Syllabus RedesignDeanna Heikkinen

Los Angeles Valley College

West Los Angeles College

The Syllabus

The syllabus is often the first impression that a student gets of the professor and the class.

It should be engaging and informative.

The syllabus needs to let the student know the instructor’s expectations as well as: Course materials

Course assignments

Course description, SLOs, and objectives

Due dates

Grading criteria

Student services available (including DSPS)

The Traditional Syllabus

The traditional syllabus is black and white text

It can be intimidating to students

Definitely not engaging

My old syllabus

The Syllabus Redesigned

There is a lot of potential to make the syllabus more engaging

Bring color into the mix

Let technology be your friend

My new syllabus

Delivery Method

Have a personal Website Weebly.com

http://professordeannaheikkinen.weebly.com/

Email to students

Etudes Online

Web-enhanced

How to go from plain to exciting!

Warning: This takes a lot of time and energy…but the payoff is worth it!

Microsoft Word For design

Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Accessibility check

Distribution

The First Page

What to include: Course info

Image of you

Contact info

Social media info

Something about you

Teaching philosophy

The Second Page

What to include: Course Description

SLOs

Course Objectives

All of the above in

plain English

The Third Page

What to include: Textbook information

Important Dates

Reading Assignments

What to expect from

the course

The Fourth Page

What to include: Evaluation information

Assignment information

The Fifth Page

What to include: Grading expectations

The Sixth Page

What to include: Grade tracker

Contact sheet

The Seventh Page

What to include: Plagiarism information

Repeatability information

Attendance policy

The Eight Page

What to include: Disabilities Services

Financial aid

Writing/tutoring

Accommodations

statement

How to Create the New Syllabus

Microsoft Word 2013

Open a new document

Create Text Boxes with Flair!

1. Click on insert

2. Click on Text Box

3. Scroll though to find the one you

want to use

Create Your Content

Type right in the text box.

Note: There are different shapes and styles of the text boxes – you can change them but I

recommend that you use the shapes and styles to your

advantage

A Closer Look at the Content

The Modern Student

Engaging content

Do not be afraid to experiment

Tell your students your experimenting

Ask for feedback

Breaking Down the Language

Include the formal but also speak in colloquial terms

COURSE DESCRIPTIONFrom the holistic and cross-cultural comparative nature of anthropological study, this course offers students a broad survey of Native Peoples living in North America, with an emphasis on cultural traditions of California.  The various groups surveyed are viewed as they existed at time of contact.  Issues facing modern native groups will be explored.   Students will investigate the effects of culture contact, culture change processes, differential power relations, and the resilience of culture traditions.

VS.

What is this class about?

This class is a survey of Native American groups that lived in the United States prior to contact. These groups had contact with one another but many different ways of life. You will learn how different these groups were and how those differences are often regionally based depending upon the environment they lived in.

 

Include Important Dates

Important Dates:

Last day to drop with a full refund 10/25/13Last day to drop without a “W” 10/25/13Film report Due 11/3/13Veteran’s Day Holiday 11/11/13Website Review Due 11/17/13Last day to drop with a “W” 11/27/13Thanksgiving Holiday 11/28-29/13Digital Project Due 12/1/13Final Exam due 12/13/13 

**Note: There will be 9 discussion posts and 8 quizzes due throughout the course. Please see the ETUDES discussion board and Assignments, Tasks, and Surveys Tab for due dates.

Drop dates are important

Don’t forget

to include

the holidays

If there are weekly assignments you can

condense the information if you want.

Assignment and regular due dates are maybe the

most important item!

Textbook Information

Textbook:

Mark Q. Sutton, An Introduction to Native North America, 4th ed. Pearson, 2012ISBN: 9780205121564Publisher Website:http://bit.ly/1eKdvwO **Note – You need the listed edition for this class**

Include a link to the publisher website

Let students know if older editions are

allowed

Include a picture of the textbook

ISBN is critical

Reading Assignments

Textbook Reading AssignmentsDate Due Chapter Topic10/27/13 1 Introduction11/3/13 3 and 4 Artic and Subarctic11/10/13 5 and 10 Plateau and Plains11/17/13 6 Northwest Coast11/24/13 7 and 8 Great Basin and California12/1/13 9 Southwest12/8/13 11 and 12 Southwest and Southeast12/13/13 13 Contemporary Issues

 

Date the reading is due

I list the chapter and the topic separately. The topic is an abbreviated chapter name. I also include the reading assignments separately from the important dates/due dates. I think

this highlights the reading assignments.

