Building an inclusive and Discuss learner-centered ...€¦ · 5/23/19 1 Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Building an inclusive and learner-centered syllabus Laura Bestler,

5/23/19

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Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

Building an inclusive and

learner-centered syllabus

Laura Bestler, Ph.D.

Program Coordinator, CELTBuilding an inclusive and learner-centered syllabusCenter for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

Today’s Session

• Explore ways of intentionally shaping your syllabi to be a more effective tool tailored for the individual contexts of your courses.

• Discuss ideas and practices about the purpose of the syllabus, how tone affects learner perceptions, syllabus components, and ways to enrich your syllabi.

• Reflect on what you learned and what you still need to know.

Building an inclusive and learner-centered syllabusCenter for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

Workshop resources website:http://bit.ly/celt-syll-work


Your Best Class (Think • Pair • Share)

Think about the best class you have ever completed.

• What do you remember?

• How was the class structured?

(Brain Drain - http://bit.ly/2YHDgaI)

http://bit.ly/celt-syll-work

http://bit.ly/2YHDgaI

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Backwards Design

Learning

Goals

What should students learn/take away from this course?

Feedback &

Assessment

How will I know if students are learning what they need to know?

Teaching Approach

Plan learning experiences and instruction

From Understanding by Design by Wiggins and McTighe


Connecting your course to ISU

Accreditation

University’s Strategic Plan

Program Objectives

Course Objectives


Constructive Course Alignment

CELT’s course alignment website: http://bit.ly/coursealignment


Connecting Outcomes to Assignments

http://bit.ly/coursealignment

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What is a syllabus? Is it?

“A syllabus is the most simply defined as a concise outline of a course study. But it is also the students’ introduction to the course, the subject matter, and you.”

(Nilson, 2016, p. 61)


Or a syllabus…

“… contains the information students need in order to understand what the course is all about, where you are trying to go with the course, and how it is going to operate.”

(Fink, 2013, p. 159)


What are Syllabus ‘Must Haves’

For Students For the Teacher? For Iowa State

(Brain Drain - http://bit.ly/2YHDgaI)Building an inclusive and learner-centered syllabusCenter for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

General Syllabus Components

Typical components: An online/hybrid course may include:Course title (dept/course number info)/Course name

A communication strategy

General info (your contact/TA info; office hours)

Clear description of the time frame and format

Course description and objectives Guidelines for online class participation

Evaluation plan (assignment descriptions) Technical requirements and support

Grading scale and procedures Detailed course outline with start and end dates

Required readings & recommended/optional readings

Course/university policies (e.g., attendance, late work, academic integrity, ADA)

Course outline/Structure, sequence of activities, due dates for major assignments, tests, and projects

*Nilson (2016) recommends a caveat/disclaimer syllabus is subject to change…(Fink, 2013; Nilson, 2016; Vai & Sosulski, 2011)


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ISU Faculty Handbook:10.6 Course Information Section

Instructors shall provide information regarding course content, objectives, and procedures to students during the first week of each course. The information shall include a course syllabus or schedule of proposed topics, readings, and course materials or other description of the course content. The evaluation procedures to be used, as well as expectations for attendance and assignments, shall also be included. (was approved by the Faculty Senate on 11/12/1996)


Download CELT's Mindful and Learner - Centered Syllabus

Checklist (PDF) (http://bit.ly/celtsyllabus)


• Which component from the Checklist is new to you?

• Which components will you consider adding to your syllabus?

CELT's Mindful and Learner - Centered Syllabus Checklist


Words are chameleons, which reflect the color of their environment.

--- Learned Hand

(Syllabi wording examples read aloud)

http://bit.ly/celtsyllabus



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Types of Syllabi

Listers: provide a schedule of topics to cover or

chapters to read, but no indication why they

are relevant

Scolders: describe at length all the rules and all the consequences for breaking each one

Rubin, 1985


A Welcoming Syllabus

• “Warm” language vs. “cold” language

• Invitations instead of commands• Cooperative, welcoming language

versus authoritarian language


E-Mail and Electronic DevicesYou may use e-mail to inform me of an absence and scheduled return to class; I do not use e-mail as a discussion forum. E-mail allows you “to hide inside the machine”; if you have an important issue to discuss, you need to meet with me – in real life – during office hours or by appointment. E-mail is permanent; it provides a record of your technical writing competency and professionalism. Treat e-mail with the same attention to detail and accuracy that you would a formal assignment. Any e-mail that you send will be evaluated for its technical communication competency.

(Syllabi wording examples read aloud)Building an inclusive and learner-centered syllabusCenter for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

Computers as ToolsI am tired of hearing computer-based excuses for late or incomplete assignments. The technology has been here for most of your life, and we have all learned to deal with it. Computers are tools, just like hammers, and a carpenter can no more blame a hammer for shoddy and incomplete work that you can blame a computer. Account for the time and effort needed to use technology effectively. If you come to me with one of those soggy “My computer ate my homework” excuses, you will receive a zero for the assignment.

(Syllabi wording examples read aloud)

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What would a syllabus that

invites students to a learning

event they want to attend

look like?


