Igniting Learners with Innovative Syllabi

Ann O’Kelley Wetmore, MSDH,BSDH,RDH

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Course Description � 

Ignite learners by developing innovative syllabi. Discuss components of an effective syllabus using best practices and creativity. Explore ways to provide students with a fun and exciting introduction to your course using graphics, tables, and online resources. Tips, tools, and templates will be provided as you create a syllabus template for an online or traditional course.

Learning Objectives

•  Select components of syllabi development to support learner centered teaching and learning, accreditation standards, and outcomes assessment.

•  Create a syllabus template using evidence-based concepts including program development, contemporary pedagogy, assessment, program outcomes, and creative resources.

•  Utilize innovative thought to develop syllabi content to ignite and support student learning.

S W B A T

What is a Syllabus?

•  Agreement • Map •  Schedule

Comparison

Online •  Participation •  Orient to Course •  Full of detail •  Instructor profile •  Write it

Face-to-Face •  Attendance •  First day orientation •  Outline •  Who I am presentation •  Say it

Supportive Environment

How does syllabus play a role?

AGREEMENT

Expectations

Share a set of very clear expectations for your students and for yourself as to: 1. how you will communicate 2. how much time students should be working on the course each week 3. instructor availability for face-to face or virtual “office hours” 4. Classroom Etiquette or Netiquette Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. M. (2010). The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips (1 ed.). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Course Goals

Why are these important?

Specificity

•  Policies –  Policy on late assignments, course completion etc. –  Policy on plagiarism and cheating

•  Specifications for writing assignments –  quality and timeliness of responses in the

Discussion Board –  assignment rules and grading criteria –  due dates (in whose time zone?) –  labeling assignments

Whatever kind of participation you expect in your course, you should make that explicit in the syllabus.

Technology Requirements

•  URL for your home page or LMS •  Professor’s or student blogs •  File formats •  Browser requirements •  Hardware needs •  Software needs

Grading

•  Course requirements : exams, quizzes, classroom participation, projects, and papers, including the percentage each counts toward the final grade and how each is to be submitted §  Consider using a table format

•  Incorporate into schedule •  Policies on missed exams and late work. •  Grading scale and standards (or rubrics)

§  May post generic rubrics in syllabus as appendices

MAP

Organized

•  May be long but it should be organized and attractive (Horton, 2006, p. 481)

•  Organize by theme •  Consider Table of Contents

SYLLABUS THEMES

Course Information

•  COURSE NAME/NUMBER •  COURSE TITLE •  Credits •  Term Year •  COURSE DESCRIPTION •  Prerequisite •  GENERAL INSTRUCTIONAL

OBJECTIVES/GOALS •  PRIMARY COURSE TEXTS •  SUPPLEMENTAL TEXTS •  BOOKSTORE •  URL •  TEACHING METHODS •  COURSE HOURS

Instructor Information

•  COURSE INSTRUCTOR: •  Name •  Position •  Address •  Office phone •  Email

•  INSTRUCTOR CREDO/PHILOSOPHY ETC.

•  PROFESSIONAL PHOTO •  OFFICE HOURS: PHYSICAL

AND ELECTRONIC •  EWU EMAIL POLICY

University/ College, Department, and Program Policies

•  ATTENDANCE POLICY •  KEY DATES •  ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

STATEMENT •  ADA STATEMENT •  EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

STATEMENT •  AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

STATEMENT •  INTERPROFESSIONAL

EDUCATION (IPE) STATEMENT

Technical Information

•  MINIMUM TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

•  COMMUNICATING Etiquette or Netiquette

•  SENDING AND RECEIVING EMAIL

•  NAVIGATING THE COURSE

•  EQUIPMENT

EXAMPLE OF NAVIGATING THE COURSE: • The electronic classrooms for this course are located in CANVAS. • Open your Internet browser; preferably Mozilla or Google Chrome. • Login using your EWU LADP/Net Student ID [username] and Password. • Your student “Home” page has a list of current activity and a link to your calendar. • Inbox in upper right for messages both written and voice. • Courses, Assignments, Grades, and Calendar are located in tabs at the top of the page • Use the Drop-down Menu under Courses to enter the CANVAS Classroom.

The CANVAS Classrooms (Left side Menu)

Home Course Description and Goals /Competencies

Announcements Course Announcements from Instructor

Syllabus Syllabus Schedule  

Modules Weekly Course Content Presentations/Readings Link to Blog Questions & Blog Link to Discussion Questions & Discussion Board

Assignments Assignments Rubrics both pdf and built-in Submit Assignments here  

Discussions Eaglexpresso Coffee Shop Discussion Forums

Grades Lists of grades on assignments Weighted grade totals

People Info about Instructor Info about Students

Pages EWU Library Resources Instructor Resources Course Resources

Conferences & Collaboration Area for instructor to discuss with student Area for students to work on projects together

Technical Assistance Use Help in Upper Right corner or the Helpdesk.