Assignment Information

ASSIGNMENTS

If you do not have a computer at home, you may use the Open Computer Lab during posted hours, located in Library, 2nd floor. Not having internet or a computer is not a valid excuse for late, incomplete, or missing assignments.

ASSIGNMENT SHEETS WILL BE POSTED ONLINE.

 

All of face to face classes are web-enhanced or I teach online, so the assignment particulars

are on the course website. You can also include assignment descriptions if you would like.

This is a good place to include any policies you have for assignments. How to turn

them in, etc.

EvaluationEVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE

  

Discussions 185 pointsWebsite Review 30 pointsFilm report 30 pointsQuizzes 120 pointsDigital Project 60 pointsFinal Exam 75 points

 

 500 Total Points possible

450-500 A400-449 B350-399 C300-349 D

299 and below F

Discussions; 185

Website Re-

view; 30

Quizzes; 120

Film re-

port; 30

Digital Project; 60

Final exam; 75

Include a visual representation of points.

ExpectationsGRADING Your grade in this course will largely be based upon your journal writing responses, examinations, and discussion posts. I have expectations for the work required for each level of academic accomplishments. You can measure your performance throughout the course by the following criteria: Grade A: Deeply engaged in course material and discussions. An “A” student asks questions, participates in course discussions and does above average assignments. This student writes in the discussion forum regularly and has thoughtful comments and questions. This student logs on to the course website at least 5 times a week and has learned an above average amount of information and through readings, discussions, and examinations and is able to interpret their meanings. They present insightful interpretive claims that are unusually perceptive and may be unexpected. Grade B: This student is engaged in course material and discussions. A “B” student asks questions, participates in discussions and does above average on examinations. This student writes almost regularly in the discussion forum but does not always have thoughtful insight or questions into the readings. This student logs in at least four times a week and has learned an above average amount of information. This student through examinations, readings, and discussions is able to identify key points but lacks clarity in interpretation of some topics.

I like to include a breakdown of what I expect for each grade earned. That way a student can determine what they need to

do to achieve their desired result in the course.

Academic Policies and Student Services

Academic PoliciesACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND PLAGIARISM

Academic dishonesty of any type by a student provides grounds for disciplinary action by the instructor or college. Plagiarism is the use of others’ words and/or ideas without clearly acknowledging their source. When you incorporate those words and ideas into your own work, you must give credit where credit is due. Plagiarism, intentional or unintentional, is considered academic dishonesty and is not tolerated. Anyone found to be plagiarizing or cheating will (1) receive a zero (fail) on the assignment, and (2) be referred to the Vice President of Student Services for further disciplinary action, following due process. For more information please see the Board Rules on Student Discipline.

COURSE REPEATABILITY

Effective Summer 2012, course withdrawal (“W”) will count as an attempt at a course in the same way substandard grades (“D”, “F”, or “NP”) always have. Only three attempts of any one course will be allowed, with some exceptions.

ATTENDANCE AND DROP POLICY

The only students who may attend classes are those who have been admitted to the college and are in approved active status. Students are expected to attend every meeting of all classes for which they are registered. Violation of this regulation may result in exclusion from class as specified in Administrative Regulation E-13. If you stop attending a class (or wish to drop a class) you must drop the class yourself – officially – over the Internet. Failure to do so may result in a grade of “F” in that class.

 

Use hyperlinks to actual district, board or campus policies

Closing thoughts

Personalize your syllabus

Make it interactive

Engage your students

Grade Tracker – Fill in the total points from each assignment. Divide by the total possible points to get your grade on that assignment. To get your final grade, add all of your points and divide by 500.Discussions                  

Quizzes                

Film Report  

Website Review  

Digital Project  

Final exam  

Total  

Questions?