Design: Tone

• Multiple means/multiple methods• Clear and unambiguous• Concise• First person language; positive language• Include recommended statements and/or

include an inclusive learning statement or a civility statement (handout, p. 4)


(Adapted from Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001)

Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy

(Cognitive Domain)Creating

Evaluating

Analyzing

Applying

Understanding

Remembering

Lo

wer

ord

er

thin

kin

g s

kills

Hig

her

ord

er

thin

kin

g s

kills


Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy: The cognitive processes dimension - categories with

action verbs listed below

Knowledge Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate CreateCopyDefineDescribeDiscoverDuplicateEnumerateExamineIdentifyLabelListLocateMatchMemorizeNameQuoteRecallRecognizeReproduceSelectStateTabulateTell

AssociateClassifyCompareContrastConvertDemonstrateDescribeDifferentiateDiscussDistinguishEstimateExplainExpressExtendIdentifyIndicateInferInterpretParaphrasePredictRelateSummarize

ApplyCalculateChangeChooseCompleteConstructDemonstrateDiscoverDramatizeExperimentIllustrateInterpretManipulateModifyPaintPrepareProduceRelateShowSketchSolveUse

AdvertiseAnalyzeAppraiseBreak downCategorizeClassifyCompareConnectContrastDifferentiateDiscriminateDistinguishDivideExplainInferOrderPoint outPrioritizeSelectSeparateSubdivideSurvey

AppraiseAssessChooseCompareConvinceCriticizeDecideDefendDiscriminateEstimateEvaluateFind errorsGradeJudgeMeasureOrderPredictRankRecommendReframeSummarizeSupport

CombineCompileComposeConstructCreateDesignDevelopFormulateGeneralizeHypothesizeIntegrateInventModifyOrganizePlanPrepareProduceRearrangeRewriteRole-playSubstituteWrite

Lower order thinking skills Higher order thinking skills

Table adapted from Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001, pp. 67-68)


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Retrieved from Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine http://bit.ly/2qUXbo6

Bloom’s Taxonomy: Teacher Planning Kit


An accessible syllabus

Can your syllabus be used by individuals with visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities?


A usable syllabus

• What do students see first?

• How do they know what to do next?

• Can they follow your instructions

• Can they get the software they need?

• Do you project an inclusive learning environment?


EngagementFor purposeful, motivated learners, stimulate interest and motivation for learning.

Affective networks:

The Why of Learning

RepresentationFor resourceful, knowledgeable learners, present information and content in different ways.

Recognition networks:

The What of Learning

Action & ExpressionFor strategic, goal-directed learners, differentiate the ways that students can express what they know.

Strategic networks:

The How of Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)Student activities are varied and take into account different learning styles.

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How can we be more accessible

and learner-centered?

(Brain Drain - http://bit.ly/2YHDgaI)


7 Steps to a Learner-Centered Syllabus

1. Evaluate 2. Create a plan for implementation3. Experiment with your syllabus. 4. Memo on your syllabus when your students ask

questions or requests. 5. Assess the implementation of changing your

syllabus 6. Repeat steps 1–5.7. Never stop repeating steps 1–5.


ISU’s Online

Learner Support


Syllabus Rubric Center for Teaching Excellence of the University of Virginia

This syllabus rubric can be used to aide in the development of a new syllabus, or to identify areas for improvement in an existing syllabus.


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Today’s Session

• Explored ways of intentionally shaping your syllabi to be a more effective tool tailored for the individual contexts of your courses.

• Discussed ideas and practices about the purpose of the syllabus, how tone affects learner perceptions, syllabus components, and ways to enrich your syllabi.

• Reflected on what you learned and what you still need to know.


“In my work” Think & Ink

On one side:Write down 1 concrete way that you can use this information in your work.

On the other side:What is still left unanswered?


Workshop resources website:http://bit.ly/celt-syll-work


This presentation was adapted from:

• Teaching for Learning Center. (2018). The syllabus workshop. Retrieved from http://tlc.missouri.edu• VanDerZanden, A.M. (2017). Your Syllabus: Templates for success; and Constructive alignment: Aligning

learning objectives, assessments and evaluations, and teaching strategies [Presentation]. Preparing Future Faculty, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.

References and Resources:Anderson, L.W. (Ed.), Krathwohl, D.R. (Ed.), Airasian, P.W., Cruikshank, K.A., Mayer, R.E., Pintrich, P.R., Raths, J., &

Wittrock, M.C. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (Complete edition). New York: Longman.

CELT’s course alignment website (http://bit.ly/coursealignment)

CELT's Mindful and Learner - Centered Syllabus Checklist (PDF) (http://bit.ly/celtsyllabus)

CELT’s Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy website (http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/effective-teaching-practices/revised-blooms-taxonomy)

Harnish, R.J. & Bridges, K.R. Soc Psychol Educ (2011) 14: 319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-011-9152-4

Knaack, L. (2011). A practical handbook from educators: Designing learning opportunities. Whitby, ON: de Sitter Publications.

Rubin, S. (1985, August 7). Professors, students and the syllabus. Chronicle of Higher Education. (p. 56).

http://bit.ly/celt-syll-work

http://tlc.missouri.edu/

http://bit.ly/coursealignment


http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/effective-teaching-practices/revised-blooms-taxonomy

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-%20011-9152-4

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Laura Bestler, PhD

Program Coordinator

Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

3024 Morrill Hall

603 Morrill Road

Ames, IA 50011-2170

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 515-294-4533

Website: http://www.celt.iastate.edu/

Contact


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Building an inclusive and Discuss learner-centered ...€¦ · 5/23/19 1 Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Building an inclusive and learner-centered syllabus Laura Bestler,