-based or | | | | makes you want to read it? Or want to refer |
| web-based. They need this and they want it and | | | | back to it? |
| they appreciate it when it is. | | | | - "If the syllabus is important to you, let the |
| 4. What is the first thing you look for in a | | | | students know that. If you spend time on it, it |
| syllabus? Why? | | | | tells the students that it's important." |
| - Schedule | | | | - "If you want us to look at it everyday, then |
| - Workload: | | | | you need to look at it everyday to make sure |
| - Number of tests/exams | | | | stuff is right." |
| - Number of assignments | | | | - If it's easy to read and follow |
| - Grading scale/percentages | | | | - When it's broken down by weeks; it helps |
| - Ways to contact the professor (Note: Students | | | | students do the planning |
| made it clear that they think office hours are a | | | | 11. What do you want professors to know from |
| joke; email is the way to go). | | | | students about what you want to see and/or |
| A cogent quote from one of the focus group | | | | need to see in a syllabus? Imagine, the semester |
| participants was, "Most people just want to know | | | | is over. You can now tell the professor what you |
| what they have to do - just the facts, ma'am." | | | | liked or didn't like about his/her syllabus. What do |
| 5. Last year we held focus groups with students | | | | you wish had been included or what do you think |
| about the instruction they were receiving at the | | | | was a waste to include. What would you say that |
| University. They told us that they make decisions | | | | would help him/her do a better job for next |
| about some of their classes based on the syllabus. | | | | semester? |
| Is that also true for you? And, how do you make | | | | As one student said, "The worst thing in the |
| those decisions? | | | | world is not to know what is expected." |
| - Yes, to an extent; but mostly if the class is an | | | | These students' ideas came across clearly and I |
| elective. If the class is required, most students | | | | hope you hear the 'ring of truth' when you read |
| figure that they will eventually have to take the | | | | through their statements and the synthesis of |
| class, and it won't change much from semester | | | | their responses. There are some minor changes |
| to semester. If the class is an elective and the | | | | that you could make that would have a significant |
| workload appears to be extreme, students | | | | impact on your students' success. And that's the |
| indicated that they would drop the class. | | | | point, of course, of an excellent syllabus. |