13 Future syllabus changes
What (else) would you do differently?
ES: I think we both agree that we would definitely add more information about assignments (e.g. whether the assignment uses rubrics or not), and outline the exact expectations for each assignment (what the TAs/markers and I are looking for). I’d also provide more clarity as to the delivery model (synchronous vs. asynchronous, which platforms the course uses, etc.). Finally, I’d identify for students the accessibility measures that are incorporated into the course (e.g. recording and posting lectures, where students can find this content, etc.).
EG: It’s definitely helpful to have additional assignment info all laid out for students; I put this info into separate documents (one for each assignment, with only a quick overview statement in the syllabus), which is one option if your syllabus is already feeling too long.
One thing I’d change for a large, first-year course like 1CS3 is to get more specific about tutorial time (e.g. providing 1-2 guiding prompts for each week’s tutorial discussion in the syllabus). Thinking about this made me go back to a syllabus for a Brock course I TA’d for (“Tradition and Innovation” with Dr. Barbara Seeber), with questions like, “In what ways is Milton’s Satan similar to Shakespeare’s Iago?” I think it would help students and TAs.