Kay Halasek, PhDDirector, UITLAssociate Professor of Englishhalasek.1@osu.edu

Refining Your Syllabus for Day 1 and Beyond

http://go.osu.edu/NFOsyllabus2019

1. List two to three critical questions or concerns you have about your syllabus (2 minutes)

2. Share these with two other people (3 minutes)

3. As a team, group your questions and concerns into categories (3 minutes)

4. Report out your categories (2 minutes)

Short (ten-minute) Activity

Categories of Concern

Day 1 . . .

Templates and Outlines

Using Model Courses (ODEE)

Plan Your Course (ODEE)

Contact information • name, title, phone, email, office hours

Course information • title, number, meeting time and

location, prerequisites, texts Goals and learning outcomes Calendar Grading system Policies

* Please contact your home unit to confirm content requirements.

Typical Content*

Disability accommodation statement (ADA)

Academic integrity policy (COAM)

Grading system (OSU Policy)

Goals and expected learning outcomes for general education courses (OSU Policy)

Departmental statements (Please inquire)

Required Elements

. . . and Beyond

“ . . . the syllabus was named ‘the component [that] most often contribut[es] to effective college teaching’ . . . . Even so, many syllabi present problematic assumptions as they rely on text-heavy visual design . . . negative punishment language . . . defensive and even combative policies . . . and cold-toned disability statements.”

Womack 501

Syllabus as First Impression

1. Employ accessible document design2. Incorporate cooperative language3. Develop flexible course plans

Womack 501, 503

Toward an Inclusive Syllabus

1. Trade some text for accessible images

2. Make text reader-friendly (12- to 14-point sans serif, 2-column)

3. Make text user-friendly (TOC, hyperlinks)

Womack 503-512

Employ Accessible Design

1. Begin with an inclusive learning statement2. Choose positive over punishing language

and cooperative over paternalistic language3. Create invitations over commands

Incorporate Cooperative Language

Womack 512-515

1. Expand deadlines on the syllabus2. Build flexibility into grading

distribution (e.g., grading contracts)

Womack 515-519

Develop Flexible Course Plans

Take our remaining time to jot down two or three concrete “action items” for yourself as you draft or revise your syllabus, focusing perhaps on

• Employing accessible document design• Incorporating cooperative language• Developing flexible course plans

Session Reflection

More Commentary and InsightsAccessiblesyllabus.com.

Barbara Fister. “The Syllabus as TOS.”

David Gooblar, “Your Syllabus Doesn’t Have to Look Like a Contract.”

Jason B. Jones. “Creative Approaches to the Syllabus.”

Kathy Klein. “Give Your Syllabus a Makeover and Watch Your Classroom Transform.”

John Warner. “A Syllabus is Not a Contract.”

Breakout Sessions