An Introduction to the

Graphic Syllabus

Katherine M. SauerMetropolitan State College of Denver

ksauer5@mscd.edu

Economics Teaching Conference October 27th – 28th 2011 New Orleans, LA

How I became interested …

personal frustration

constant emails asking questions for which the answers are clearly stated in the syllabus

push for assessment

link course objectives to learning activities to assessment

critical examination of my syllabi

An Analysis of My Syllabus

basic course and instructor information

official course description (jargon)Introduction to the principles of economics, with an emphasis on individual economic units. Topics include …

course objectives (jargon)demonstrate graphically the production possibility frontier, market equilibrium dynamics, …

list of course prerequisites and expected skills…how to do algebraic calculations, understand graphs, and communicate clearly both verbally and in written form

(what if they don’t have these skills?)

required course materials This course utilizes an online product called Aplia. Through Aplia, you will receive an electronic copy of the text book and you will complete your homework assignments online. Instructions for purchasing and accessing Aplia can be found on the last page of the syllabus.

(no mention of actual text or author)

components of course gradeIn class assignments will vary in nature. They will be worked on in groups during class time and will not be announced in advance. If you are not prepared for class or are not contributing to your group, you will be asked to work alone. No make ups are given. You are allowed to drop two in class assignment grades.

- “procedural” descriptions - imperative language

course and institutional policies(this section gets longer every year …)

course schedule- chapter titles, by week

I wouldn’t want to take my own class

!!

Is my syllabus the reason that my students don’t refer to my syllabus?

My thoughts on my syllabus:

- long- boring- authoritative - not very “me”- not reflective of my actual class

Singham, Mano (2007) Death to the Syllabus! Liberal Education. 93(4): 52-56

“[Syllabi] list the assigned readings but not reasons

why the subject is worth studying

or important or interesting

or deep,

or the learning strategies that will be used in the course.”

“What such syllabi often omit is any mention of learning.”

My Original Principles of Microeconomics Syllabus

(where is the learning?)http://www.wordle.net/

Learning Objectives for Today’s Presentation on the Graphic Syllabus

define the term “graphic syllabus”

transform existing

syllabi into graphic syllabi

identify examples of graphic syllabi

explain rationale for using graphic syllabi

apply graphic techniques to text

What is a Graphic Syllabus?

A graphic syllabus is…

… a flowchart or diagram that displays the sequencing and organization of major course topics through the semester.

Much like a concept map or mind map, it uses spatial arrangement … to show the logical, temporal progression of the course …

In addition, it may – but need not – use icons, pictures, and visual metaphors to convey the meaning of words, concepts, and relationships.

The Graphic Syllabus and the Outcomes Map: Communicating Your Course by Linda Nilson (Jossey-Bass, 2007) page 26

Fundamental Economic Principles

Markets

How Markets Workweeks 2 - 4

 -why we use markets (ch 3)-supply and Demand (ch 4 &5)-measuring economic well-being (ch 7)

Government Intervention in Marketsweeks 5 - 6

 -price controls (ch 6)-taxes on goods and services (ch 8)-international restrictions (ch9)

Advanced Applicationsweeks 13 - 14

 -labor market (ch 18)-consumer choice theory (ch 21 )

When Markets Failweek 7

 -externalities (ch 10)-public Goods (ch 11)

Markets & Competitionweeks 9 - 12

 -production, costs and profits (ch 13)-competitive markets (ch 14)-monopoly markets (ch 15)-other types of competition (ch 16,- 17)(my micro course)

http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/syllabus/samples-creative/ BayesianMethodsSyllabus.pdf

The Graphic Syllabus and the Outcomes Map: Communicating Your Course by Linda Nilson (Jossey-Bass, 2007) page 46

http://www46.homepage.villanova.edu/john.immerwahr/TP101/Prep/Graphic_ syls.pdf

Why should I consider using a graphic syllabus

in my course?

Syllabi serve several important purposes, the most basic of which is to communicate the instructor’s course design to students.

- goals- organization- policies- expectations- requirements

Carnegie Mellon University website (accessed 10/15/2011)http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/syllabus/index.html

- To convey our enthusiasm for the topicOther functions served by a syllabus include:

Carnegie Mellon University website (accessed 10/15/2011)http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/syllabus/index.html

- To show how this course fits into the big picture

- To set the tone for the course- To help students assess their readiness for the course by identifying prerequisite areas of knowledge- To help students manage their learning by identifying outside resources and/or providing advice

Learner-Centered Syllabus

- focus on the learning process

The Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach by Judeth Grunert O’Brein, Barbara Millis, and Margaret Cohen (Jossey-Bass, 2008, 2nd edition)

Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice by Maryellen Weimer (Jossey-Bass, 2002)

Developing Learner-Centered Teaching: A Practical Guide for Faculty by Phyllis Blumberg (Jossey-Bass, 2008)

How can I best communicate my course to my learners?

Who are my learners? - discipline novices - millennial generation

How to reach discipline novices? - reduce jargon - give them a really good map

How to reach millennials? - net generation (visual) graphic

syllabus

Side Note: An Annotated Syllabus helps track your thinking about course design and teaching.