Specific Instructional Objectives

At the end of the course, the SWBAT: • One Measurable Action Verb per objective • Specific to weekly or module content • Performance/Conditions/Criteria • CODA

 

Required Learning Experiences

•  REQUIRED LEARNING EXPERIENCES (also posted in LMS?) –  List all assignments in chronological order. –  Provide detailed information on expectations, due

dates, submission, grading. – May want to include rubrics for recurring

assignments such as writing and discussion.

Example of Assignment

                 Cultural  Diversity  Project:  Students  will  work  in  groups  to  create  a  virtual  program    to  teach  a  chosen  cultural/ethnic  group  about  diabetes  and  oral  health  (Do  not  forget  nutrition).    Utilize  websites  and  literature  to  identify  possible  barriers  to  health  within  your  target  group.  Consider  oral  health  values  as  well  as  overall  values.    Utilize  the  program  development  process  and    create  a  PowerPoint  (PPT)  to  demonstrate  your  program.    A  template  will  be  posted  for  organizing  your  data  however,  creative  thought  is  appreciated.    Cite  all  references.  Group  assignments  will  be  posted  in  CANVAS    under  the  assignment  area.     A  rubric  based  on  the  following  criteria  will  be  used  to  evaluate  each  component.   Please  submit  this  project  by  midnight  of  June  7,  2015.  Please  submit  the  project  using  the  CANVAS  Submit  Assignment  tool.    You  must  pdf  your  PowerPoint  prior  to  submission.    See  late  assignment  policy.

Example of Assignment Schedule

DNHY  605  ASSIGNMENT  SCHEDULE  SPRING  2014    

 

Assignment   Content   Due  Date   Evaluation   Points   Total  Points    

%  of  Grade  

Weekly  Discussions  

Weekly  Topic  As  assigned  

Weekly   Online  Discussion  Rubric    

10/  week  

 100   20  %  

Educational  Program  Development  Project  

Assessment/  Analysis  

April  20,  2014  

Rubric   100   500   50%  

Design   May  4,  2014  

Rubric   65  

Development   May  11,  2014  

Rubric   135  

Implementation   May  25,  2014  

Rubric   100  

Evaluation   June  1,  2014  

Rubric   100  

Cultural  Diversity  Project  

Cultural  Issues  related  to  Oral  Health  Values  

June  8,  2014  

Rubric  per  criteria  

100   100   10%  

Reflective  Blogs  

Weekly  Reflections  

Weekly  by  Monday  at  midnight  PST  

Reflection  Rubric  (posted  in  BB)  

40/  week  

400   10%  

E-­‐Portfolio   Cultural  Diversity  Project  

June  10,  2014    

MSDH  E-­‐Portfolio  Rubric  

200   200   10%  

Educational    Program  Development  Project  Reflective  Blogs    

Asssignment Criteria

•  WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT CRITERIA   •  WRITING CENTER   •  OTHER WRITING SOURCES

•  EXAMPLE OF WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT CRITERIA/FORMAT

Grading Policy

•  COURSE EVALUATION CRITERIA •   LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY •   GRADE SCALE •  Statement regarding Academic

Achievement •  Any student earning a course

grade below 74% (1.7) will receive a 0.0 for DNHY 605 (see Academic Achievement Policy of Dental Hygiene Department).

•  The student must complete all course work to receive a grade for the course.

Other Resources

OTHER RESOURCES:  •  Graduate School Information •  Help with Technology •  Library Services •  Registrars Office

•  Student Handbook •  Accreditation Statement

SCHEDULE

Creating a Topic Outline/Schedule

•  Lay out in weeks •  Use specific dates in syllabus so students know what

dates correspond with Week # •  Notify of start and end date for week •  Inform students of online calendar that holds this

information

In an online environment, redundancy is often better than elegant succinctness.

Suggested Dates

•  Dates of “no-show” withdrawal •  Dates of mid-point withdrawal deadline •  Due dates of assignments, papers, discussion boards,

peer review, projects, etc. •  Dates of midterm and/or other essential tests, projects,

etc. •  Date and time of final exam

Example of Topic Outline/ Course Schedule

•  EWU DNHY 486 Winter 2014 FINAL.pdf

Disclaimers & Copyrights

This syllabus is subject to change/improvement as needed.

The most current version is posted in CANVAS.

ACTIVITY

How to Get Students to Use Syllabus

•  Email to students •  Syllabus quiz •  Print out syllabus

Questions?

Thank You Ann  O'Kelley  Wetmore,  MSDH,  BSDH  '77  Associate  Professor/Director    Online  BSDH  Degree  Completion    EWU  Dental  Hygiene    301  N  Riverpoint  Blvd.  BOX   E  ▪  Spokane,  WA  99202    [p]  509.828.1321    [f]  509.828.1283    awetmore@ewu.edu   ▪  www.ewu.edu