15 Theorizing the syllabus

How do you think of the syllabus? As a contract, a collaboration, a resource for consultation? How did/would you communicate that to students?

ES: I personally regard the syllabus as both a contract between the students and the teacher, and a resource for consultation, which I tell students during the introductory lecture.

EG: As a tutorial leader, I’ve had great success with what I call a “collaborative syllabus.” I start by emphasizing that, as members of this institution, we are urged to see the syllabus as a contract, but that contracts can and should be co-authored. I include blank sections that we fill together, like basic class practices around snacks/allergies, email policies, and more. I didn’t use this in a big remote class, but I think small classes could.