Writing Clear Syllabus Objectives Eastern Visayas State University College of Education Faculty Enrichment Workshop “Syllabus Enrichment” August 26, 2011

Writing Clear Syllabus Objectives

Eastern Visayas State UniversityCollege of Education

Faculty Enrichment Workshop“Syllabus Enrichment”

August 26, 2011

Forming objectives & activities

There are multiple ways to correctly write these:

1. Students will interpret color coded resistors2. Students will be able to interpret color coded resistors3. Students will be interpreting color coded resistors4. Students will demonstrate interpretation of color coded

resistors

Verbs, Nouns, Progressives, Infinitives

Verb Noun Progressive Infinitive

Create Creation Creating To create

Evaluate Evaluation Evaluating To evaluate

Analyze Analysis Analyzing To analyze

Apply Application Applying To apply

Understand Comprehension Understanding To understand

Remember Memorization Remembering To remember

Some Verbs Cannot Be NominalizedVerb Nominalization Better choice

Share Shareation?! Collaboration

Contrast Contrastion?! Differentiation

List Listization?! Enumeration

Paraphrase Paraphraxis Summarization

Link Linkization?! Connection

Match Matchism?! Combination

The progressive (“ing”) form is more versatile

Verb Progressive

Share Sharing

Contrast Contrasting

List Listing

Paraphrase Paraphrasing

Link Linking

Match Matching

Objectives and Activites Should Not Be Redundant

A. Specific objectives

1. State the importance and function of electricity

2. Understand electron theory

3. List three important characteristics of electric currents

4. Differentiate the types of electric circuits

5. Calculate electrical quantities using ohm’s law

C. Indicators and suggested activities

1. Stating the importance and function of electricity

2. Understanding electron theory

3. Listing three important characteristics of electric current

4. Differentiating the types of electric circuits

5. Calculating electrical quantities using ohm’s law

Excerpt from Syllabus:

For objectives, use ‘skill’ verbsFor activities, use ‘action’ verbs

Objectives Activities

Memorize, Remember, Recognize, Recall

Reciting, Defining, Listing, Enumerating, Stating

Understand, Explain, Express, Generalize, Paraphrase

Reporting, Graphing, Outlining, Diagramming,Calculating

Analyze, Interpret, Compare, Examine, Differentiate

Debating, Researching, Experimenting, Conducting A Survey, Arguing

Improving a Syllabus




3. List three important characteristics of electric currents


5. Calculate electrical quantities using ohm’s law




3. Listing three important characteristics of electric current


5. Calculating electrical quantities using ohm’s law

ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY

OBJECTIVE

OBJECTIVE

Which are objectives? Which are activities?

OBJECTIVE-ACTIVITY MATE!

IMPROVED SYLLABUSBefore: After:


1. Recall the importance and function of electricity


3. Memorize 3 important characteristics of electric currents


5. Interpret electrical quantities using Ohm’s law



2. Diagramming electron theory

3. Listing three important characteristics of electric currents

4. Creating a chart of the types of electric circuits

5. Calculating electrical quantities using Ohm’s law




3. List 3 important characteristics of electric currents


5. Calculate electrical quantities using Ohm’s law







EVEN BETTER SYLLABUS (Specific activities, less redundant)






5. Interpret electrical quantities using ohm’s law


1. Stating three applications of electricity and their sources

2. Diagramming electron theory and stating its relevance

3. Listing 3 important characteristics of electric current

4. Connecting bulbs in series, parallel, and series-parallel connections

5. Calculating the amount of voltage, current, resistance and power of an electric current






5. Interpret electrical quantities using ohm’s law



2. Diagramming electron theory


4. Creating a chart of the types of electric circuits


Reminder: Use Parallel StructureUsing the progressive form:

Mary likes hiking, swimming and bicycling

Using the infinitive form:Mary likes to hike, to swim and to ride a bicycle

ORMary likes to hike, swim, and ride a bicycle

A. Students will be able to read about heavy metals, to list ten elements, and the periodic table will be familiarized

B. Students will be able to read about heavy metals,list ten elements, and be familiar with the periodic table

C. Students will demonstrate reading about heavy metals, to list ten elements, and to familiarize themselves with the periodic table

Game: Which is Parallel?A. Students will be able to read about heavy metals,

to list ten elements, and the periodic table will be familiarized

B. Students will be able to read about heavy metals,list ten elements, and be familiar with the periodic table

C. Students will demonstrate reading about heavy metals, to list ten elements, and to familiarize themselves with the periodic table

A. Students will complete the chart, be providing labels, and need to provide examples

B. Students will complete the chart, will be providing labels, and will be providing examples

C. Students will complete the chart, provide labels, and provide examples

Which is Parallel?A. Students will complete the chart, be

providing labels, and need to provide examples

B. Students will complete the chart, will be providing labels, and will be providing examples

C. Students will complete the chart, provide labels, and provide examples

Which is Parallel?At the end of the unit, studentsA. will demonstrate an understanding of resistor color codes, give an explanation of the significance of power ratings, and value the observation of safety

B. understand resistor color codes, explain resistor power ratings, and observe safety

Answer: both are parallel, but “B” may be clearer

Nominalized verbsComprehend Comprehension

Apply Application

“Nominalized sentences may be grammatically and factually correct, but vague. Most humans learn best when they can form specific, vivid mental images — and verbs are more vivid than nouns.”

– Dennis Jerz, Professor of English

Which is clearest?

At the end of the unit, students will…A. be knowing cellular reproduction, working at

the project, and compiling a list of resourcesB. study the steps of cellular reproduction,

complete the project, and have a list of resources

C. enumerate the steps of cellular reproduction, design a diagram project, and locate five resources

Which is clearest?

At the end of the unit, students will…A. be able to identify different Filipino folk

dances found in the MAPEH textbookB. demonstrate identification of different Filipino

folk dances found in the MAPEH textbookC. identify different Filipino folk dances found in

the MAPEH textbook

Which is clearest?

At the end of the unit, students will…A. be able to identify different Filipino folk

dances found in the MAPEH textbookB. demonstrate identification of different Filipino

folk dances found in the MAPEH textbookC. identify different Filipino folk dances found in

the MAPEH textbook

Four ways to enrich your syllabus1. USE “SKILL” WORDS FOR OBJECTIVES2. USE “ACTION” WORDS FOR ACTIVITIES3. USE A DIFFERENT WORD CONSTRUCTION

TO HELP DISTINGUISH OBJECTIVES FROM ACTIVITIES

4. BE CONSISTENT (USE PARALLEL STRUCTURE)

Documents

Writing Clear Syllabus Objectives Eastern Visayas State University College of Education Faculty Enrichment Workshop “Syllabus Enrichment” August 26, 2011