Why are your policies the way that they are? Why are you asking what you are asking? Why did you structure the course in the way you did? How did a learning activity go?

Metro State’s Center for Faculty Development:http://metrofacultydevelopment.pbworks.com/w/page/33934299/Home%20Page%20for%20Annotated%20Syllabi

Text vs Visual Information

This: There are several learning objectives for today’s presentation on the Graphic Syllabus. At the end of the session, the successful participant will be able to transform an existing syllabus into a graphic syllabus. To this end, the presentation will include the definition of the term “graphic syllabus”, several examples of graphic syllabi, rationale for using a graphic syllabus, and an overview of techniques for turning a text syllabus into a graphic syllabus.

or this:

dual-coding material into memoryThe mind has two memories:

semantic = verbal episodic = visual-spatial

Graphics allow concepts to be stored in both memories.

graphics convey information more efficiently than textindividual elements relationship between elements

More Reasons

Nilson’s The Graphic Syllabus pages 19-20

use as a reference throughout the course- I use it to remind students where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are going

helped me link my topics to learning objectives … ultimately to assessment

the content is now “front and center” in my syllabus- before it was hidden in jargon-y descriptions anda linear course topic list

More Reasons

How do I create my own graphic syllabus?

Look at your course topics …

How the Topics Look in My MindHow the Topics Looked on My SyllabusIntro to economics / modelsSpecialization and tradeSupply and demandElasticityEfficiency of marketsPrice ControlsTaxesTariffsExternalitiesPublic Goods ProductionPerfect CompetitionMonopolyMonopolistic CompetitionOligopolyFactor MarketsConsumer Choice

Ways to Organize Information

A government may intervene in the economy in a variety of ways: price mechanisms, regulation, financing the provision of goods or services, or directly producing goods or services.

government intervention

price mechanisms

regulation

finance provision of

goods

direct provision of

goods

government intervention

regulations

direct provision of goods

price mechanisms

finance provision of goods

price mechanisms regulations

direct provision of

goods

finance provision of

goods

government intervention

government intervention

price regulations finance directmechanisms provision provision

government intervention

price mechanisms

regulations

finance provision of good

direct provision of good

Fundamental Economic Principles

Markets

How Markets Workweeks 2 - 4

 -why we use markets (ch 3)-supply and Demand (ch 4 &5)-measuring economic well-being (ch 7)

Government Intervention in Marketsweeks 5 - 6

 -price controls (ch 6)-taxes on goods and services (ch 8)-international restrictions (ch9)

Advanced Applicationsweeks 13 - 14

 -labor market (ch 18)-consumer choice theory (ch 21 )

When Markets Failweek 7

 -externalities (ch 10)-public Goods (ch 11)

Markets & Competitionweeks 9 - 12

 -production, costs and profits (ch 13)-competitive markets (ch 14)-monopoly markets (ch 15)-other types of competition (ch 16,- 17)(my micro course)

Types of Structures

competition and complementarity- economic schools of thought- different theories for same concept

parallelism- theory & empirical results- concept & underlying mathematics

process- about a process- teach how to do a process

Nilson’s The Graphic Syllabus chapter 3

sequence / chronology- based on logic- based on time

categorical hierarchy

Nilson’s The Graphic Syllabus chapter 3

Accessing graphic features in Microsoft Word

Consider adding visual interest to other parts of your syllabus.

Consider adding learning objectives to your graphic syllabus.

How Markets Workweeks 2 - 4

 -why we use markets (ch 3)-supply and Demand (ch 4 &5)-measuring economic well-being (ch 7)

Learning Objective: Apply microeconomic analysis to evaluate economic events and/or problems.

From my intro course:

PublicFinance

Let’s try it!Keep in mind:

There is not one “right way” to do this.- different types of road maps: scenic route, fastest route, specific sites, …

You already have a framework in your head for how the concepts fit together.

- might identify “tacked on” subjects

Play around with variations.- iterative process- perfect is the enemy of the good

Ten Principles of Economics Thinking Like an EconomistInterdependence and the Gains from Trade Market Forces of Supply and DemandMeasuring a Nation's Income Measuring the Cost of LivingProduction and Growth Saving, Investment, Financial SystemThe Basic Tools of Finance Unemployment and Its Natural RateThe Monetary System Money Growth and InflationOpen-Economy Macroeconomics Theory of the Open EconomyAggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply Monetary and Fiscal PolicyTradeoff between Inflation and Debates over Macroeconomic Unemployment Policy

Topic List for Principles of Macroeconomics

Mankiw’s Brief Principles of Macroeconomics

The Macroeconomic Building Blocks

GDP inflation unemployment

Long Run Economic Growth - productivity - market for funds

The Monetary System - money and banking - the Federal Reserve - the money market

The Open Economy - international trade - market for foreign exchange

How

mar

ket

s w

ork

A Model of the Economy as a Whole- GDP, inflation, and unemployment- government policy

Questions? Comments?

How to reach me:

@yogiconomist

Katie (Sauer) Hart

ksauer5@mscd.edu

303-556-3037